A contestant of "Producer 101" Season 2 is currently under fire for allegedly using the image of G-Dragon to make a living.
According to Soompi, netizens figured out Jo Kyu Min previously held a series of shows where he imitated the BIGBANG idol. Photos from his "Z-Dragon China Concert Tour" showed the aspiring singer even signed autographs in the persona of G-Dragon.
Not only that, the "Produce 101" contestant was also accused of copying the idol's SNS posts and photos. When confronted about his "Z-Dragon" shows, Jo Kyu Min denied he impersonated the BIGBANG member for his performances in China.
"Firstly, I never impersonated G-Dragon during my Chinese performances. The Chinese people falsely advertised contrary to my requests," he posted in a now-deleted account.
Jo Kyu Min continued, "I've never impersonated G-Dragon on my own, only if people ask for help during broadcasts or performance. I just gratefully agreed to their requests and worked hard during those times and I also thought we looked alike."
Previously, the "Produce 101" contestant appeared on "Star King" and "Doppelgänger Show" where he showed up as G-Dragon. Not only that he copied the idol's fashion style, but also his voice and movements.
Many netizens slammed the aspiring idol for using G-Dragon's image to gain attention, while others argued there is nothing wrong in impersonation. "As long as he is not going around saying he is the real GD then he hasn't done anything wrong," a commenter said.
After revealing the lineup for the new installment, "Produce 101" has been mired in controversy for the background profiles of their contestant. Allkpop reported a trainee was accused for allegedly harassing a former classmate.
The contestant in question was Han Jong Yeon, who reportedly bullied his classmates in elementary and middle school. "The number of people you made suffer aren't just one or two," the alleged victim posted.