Hwang Kwanghee reveals CEO's blunt demand for plastic surgery before debut

Singer and entertainer Hwang Kwanghee has revealed a hidden story from his trainee days, sharing an anecdote about receiving a blunt suggestion from his agency's CEO to "come back after getting plastic surgery." Hwang, who has been consistently open about his procedures, is drawing attention as his honest confession highlights the intense focus on appearance within the early K-pop trainee system.

During an appearance on the YouTube channel 'Gaegwacheonseon Seo In-young' on the 15th, Hwang reminisced about his time as a trainee at Star Empire and the process leading up to his debut.

In the video, Seo In-young and Hwang, who were both under the same agency, reunited to share memories from that era.

Upon seeing Hwang, Seo joked, "You are more handsome now than before. I think that's why you weren't as popular during your group activities," to which Hwang responded playfully, "This face should have been my face back then, but I looked like an 'ajusshi' at the time," creating a cheerful atmosphere.

The two later visited the former Star Empire building to recall their trainee days.

Seo recalled, "We started in the basement practice room, and later moved to the new building. Kim Jung-ah unnie played a big role, and I also contributed to building the building."

Hwang used his signature wit to add, "If the building has nine pillars, it means Kim Jung-ah unnie and Seo In-young unnie built half of them. ZE:A used that money for activities, but I used that money for all my plastic surgeries," drawing laughter from the group.

Seo empathized with his remark, recalling, "That's right. I kept asking, 'How is my nose?' and 'How is my forehead?' all the time."

The most striking part of the interview, however, was the shocking ultimatum Hwang received from the CEO ahead of his debut.

Hwang candidly confessed, "I started my trainee life in 2005 and spent a whopping 6 years. I practiced for a long time, but my skills did not meet expectations."

He continued, "The CEO told me, 'Take a break for about two years and then come back.' He said if I really wanted to debut, I should come back after getting plastic surgery, and that he wouldn't let me debut until then."

Hwang eventually accepted the suggestion and underwent plastic surgery, subsequently making his official debut as a member of the group ZE:A.

Since his debut, Hwang has built a unique persona by being transparent about his procedures and discussing them humorously on variety shows. Unlike the traditional cautious attitude regarding appearance changes in the entertainment industry, he is praised for communicating honestly with the public.

Looking back, he also noted the strong bond he shared with the agency, saying, "The CEO really adored unnie and me. He liked personalities like ours."

Since his idol days, Hwang has successfully transitioned into a full-time entertainer, maintaining steady popularity through his wit and friendly image. He is currently active in various programs, including serving as the main MC for the commerce web variety show 'Hal-in-gwang.'

This confession is being viewed as more than just a personal anecdote; it serves as a window into the star-making methods and the intense competition for physical perfection that characterized the early K-pop trainee system, sparking widespread discussion online.