Popular K-Pop Trainee Caught Smoking In Viral Video, Agency Releases Statement 

A young K-Pop trainee has been under scrutiny and sparked controversy after a video of him smoking in public went viral.

Kim Jeongmin, a popular 17-year-old trainee under Hi-Hat Entertainment, was seen walking down the street while openly smoking what appeared to be an e-cigarette.

| Project 7

The footage — which quickly spread across platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and online forums — shocked many due to Kim’s age and rising popularity.

얘들아 프젝 김정민 나이 속였나본데…?
07인데 전담을 어케 펴 나이 속였나봐 pic.twitter.com/gLUvqFYQub

— 뚀뚀 (Taylor’s Version) (@DDYODDYONIM) April 9, 2025

Born in 2007, Kim is currently a third-year high school student. Although he has not officially debuted, he gained recognition after appearing on popular idol audition programs such as LOUD on SBS in 2021 and PROJECT 7 in 2024. His recent exposure made the incident even more concerning for fans and netizens.

| Project 7

Following the viral video, fans shared their disappointment and questioned how someone so young could access and use electronic cigarettes. Some even speculated whether Kim may have lied about his age, further fueling the controversy.

𝐁𝐞-𝐡𝐢-𝐧𝐝📂 | 🐨#하이헷 #HiHat#김정민 #KimJeongMin pic.twitter.com/r0vef0skVd

— Hi-Hat Entertainment (@hihat_official) February 7, 2025

In response to the growing backlash, Hi-Hat Entertainment issued an official apology on April 15 on its social media channels.

안녕하세요. 하이헷 엔터테인먼트입니다. pic.twitter.com/phy86BdZ6b

— Hi-Hat Entertainment (@hihat_official) April 15, 2025

“Hello, this is Hi-Hat Entertainment.

We would like to sincerely apologize to all the fans who have supported Kim Jeongmin for the disappointment and concern caused by the recent controversy involving our trainee.

We apologize for failing to prevent this issue in advance, and for the delay in our response as we worked to verify the relevant facts.

We fully acknowledge that this situation resulted from inadequate trainee and artist management, and we are currently reviewing Kim Jeongmin’s status internally.

We will be much more cautious in our future artist management to ensure that such regrettable incidents do not happen again.”

— Hi-Hat Entertainment

As of now, no official decision regarding Kim Jeongmin’s future with the agency has been announced.