Red Velvet's Wendy Opens Up About Experiencing Racism During Her Canadian School Years

Red Velvet member Wendy recently shared her experiences with racism during her time studying in Canada.

On the 26th, a video titled 'Wendy's Shocking Experience from Being Bullied in America to Becoming Top of Her Class' was uploaded on the YouTube channel 'GoEun Unnie Han Go Eun.' In the video, Wendy appeared as a guest and recounted her challenging experiences during her study abroad.

Wendy revealed that she went to study in Canada when she was in the fifth grade. She said, "I wanted to go because my sister came back from Canada looking so bright and happy, so I told my parents I wanted to go too."

Reflecting on her early days in Canada, Wendy said, "I went to Brockville right after starting fifth grade, but I couldn't speak any English. I stayed with a foreign homestay family and couldn't understand anything when people talked to me," recalling her tough early days abroad. She added, "On the first day, I said I wanted to go back to Korea," expressing her struggles.

Wendy shared that after 2-3 years, she transferred from Brockville to Toronto, where she faced new challenges. She said, "I attended a Catholic school known for its academic excellence, but the kids were very snobby. That's when the racism started, and I ended up eating in the bathroom because no one included me."

She continued, "When I asked the kids, 'Can I play with you? Can I join soccer?' they would say, 'No, you can't because you're Korean,'" she confessed. "I would cry in the closet, eat alone in the bathroom, and realized school life was going to be tough."

Wendy then focused on making friends rather than studying. She said, "I hung out with the most popular kids, and my style naturally changed." She added, "In middle school, I bleached half my hair, wore a skull tie, and a suit. I gained over 10kg in a year from eating so much abroad."

After the video was released, netizens left comments of support and encouragement, saying, "She went through so much at a young age," and "Wendy is truly an amazing person."

Meanwhile, Wendy debuted as the main vocalist of Red Velvet and left SM Entertainment last April after 11 years. She has since joined Ascend Entertainment and is focusing on her solo career.

Reporter: Soo Min Lee, TenAsia danbilee19@tenasia.co.kr