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| After Nearly a Decade, GNZ48’s Hong Jingwen Bows Out and Calls Out Toxic System |
“I don’t want to keep falling into the abyss.” That’s how Hong Jingwen—one of GNZ48’s long-serving first-generation members—wrapped up her emotional resignation statement on social media this week.
After nearly nine full years with the group, debuting back in January 2016, the 26-year-old idol officially announced that she’s stepping away from the stage for good. But this wasn’t your usual graduation letter full of thanks and sweet memories. Jingwen dropped some serious truth bombs about the inner workings of GNZ48’s management, sounding the alarm on what she described as an unhealthy and unsustainable system.
A Farewell and a Wake-Up Call
In her heartfelt post, Hong looked back on her idol journey—the highs of performing, the rush of fan support, but also the suffocating lows of pressure, uncertainty, and emotional burnout.
“I’ve had nightmares,” she admitted. “My doctor even advised me to leave the environment for the sake of my mental health.”
Despite having just one year left on her contract, Jingwen chose not to stick it out. “Some may think it’s a waste, but when you’re in an environment you no longer align with, even one more month is endless internal exhaustion.”
Systemic Problems, Not Just One Case
Hong made it clear: her decision wasn’t based on a personal issue alone. She openly stated that many other GNZ48 members were struggling behind the scenes too, with increasing mental health issues that were being swept under the rug.
“I chose to tell the company through my case that this wasn’t an isolated problem,” she wrote. “More and more girls were falling ill. The company must take responsibility—not just manage us like numbers on a spreadsheet.”
Lack of Basic Protections
One of her biggest criticisms was the lack of basic welfare and protections within the company. Hong claimed that GNZ48’s management didn’t even provide proper sick leave or insurance—things you’d expect any employer to have in place.
“Should we really be using the loopholes in idol contracts to squeeze everything out of these young girls, without giving them a proper support system in return?”
She described being stuck between two terrible options: stay and suffer in silence, or leave and lose the career she’s spent almost a decade building. In the end, she chose self-preservation.
For the Next Generation
Hong’s post wasn’t just about herself. It read like a plea to the company—and the wider industry—to do better, especially for young girls who walk in with stars in their eyes.
“I don’t want any little girl who enters the company full of dreams to end up as the protagonist of a tragic news story.”
She urged the management to overhaul their system, put mental health front and centre, and stop operating with a cold, one-size-fits-all approach.
Tonboriday’s Take
Hong Jingwen isn’t the first idol to speak out about the pressures of the job—but her calm, detailed, and brutally honest post feels like a tipping point for the GNZ48 fandom.
Idol life often looks glittery on the outside, but if even senior members with years of loyalty behind them feel unsupported and mentally drained, what does that say about the next batch of hopefuls?
We hope Jingwen finds peace and purpose in her next chapter—and that her voice sparks real change, not just another trending hashtag.