Girl group fromis_9 has sparked widespread discussion after sharing an unexpected behind-the-scenes story about their time under Pledis Entertainment, revealing that they were reportedly instructed to avoid contact with senior group SEVENTEEN.
The revelations were made during an appearance on SEVENTEEN Seungkwan’s YouTube show Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo, where members Jiwon and Chaeyoung candidly discussed their past experiences at the agency.
During the episode, Seungkwan warmly welcomed the two idols and jokingly pointed out that they left the company without saying goodbye. The conversation quickly became more serious as the members of fromis\9 described their time spent in Pledis.
Jiwon revealed that their interactions with SEVENTEEN were extremely limited. “We couldn’t even step on their shadows.” Chaeyoung added that staff often ordered them to leave immediately if SEVENTEEN members were nearby. “We were also told to take off our shoes and leave. Maybe in case our feet smelled?” He explained that the system gave the feeling that they were not supposed to be seen at all when senior artists were present.
Seungkwan appeared surprised by the revelations and expressed sympathy for his younger artists. He also noted that during the time SEVENTEEN trained in the basement of the old Pledis building, they rarely met anyone from other teams. Chaeyoung agrees, saying, “It was a system where we could never be seen.”
fromis_9 members also recalled how staff actively alerted them when SEVENTEEN approached practice areas, leading to constant tension regarding accidental encounters. Chaeyoung admitted, “We were really worried about stepping on your shadows.”
Seungkwan also shared a separate memory of when he accidentally ran into a member of fromis_9 who was singing in the rehearsal room, causing her to immediately leave in panic. She described the moment as feeling like she “didn’t belong there,” which Chaeyoung later admitted she probably did.
After the broadcast, the story spread quickly on social media and online communities, where many netizens criticized Pledis Entertainment for its internal separation between senior and junior artists. Some users questioned why such strict measures were necessary and whether the environment was appropriate for rookie idols trying to grow within the same company.
The discussion reignited larger debates about idol agency culture and how companies handle interactions between senior and junior groups under the same label.
Sources: Koreaboo
