“Take your time to heal”: Fans pour support as DKZ’s Kyoungyoon halts activities due to panic and social anxiety disorder

DKZ’s Kyoungyoon has temporarily halted all his activities after experiencing anxiety stemming from the recent Boseong’s Cultwo Show controversy related to his affiliation with the infamous JMS cult. On April 20, Dongpyo Entertainment released a statement mentioning that the 23-year-old idol is undergoing therapy and treatment.

The DKZ member was diagnosed with a panic disorder, which has developed into a social anxiety disorder. The temporary hiatus will help him focus entirely on getting his stability back.

The announcement led to extreme concerns from international fans. They tweeted in support of Kyoungyoon, asking him to take his own sweet time to heal. They also criticized the people for giving the idol a hard time, despite the 23-year-old singer telling Dispatch in an interview that he was a victim of the JMS cult on March 13, 2023.

DKZ’s agency announces Kyoungyoon’s hiatus after JMS controversy continues, fans defend the idol

DKZ’s Kyoungyoon made headlines last month after he confessed his connection to the infamous JMS (Jung Myung-seok) cult, aka the Providence Church, in an explosive interview with Dispatch. He shared in great detail how he and his family allegedly fell victim to the cult and cut off ties with the church after they discovered its ill deeds.

However, some Korean netizens refused to believe Kyoungyoon and continued to criticize him. Several concerns over DKZ's appearance at the Cultwo Show in Boseong on April 29 prompted Dongpyo Entertainment to bring up the issue once more. The agency then announced that the group would proceed with a five-member performance.

The agency then released a statement, sharing that the 23-year-old idol was currently undergoing therapy and treatment for his panic disorders. He will be temporarily halting all his activities to focus entirely on the treatment.

As per Soompi, the agency released another notice five hours later informing fans that the scheduled Cultwo Show performance was canceled.

International fans reacted strongly to the news. They defended the idol and posted comments criticizing people for cornering him despite his personal letter and interview with Dispatch. They also mentioned that the 23-year-old was a victim and that the people who filed complaints against him were harassing the singer.

Previously, DKZ had two members depart from the group. Wondae left the group in March 2022 due to health concerns. Munik left DKZ in February 2023, but he remains an artist under Dongpyo Entertainment. He is expected to greet fans with new activities. The group currently consists of Kyoungyoon, Sehyeon, Mingyu, Jaechan, Jonghyeong, and Giseok.

In December last year, DKZ released a year-end project single track titled 2022 (Forever). It was part of the group’s annual tradition of treating fans to year-end songs.

About the author

Afreen has been a K-Pop Content Specialist at Sportskeeda since 2021. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, along with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication. Afreen has over 4+ years of working in various positions including being an entertainment content writer with Pinkvilla’s K-pop division Hallyutalk and CineDope, and as a copywriter at Flying Cursor.

As per Afreen, she loves her work because she gets to write about the things she is obsessed with. Her thorough research and following the two-genuine-source rule of journalism helps her produce the most accurate content, along with helping her be up-to-date with the industry.

Afreen has had the privilege to interview The Rose's frontrunner, WOOSUNG, and LIONESSES, K-pop's first openly LGBTQ+ group. She is a big fan of SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, BTS, and The Rose for their hard work, sincerity, and the comic relief their shows provide.

When she is off her shift, Afreen explores the streets of Nottingham in the UK, cooks, and listens to new music.

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