The group’s image suffered a huge hit.
Koreaboo
Scandals often have the ability to end an idol’s career, be it for less serious concerns like dating or justifiably during instances where a crime was committed.
“Their Breath Smells Like Sh*t” — The Idol Who Got Fired For Bad Mouthing His Fans
Usually, these are limited to the idol involved but, in some cases, can affect the entire group, like in the case of ROMEO.
ROMEO debuted as a seven membered group in 2015 after being formed by Pony Canyon Korea and CT Entertainment.
The group almost immediately gained attention with their debut, earning comparisons to INFINITE for their dance synchrony. In 2016, the group even worked with SHINee‘s Minho as CT Entertainment’s CEO was his former manager.
While the group continued to promote and increased their album sales with each release, 2017 saw multiple members participate in the survival show MIX NINE.
Survival shows can usually create a renewed interest in a group, but the group’s activities soon came to a halt due to a scandal involving Milo.
In February 2018, it was alleged that Milo was involved with an underaged Japanese fan, who shared proof of their involvement including texts and photos. In the most damning text, Milo allegedly told the fan to come to his hotel room alone the next time he was in Japan.
“Next time I travel to Japan alone, let’s stay in a hotel together.”
— Milo
The idol was criticized for his alleged actions, which were not addressed until May 2018, when he shared a handwritten letter apologizing and announcing his military enlistment.
[마일로] pic.twitter.com/8ahYm5wQuj
— 로미오(ROMEO) (@teamct_romeo) May 2, 2018
“Hello, this is ROMEO’s Milo.I’ve been thinking for a while about how to greet my fans, and after much consideration, I’m writing this letter to you all.
I would like to bow my head once again and sincerely apologize to the fans who must have been hurt by the unfortunate incidents that occurred two months ago. I’ve spent time reflecting on the disappointment I’ve caused to those who always supported me and on my immature actions.
Recently, I received a draft notice to fulfill my duty to the country, and after much thought, I made the difficult decision to enlist. I’m sorry to surprise the fans with such sudden news.
During my time with Romeo, I’ve had many happy moments with the members and the fans. Now, I will temporarily set aside the name “Romeo Milo” and faithfully carry out my duties as Kim Min-hak for my country.
I hope that fans will understand this decision, which I made after much contemplation, with a generous heart.
I promise to return as a more mature and improved Kim Min-hak. Thank you for always supporting me, and I will do my best to stand before you again in good health. Thank you.
— Milo’s letter
ROMEO would release a Japanese single in 2018, and an OST for the drama series I Hate You Juliet before entering a hiatus, seemingly unable to recover from the scandal. The last social media update on the group’s official account happened in October 2019.
굿나잇❤️🧞♂️ pic.twitter.com/niv2LD3mwb
— 로미오(ROMEO) (@teamct_romeo) October 28, 2019
Though ROMEO as it was then entered a hiatus, many of the group members have continued in the industry.
Member Yunsung participated in Mr. Trot in 2020, debuting in the trot group Mister T the same year, while Minsung has seemingly left the spotlight.
The four other members — Seunghwan, Kyle, Hyunkyung and Kangmin — actually reunited as ROMEO to appear on PeakTime but were eliminated early on during the program.
As for Milo, following his military service, he seems to have disappeared entirely with no public social media to be found.
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