Is Monsta X being targeted? Kihyun's alleged dating is the latest scandal that might derail their comeback
Monsta X's Kihyun has allegedly been dating label-mate and WJSN (also called 'Cosmic Girls) member Bona for five years, a claim their agency Starship Entertainment denies.
The news initially broke after Sports Chosun reported on April 21 that the two artists have been together for a long time, with additional rumors claiming the two had been on a trip together. Their agency denied all these allegations, stating "Kihyun and Bona are just a senior and junior of the same agency. It is not true that they dated for five years or went on a trip together."
With that, it appears the case is closed on this dating rumor for now.
But it does beg the question - just what is going on with Monsta X?
The group has been in the news as much for their music as they have for wild allegations in recent months. Their promotional run for their 2020 album 'All About Luv' was decimated thanks to legal issues and scandals, the most notable of these being Wonho's alleged use of marijuana as well as claims that he had an outstanding debt, owed to TV personality Jung Da-eun, who went on to insist he also stole other items from her and that he had been previously incarcerated. Following the drama and in order to prevent it from affecting his band members, Wonho exited the group at the end of 2019, just prior to the album's release schedule.
In addition to Wonho's scandal, his accusers also dragged fellow Monsta X member Shownu into the mess by alleging that he had an affair with a married woman.
Wonho, thankfully, was cleared of all drug charges in March. He would also clear up all the other allegations via an apology issued through an interview with Dispatch. Shownu also smoothed over the allegations raised against him by declaring that while he was in a relationship with the woman in question, he believed it was prior to her getting married.
And amidst all the drama, member Joohoney took a break at the start of the year to work through depression and anxiety-related issues, returning to his activities with Monsta X only a few weeks ago and even contributing to label-mate Cravity's debut release.
With things looking up on all fronts for all members, it appeared they were finally past the storm. They had just begun promotions for their next album 'Fantasia', due in May, when once again, they find themselves having to field more allegations thanks to the latest dating rumors surrounding Kihyun and Bona.
And that really leads one to question why the group can't seem to catch a break. For the group's fandom, it seems like an organized attack. As one Monbebe puts it, "They know monsta x is going to have come back so that they are trying to ruin them again. i hope starship take a strict action to those who spread groundless rumors about them to protect them." And while that might seem like a reach, it's hard to ignore the group's repeated misfortunes when trying to promote their work as a K-pop act primed to take on the international market.
What might be the most remarkable aspect of this rocky road Monsta X finds themselves on is that the entirety of issues threatening to drag the group down seem to occur during their album promotions.
'All About Luv' released on February 14. Despite Wonho being a part of the album's production and contributing vocals to several tracks, he did not get to promote it with the group. The band continued promotions with only five members following Joohoney's announcement that he would be taking time off, but their run was cut short due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. They were hoping to kick off their promotional tour for the release in June, but that too seems highly unlikely given the world is still on total lockdown.
And despite all these roadblocks 'All About Luv' achieved commercial and international success, debuting at number five on the Billboard 200 in February, which would be the group's first-ever entry onto the chart as well as the highest entry by a K-pop act following BTS and SuperM, two groups who did manage to promote their releases more widely. The album's success would also make it the first all-English release from a K-Pop group to land on the charts since BoA's eponymous 2009 LP. That is a pretty remarkable feat for a group that barely got to promote their album.
Which leads one to wonder just how much better would this album that was primed for international success have done had it seem its whole promotional run through? And just as another scandal threatens to derail yet another Monsta X album's promotional run, Monbebes are gearing up for a war.
One states, "Not that i care if theyre really dating, but please stop messing with monsta x," adding the last comeback was fraught with scandals and boycott threats. Another notes the dating rumor claim of 'five years', tweeting "5 years!!! Soon is MONSTA X 5 years anniversary, MONBEBE PLEASE FOCUS ON MX AND FANTASIA X ONLY."
Some Monbebes have issued a warning, stating "Haters should get out of our way monsta x is having comeback b*tches," while another tweeted, "We rly have to work our *sses of every cb c these btches always try to ruin it," to which a fellow fan responded, "Never seen someone so frightened of such cuteness! Wish I could shield them from all this negativity."