She revealed the mistreatment she endured.
Koreaboo
A female idol is leaving her group, but she isn’t going quietly. She has already hired legal representation to pursue legal action against her agency.
Zhou Shiyu is a Chinese singer under the company STAR48. On February 3, 2018, she was revealed as a new member of Team FT, a group within SNH48. She was transferred to her current group, Team NII, after Team FT was dissolved the following year. SNH48 is a Chinese idol girl group that debuted back in 2012, and it was a sister group of the popular Japanese girl group AKB48 up until 2018.
Now, seven years after joining SNH48, the frustrated star is cutting ties with STAR48. On June 7, she accused the agency of unfair treatment, withholding her wages, and poor communication. She also said that she has hired legal representation for the purpose of handling her contract termination, alleging that STAR48 denied her rights.
Zhou expressed her sadness and frustration at how her hard work and persistence did not pay off. In particular, she singled out her solo birthday stage event that took place on March 15. Instead of being an organized and happy occasion, she revealed that it was a mess, and she ended up feeling invisible.
Even after getting results, I still couldn’t earn the basic respect.
— Zhou Shiyu
Zhou also revealed that idol life has taken a serious toll on her body, and that doctors told her she would need surgery after years of dealing with ongoing health problems. Rather than being upset, Zhou felt relieved, as this gave her the opportunity to hit pause and heal. Rather than communicating with her during that time, however, Zhou said her agency put her on hiatus for her health without warning, withheld wages, and prevented her from leaving Pocket48 (SNH48’s fan app).
Zhou felt that she had no choice but to take legal action. “I’m sorry it ended this way,” she told fans and thanked them for supporting her all these years.
You’ve probably been tired too… watching me powerless while you worried and supported me. I’ll carry the courage you’ve given me to face whatever’s next.
— Zhou Shiyu
Zhou isn’t the only member to leave STAR48 this year. Read about Wang Yi‘s exit here:
Angry Girl Group Member Announces Sudden Departure, Intention To Sue Agency