K-Pop Celebrity Reveals Trauma Following Backlash Over Overlooked Fallen Dancer
Nam Gyuri is breaking her silence on a long-running controversy from 2006 involving a backup dancer fainting on stage during a SeeYa performance.
On August 19, YouTube channel 1theK Originals dropped a video titled “Why Can’t SeeYa Reunite?” In it, Nam Gyuri revealed she found an online list tagging her under “controversies and incidents” related to the SBS Inkigayo accident when a backup dancer collapsed during SeeYa’s live stage of “Crazy Love Song.”
She explained the chaotic stage conditions played a major role. Intense strobe lights blinded her, and she barely had time to learn choreography due to a packed schedule. Positioned at the front, she couldn’t see what happened and wasn’t able to react in real time.
Nam Gyuri claimed her agency released an apology statement in her name without consulting her.
“It was such a huge incident. The strobe lights were so intense that I couldn’t even see the red camera light indicating where to look. I had so many schedules then that I think I learned the choreography in just two or three days. I was so focused and thought I hadn’t made a single mistake, so I felt relieved, then this incident happened. I was in the very front of the large formation, so I couldn’t see what was going on. I wish the company had asked me, but instead, a statement of reflection was released in my name without me knowing. It said, ‘As a rookie, I couldn’t respond properly because I thought I had to finish the stage.’ But if I had seen it, I’m not the type to just stand there. I would’ve signaled somehow.” – Nam Gyuri
The incident left her with stage trauma and lasting online and offline backlash. She said people often cursed at her in public, which hurt more than online hate comments.
“From then on, I developed stage trauma. Everywhere I went, people pointed fingers. At convenience stores, people who recognized me would curse at me. Online hate comments I could ignore, but being cursed at to my face hurt me at such a young age. It’s upsetting because it feels like a misunderstanding piled up.” – Nam Gyuri
SeeYa’s agency initially posted an official apology on the fan café admitting they “failed to respond appropriately” and canceled all schedules to focus on the care of the collapsed dancer.
The accident remains a notable moment in K-pop history for its severity and fallout. Nam Gyuri’s recent remarks shed light on the lasting impact it had on her career and mental health.