Eaj (Formerly Jae) reveals how it’s like to be the least popular member in your own group (2 Viewers)

[Faerie]

In a now-viral comment on a TikTok video, eaJ opened up about the emotional pain he endured as the least popular member in a K-pop group. The video itself posed a question that many fans may never have truly considered:

“Imagine how it would feel to be in a K-pop group and you’re the least popular, least amount of followers on IG, cheapest photocards, no one cheers for you during performance and least biased on Kprofiles…”​

eaJ responded with raw honesty:

“This was me in Korea… At every single fan event I was reminded that I didn’t belong there.”​

He recounted how producers were told not to give him lines during DAY6’s second comeback, a moment that should have been about growth and celebration. Instead, it became a reminder of how expendable he was perceived to be. Despite being a talented vocalist, guitarist, and the group’s primary English speaker, Jae was often marginalized—struggling for lines, camera time, and acknowledgment from fans and even the system itself.

 

[velvet]

Really? I'm surprised since he's the only guy I know from Day6 lol

 

[StirFriedPanda]

I should really take this to heart. Sorry Lia.... BBut in my defense I was pissed off when they booted Jiyoon from weeekly.

 

[Faerie]

Really? I'm surprised since he's the only guy I know from Day6 lol

He supposedly only popular in the west not much in Korea.

 

[Selfmate]

interesting

the question is what really can be done about it

if the company increases promotions and pushes the least popular member would it even work? is it worth the return on investment
compared to pushing more of the popular member...

 

[eclipsoul]

honestly it's hard for me to feel bad for him in this aspect when the first thing he did after leaving the band was calling idols working in the industry "brainwashed" and acting like he's so much above kpop, but obviously i get that it must suck to be less recognised in the country you promote the most in. i cannot even imagine what it must feel like for those who cannot even rely on international popularity.

 

[Faerie]

honestly it's hard for me to feel bad for him in this aspect when the first thing he did after leaving the band was calling idols working in the industry "brainwashed" and acting like he's so much above kpop, but obviously i get that it must suck to be less recognised in the country you promote the most in. i cannot even imagine what it must feel like for those who cannot even rely on international popularity.

I haven’t followed him until recently and he seemed very apologetic about the remarks he has said his past. His recent performances have been very emotionally tied to his past which Honestly caught me off guard. At first, I thought it was a force apology hoping to fish fans from his day6 days but the rawness and emotion behind his vocals….you can’t fake that.

 

[eclipsoul]

I haven’t followed him until recently and he seemed very apologetic about the remarks he has said his past. His recent performances have been very emotionally tied to his past which Honestly caught me off guard. At first, I thought it was a force apology hoping to fish fans from his day6 days but the rawness and emotion behind his vocals….you can’t fake that.

that's really great to hear, because his whole influencer/streamer era was insufferable and as someone who was one of the biggest day6 stans on here - at that time i just kept wishing he would stop opening his mouth

 

[catonkatonk]

that's really great to hear, because his whole influencer/streamer era was insufferable and as someone who was one of the biggest day6 stans on here - at that time i just kept wishing he would stop opening his mouth

He has no filter and has not been in a good place emotionally in a long time. He seeks validation and emotional satisfaction in the wrong places.
Which is evident even in his content posted in this thread - I feel like he still isn't learning the right lessons. I don't think he's a bad guy or anything. I hope he gets better, I hope he finds people IRL who truly appreciate him and care about him.
His hiatus should have been about that, and maybe seeing a therapist, instead of streaming. I think streaming (or even just posting on the internet) is probably the worst possible thing you can do when you're in a depression, honestly. The internet is not a kind or understanding place.

I remember the live when he was absolutely convinced that Day6 would not re-sign with JYPE, and was kind of implying that he'd get back together with them after that. I think he truly believed that, and it must have been devastating that that didn't happen. I feel really bad for him, he's a phenomenal talent. My favourite in Day6, even if just because the songs he wrote were always my favourites, and the band was not the same for me when he left.

In actuality, he maybe wasn't the least popular even in Korea. But when you're in that mindset, it can feel that way, right?
Now that I think about it, maybe it was his feeling of being underappreciated in the group that made him turn to the internet for validation when he went into an depression in the first place. What a shame.

 

[babyv004]

Isn't he the one that called the singer Jamie (which i beleive was his friend) of a derogatory term? i think he called her "thot"

edit: yes, it was him

Frankly i feel he is bitter that the group got more popular after he left. He keeps running his mouth so after all his controversies it's hard to be feel bad for him