Poppin Hyun Joon, a prominent figure in the dance world, has been embroiled in allegations of assaulting members of his dance team in the past.
On the 15th, JTBC's Incident Report revealed voices of informants claiming they were repeatedly assaulted by Poppin Hyun Joon over 20 years ago. Informant A stated that during his activities, he was assaulted with fists and feet, and after being slapped, his glasses were bent, and he suffered eardrum damage that led to temporary hearing issues. He specifically explained that he was assaulted at a rest area for making a mistake in choreography during a regional performance, and when a passerby intervened, Poppin Hyun Joon left him behind and returned to Seoul alone.
Another informant, B, shared that he was assaulted by Poppin Hyun Joon at the age of 17, which ultimately forced him to give up his dream of becoming a dancer. B recounted that despite Poppin Hyun Joon being in a cast due to a fracture at the time, he was hit in the face with that arm, resulting in a knee injury that caused swelling and serious damage. Due to the nature of breakdancing, which requires knee usage, he could not continue practicing because of the injury, leading him to quit dancing after a long period of confusion.
Including informant C, they all agreed that Poppin Hyun Joon frequently used profanity and violence over trivial matters such as the temperature of drinks, side dish menus, and manners. They added that at the time, Poppin Hyun Joon's influence was so strong that they were afraid to reveal the facts of their victimization for fear of being ostracized in the industry.
In response, Poppin Hyun Joon completely denied the allegations. He questioned how he could hit someone with a cast on his arm when he had a severe elbow fracture at the time. He also explained that while he may use profanity, he is small in stature and does not resort to violence.
Recently, Poppin Hyun Joon stepped down from his position as a visiting professor at Baekseok Arts University due to controversy over inappropriate language and behavior towards his students. As a figure who has popularized breakdancing culture by sweeping world competitions, attention is focused on how these past assault allegations will affect his future endeavors.
