A K-pop idol who previously participated in Mnet's "Produce 101" disclosed how the show led her to spend about a year living in a dark room following a certain incident.

Chanmi Opens Up About Vocal Struggles During 'Into the New World' Performance on PD101

On May 2, MBC's "MMA of the Tongue" hosted an intense conversational battle with K-pop idol Heo Chanmi. The show's format sees guests and hosts engaging in various storytelling genres in an effort to hold the audience's attention. The individual with the most captivating narration is declared the winner.

Chanmi, a competitor on the show, recounted her challenges following ten years as a trainee, including two failed group debuts and three survival programs.

Chanmi gained notoriety among K-pop fans after appearing on Mnet's "Produce 101," a show that left a significant mark on the entertainment industry. Unfortunately, her fame was not due to a positive experience but rather a humiliating one.

During a battle round, her group performed their version of SNSD's "Into the New World," with Chanmi as the lead vocalist. However, she received harsh criticism for singing off-key and having her voice crack, which Mnet replayed five times.

Chanmi recalled:

"I waited for the actual show, hoping that (my) situation would be revealed since the process during our practice was filmed. But, I was surprised when I saw the broadcast. On the screen, I won the main vocal because I insisted and insisted, I was portrayed as a greedy person who ended up singing out of tune. The off-pitched scene was replayed five times and the broadcast ended as it was. At that moment, it became a silence for all of my family members and a sea of tears."

Chanmi explained that she had initially informed the program about her sore throat and vocal cord nodules but still ended up singing as the main vocalist.

"I have a bad sore throat. I woke up the next day, but my voice didn't come out. I was diagnosed with vocal cord nodules. I received the position of main vocalist, but I continued to reveal in interviews that I had vocal cord nodules. I also asked for understanding but still went on stage without changing my part. I ended up singing out of tune. Of course, it's my mistake."

Chanmi Discusses Life After 'Evil-Editing' in Mnet's 'Produce 101' and Overcoming Challenges

Following the controversial editing, Chanmi trended in real-time searches for five weeks, with the top keyword being "Chanmi attitude." She also faced numerous malicious comments targeting her abilities, personality, and appearance.

Consequently, Chanmi developed social phobia and became terrified of meeting people. Her fear grew to the point where she remained in her house and lived in a room with blackout curtains for approximately a year.

She shared:

"I lived in the room with a blackout curtain for about a year. I didn't eat and didn't leave the room, so my mom checked on me every 30 minutes. She checked every 30 to 40 minutes just in case I had negative thoughts."

Fortunately, many people empathized with the K-pop idol, which allowed her to overcome her difficulties.

"I was having such a hard time, but as the program began to appear in the news, many people recognized that it was the 'devil's editing,' so they gave me a lot of support and encouragement. I think I overcame it well thanks to them."

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