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Above the Influence show female co-host Esther receives criticism amid a controversial podcast on BLACKPINK's Jennie & IU. Recently, a segment from the 'Above the Influence' podcast has resurfaced on social media, garnering significant attention from K-pop fans due to the mention of BLACKPINK member Jennie and soloist IU.
The podcast member, Michelle Kira Lee, was seen discussing rumored escort businesses in the Korean entertainment industry. She stated that renowned actresses, female idols, and their agencies are involved in such activities. Kira claimed these businesses to be high profile, using IU as an example to indicate the level of popularity of celebrities linked.
Additionally, Wootak stated that one of his acquaintances claimed to have watched an explicit video of Jennie and a BMW heir, for which the BLACKPINK member was paid. He added that he had not seen the video himself. Another co-host, Esther, who goes by @Littlebunszz on Instagram and YouTube, was also a part of the conversation.
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Esther, in a now-deleted Instagram story, made a statement after the podcast became a subject of criticism among fans for defamatory claims without proof. She allegedly said,
“Thanks for the concerns y'all! But don't worry~ I don't gaf about these crazy kpop Stans.”
Although Esther did not make any direct claims regarding the BLACKPINK rapper or IU, the response to the criticism she received for being a part of the segment was not well-received by the fans. This further fueled more outrage, which led fans to resort to social media to express their anger at her Instagram story response.
"so, we're crazy for calling you out for being absolutely disgusting and spreading lies about women ????? you're a woman yourself, have some shame!" a fan said.
"Imagine all fandoms and randoms coming for you for saying shit and that’s what you got to say!! No one’s crazy but you crossed the line," a user added.
"“I don’t gaf about kpop stans” well then why tf you talking about kpop then??? what did you think was gonna happen? don’t use kpop for click bait and views and then get mad. ain’t no one’s problem you got nothing better to talk about," a user stated.
Netizens urged EDAM Entertainment and ODDATELIER to file legal complaints against the Above the Influence Show podcast hosts for spreading unverified rumors.
"when legitimate concerns about spreading unfounded rumors get equated to being crazy. i don't want to give these unknowns any more clout because that's just what they're after but i hope they get sued to oblivion @edam_ent @oddatelier," a netizen mentioned.
"Of all the dark topic about kpop. they chose the most weirdest one that degrade WOMEN. and they dropped names. jennie is already being called names by #that fandoms. plus they were not talking as if it were rumors but as if it were facts," a user mentioned.
"Girl like this ain't about "crazy kpop stans" this is about you defaming men with disgusting accusations while being a woman yourself and you getting called out for it," a fan stated.
Above the Influence podcast controversy explained? Alleged comments on BLACKPINK's Jennie and IU
Recently, one of the podcasts by Above the Influence Show has come under public scrutiny due to comments made on BLACKPINK’s Jennie and IU. The podcast is hosted by four members, including Wootak, Michelle Kira Lee, Esther, and Jordan.
During a segment, Kira alleged that female Korean celebrities engage in escort services in partnership with their management companies. As per Kira, the celebrities allegedly get a huge amount for these services.
She said,
“All the K-pop stars in Korea, all the Korean actresses—apparently, with every Korean celebrity and 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 a night, even with the top K-pop stars, like IU, for $500,000 a night.”
Meanwhile, Wootak shared an alleged story of his acquaintance. Wootak stated that their friend had allegedly seen a clip of Jennie and a BMW heir engaging in s*xual activities.
According to the Above the Influence podcast, Wootak's acquaintance said,
“My friend that I went to some summer camp with is like the son of the BMW heir. And he f**ked Jennie from Blackpink. Yeah, he paid for her and had the s*x video. She showed me the s*x video. That's how I know it was real. And I was like, What?”
The discussion went viral among fans of the two K-pop idols, drawing major backlash against the cast members. Fans expressed their anger towards the segment allegedly defaming the celebrities, as no proper citation or sources were attached to the allegations spoken about in the podcast.
On May 28, Wootak and his team issued an apology on Instagram. He explained that the discussion stemmed from rumors they had heard. He clarified that the cast members did not attempt to defame BLACKPINK's Jennie or IU.
