Kang Daniel – the male idol born in 1996, was a former member of the group Wanna One. With the platform provided by Produce 101, Kang Daniel gained immense fame across the K-pop industry, earning the nickname “Nation’s Center.” At the peak of his career, Kang Daniel even surpassed top names like Jimin, V, and Jungkook (BTS), topping the brand rankings of male idols.
Considered to be one of the top solo idols, Kang Daniel’s career began to decline after he publicly revealed his relationship with Jihyo (TWICE). Their relationship didn’t last long, and the two eventually went their separate ways, casting uncertainty over his future.
In 2018, Wanna One disbanded, and Kang Daniel signed a contract with LM Entertainment. However, shortly after, the male idol got into legal disputes with the company. After the controversy, Kang Daniel established his own company, KONNECT Entertainment, in 2019. He decided to manage his own career. As a 24-year-old CEO, he quickly operated the company for his solo activities, drawing significant attention from fans.
However, the real “shock” that caused Kang Daniel to disappear from the entertainment industry came next.
Earlier this year, K-pop fans were “shocked” by the lawsuit involving Kang Daniel’s company. Specifically, Kang Daniel filed a criminal complaint against a major shareholder of Konnect Entertainment. The charges included document forgery, embezzlement, and breach of trust, causing nearly 14 billion won (around 260 billion VND) in damages to the company. The shareholder was accused of using his position to embezzle company funds and forging the company’s seal to sign a 10 billion won music distribution contract.
This lawsuit caused significant turmoil within the company, leading to Kang Daniel’s decision to shut down KONNECT Entertainment in June 2024.
Recently, Kang Daniel appeared as a guest on Do You Want Some Ramyeon?, a show hosted by former Wanna One member Lee Daehwi. This was also part of the promotion for Kang Daniel’s new album, ACT. The reunion of the two Wanna One members caught the attention of fans.
Notably, Kang Daniel shared that he had been very depressed and lost 14kg following the lawsuit, which forced him to close his company: “I lost 14kg in 5-6 months. At that time, even though I wanted to, I couldn’t do anything because I had issues with my former company. I stayed home for 3-4 months. The first month I was happy because I didn’t have to go out. But after that, I started feeling unwell, I would’ve gone crazy if I stayed at home any longer. I felt isolated from society. So, I started practicing singing, dancing again, and working on ideas for songs I wanted to release.”
After the crisis, Kang Daniel signed an exclusive contract with a new company, ARA, and released the album ACT. Fans hope that the “Nation’s Center” can overcome his past and quickly return to the music scene.