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On May 28, 2025, a clip from the Above THE Influence SHOW surfaced online. It quickly attracted attention after being posted by X user @kimchaena14. The footage showed hosts Michelle Kira Lee and Wootak Kim discussing claims about K-pop star Jennie from BLACKPINK and singer-actress IU.
In the discussion, Lee claimed that wealthy individuals might pay hefty amounts to spend private time with Korean idols and actresses like IU. Wootak then added that an acquaintance of his allegedly had a paid encounter with BLACKPINK's Jennie and possessed a private video as proof.
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These statements came from a private podcast episode behind a paywall, recorded over three months ago. After the leak, the clip rapidly spread online, drawing strong reactions from fans and followers of the artists.
Wootak Kim later shared a public apology on Instagram, clarifying he was not criticizing Jennie but relaying a story meant to highlight difficulties within the K-pop industry, including harsh contracts and mental health issues among idols.
He also urged critics to acknowledge wider industry problems and shared a screenshot of Jennie’s like JENNIE on Spotify, promising to stream it extensively.
Michelle Kira Lee also released an apology on her Instagram stories. She explained the video was taken out of context and did not reflect her true opinions.
Lee said her remarks were part of a longer, private conversation where she repeated information given by an industry insider to shed light on challenges in the K-pop world. She emphasized that she did not support the claims and expressed regret for any upset caused by the clip.
Lee committed to avoiding unverified claims about public figures in the future and vowed to use her platform with greater responsibility.
Both Above THE Influence SHOW hosts underscored the need to address systemic issues in entertainment while recognizing the sensitivity of the topic. However, fans remain unconvinced by their apologies.
"He literally said he saw a video. He didn't mention allegedly or there's a conspiracy. He said my friend who's a BMW heir showed me a video. Outright lying and trying to act victim. F*ck him and his f*cka*s friends and his f*cka*s podcast," an X user commented.
Netizens have criticized the Above THE Influence podcast hosts' recent apologies, calling them insincere and accusing them of using the controversy for promotion.
"We should still try to get them sued cause they were spreading misinformation. We should still continue to send this to Jennie and her team cause they are definitely ppl she needs to use her power to squish and outcast them cause they use anything to make themselves relevant," a fan remarked.
"First they didn’t care about “crazy kpop stans” then they made jokes and now they are “apologizing” all i see is them trying to get people to go watch their content thats behind pay wall. Plus the video not supposed to be for the rest of the world is not an excuse to talk bs," a user mentioned.
"Why do they think it being bonus content is an exception and makes it right to talk about things like this? Just because it’s private and paid content," a person shared.
Many have pointed out the "sexist" nature of the remarks and questioned the logic behind defending the comments as “private” or “bonus” content. Several are calling for lawsuits over the circulation of misleading claims about Jennie and IU. More similar fan remarks.
"Apologize not working, you called them wh*res laughed and then doubled down on what you said go home," a netizen said.
"Why they only mention FEMALES for me this is just a case of being sexist & misogyny spreading false rumors about iu and jennie , jealousy is rlly a sickness," a viewer noted.
"Apologising by making a joke abt streaming as retribution??? You s*ur shamed and lied on women just for some clicks on a dead podcast and this is ur way of apologising??," another fan added.
Above THE Influence hosts' comments regarding BLACKPINK’s Jennie & IU explained
It all started on May 28, 2025, when a clip, part of the long YouTube video from Above THE Influence SHOW, emerged online. Soon, the segment gained rapid attention.
The clip featured hosts Michelle Kira Lee and Wootak Kim discussing allegations involving K-pop idol Jennie from BLACKPINK and When Life Gives You Tangerines fame IU. The conversation also included two additional hosts, Jordan Medinger and Esther Kim.
In the broadcast, Lee claimed that wealthy individuals could secure private access to Korean idols and actresses through entertainment agencies. She mentioned that some top celebrities, including IU, had price tags attached to such private encounters, citing amounts up to $500,000.
"All the K-pop stars in Korea are wh*res. And all Korean actresses are apparently with every K-pop like Korean Celebrity Actress, there’s a price tag on their head. And if you’re rich enough like a Chinese businessman, you can go to these entertainment companies and request spending at night even with top K-pop stars. Even like IU 500 thousand dollars,” Michelle Kira Lee stated.
Wootak added that an acquaintance of his, described as the son of a BMW executive, supposedly paid Jennie for a private meeting and possessed a video as proof. He said the footage was shown to him personally.
"My friend that I went to like some summer camp with is a son of BMW Air and he f*cked Jennie from BLACKPINK. He paid for her and has a s*x video. He show me the s*x video. That’s how I know it was real. And I was like what?" Wootak Kim continued.
Above THE Influence SHOW hosts later clarified that this conversation was part of exclusive material behind a paywall and was not intended for public viewing initially.
