Popular K-pop idol collapses mid-performance, suffers seizure in ‘heartbreaking video'; fans slam gruelling training culture

Indian Express

28-05-2025

A clip from the popular Japanese girl group, based in South Korea, XG, is making rounds on the internet. Published on the group's official YouTube channel, it shows member Chisa in really poor shape after she collapsed backstage post-performance. The seven-member girl group are currently on their first world tour, 'The first HOWL,' that began in May 2023, and since then, the girl group has toured over 30-plus venues around the world. As part of documenting their journey, the agency released a video from their documentary-style content called Xtra Xtra, where at one point Chisa's health raised alarm among fans, triggering harsh criticism of the intense, gruelling training conditions, while some even called out the management for posting the video without the artist's consent.
The 40-second clip going viral on social media shows Chisa being escorted out by managers and staff from the venue backstage in an unconscious state in a wheelchair. In the full episode, Chisa was not looking well from the very start and was seen resting most of the time before the show, with the manager even exploring possibilities to see if she could get more time to rest or back out. She was being fed, kept hydrated, taken care of with fever cooling patches and more. Later, the idol was seen insisting on performing. However, mid-performance, as the group made their way back to the backstage, Chisa's health declined and she collapsed, eyes welled up, burning with fever. The clip was so alarming that it triggered mass reactions from fans, genuinely concerned about how intense and damaging idol life can be.
Also read: BTS' RM says his agency 'hates' it when he talks about K-pop's dark side, feels 'West doesn't understand' hard-working Korean culture
we've seen clips of what happened to her that day, and everytime, my heart breaks. seeing her cry in these clips just hurts. i know what it feels like to push yourself doing something you love even if you're not feeling well. i have nothing but love and respect for chisa. pic.twitter.com/2vZjJAIxba
— chef chio loves chiya🧑🏻‍🍳🐺 (@chefchio_) May 26, 2025
Later, Chisa herself responded on social media. She posted a message to fans apologising for worrying them. 'Sorry if watching Xtra Xtra made you worry again,' she wrote, admitting she blacked out during that time and doesn't remember much of it herself. 'So when I saw the footage, even I was surprised, I'm sure ALPHAZ (XG's fans) must've been even more shocked. I haven't seen the full thing yet, but I was totally fine yesterday, and I still am today. So please don't worry about me,' the R&B artist continued. The statement continued with Chisa revealing that the world tour pushed her to the edge, and she'd never felt her body give up like that before. 'But the fact that it happened on my very first world tour— I feel like it was just something the universe, or aliens, wanted me to experience!'
'Can we please not normalise this harsh training culture, starving the idols and making them dance like robots 24/7? This is sick,' a person commented on the video. 'I just saw the recent Xtra XG vlog, and they shouldn't have recorded or even uploaded Chisa in that condition. That is so heartbreaking and disrespectful to her. She wasn't even aware they recorded her,' another chimed in. 'And for all the fans defending this, you don't need to see an idol at their worst to respect their hard work. What Chisa went through isn't proof of dedication, it's a real person pushed way past her limit, sick and collapsing, while cameras kept rolling,' another said.
XG debuted on March 18, 2022, under XGALX, a sub-label of Avex. Despite being a Japanese group, they have been trained under the K-pop system and are promoted both ways. The group consists of seven members: Jurin (leader), Chisa, Cocona, Hinata, Maya, Juria, and Harvey. Earlier, during an interview with The Korea Herald, the group opened up about their intense training days. Harvey revealed how she once had a nosebleed during practice but kept going, shoving tissues in her nose and not stopping. Jurin, the leader, recalled when the group underwent four evaluation tests in a single month and was left sleep-deprived. Chisa added that Jurin once kept practising her rap verse until 5 a.m. and ended up so exhausted she was even reciting the verse in her sleep. K-pop training culture has often been criticised for its ruthless approach, with big names like BTS member RM, Red Velvet's Irene, Selugi, and more openly calling out the system in the past.