Kyoungyoon to take break from boy band DKZ after parents' ties to cult revealed

Boy band DKZ [AFP-YONHAP]

Kyoungyoon from boy band DKZ, who has been under fire over his parents’ ties with the controversial JMS cult, will take a hiatus from group activities and focus on his health, announced his agency Dongyo Entertainment on Wednesday. He was diagnosed with anxiety disorders and social phobia symptoms, said the agency.

“Kyoungyoon, fully realizing the responsibility of the [ongoing] cases regarding himself, is currently undergoing both consultations and medical treatment. He will be focusing on treatments for the time being,” the statement from the agency reads.

The Netflix documentary “In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal” released on March 3 exposed four different religious cult groups including JMS founded by Jeong Myung-seok, who has been convicted of raping and sexually exploiting young female followers of the cult across the world.

The series created a stir, and a long list of the names and addresses of businesses allegedly run by JMS followers began to circulate online. The list included a cafe run by Kyoungyoon's parents in Yeongdeok County, North Gyeongsang.

"Kyoungyoon thought his parents were attending a normal church. He was shocked after realizing the truth and watching the series [about JMS],” a statement from the agency released five days after the documentary was first aired reads.

“The cafe run by his parents has immediately suspended its business and, at the same time, the parents have cut off all their ties with [JMS], assuring that there will no longer be any kind of ties with the group in the future.”

Dongyo Entertainment also announced Wednesday that DKZ will cancel its CulTwo Show schedule in Boseong, South Jeolla on April 29 after local county and National Civil Service received continuous civil complaints.

“CulTwo Show Boseong, planned for April 29 has ultimately been canceled,” a statement made by the agency at 10 p.m. Wednesday reads. The agency originally said that only Kyoungyoon would not be in attendance.

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]