Former Wanna One member Lai Kuan Lin announces his hiatus from the Entertainment Industry

Lai Kuan Lin, a former member of the group Wanna One, has announced he is pausing his entertainment activities.

On June 14, Lai Kuan Lin shared the news of his career change through Weibo, China’s largest social networking service.

“After careful consideration, I have decided to change my career path,” Lai Kuan Lin wrote. “From now on, this account will be managed by an employee due to my new professional plans.” Following this announcement, his profile picture on Weibo was changed to a black background.

Details about Lai Kuan Lin’s future career plans remain undisclosed. However, posts on his other social media accounts featuring short films he directed have sparked speculation that he may be pursuing a career as a film director.

Netizens have expressed their support with messages such as, “It’s a pity since he was so dedicated to his idol activities. I hope he makes many great movies,” “I hope he does everything he wants and lives happily,” “He’s a very handsome director,” “I hope he succeeds,” and “I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of movies he will make.”

Lai Kuan Lin debuted as a member of Wanna One in 2017 after finishing in 7th place on Mnet’s audition program “Produce 101 Season 2.” Following Wanna One’s activities, he had a legal dispute with his former agency, Cube Entertainment, over his exclusive contract, which he won in 2021. Since then, he has not been active in Korea and has continued his entertainment career in China.

In 2021, Lai Kuan Lin made his directorial debut with the short film ‘Winter & Spring Are Fighting’ which won five awards at the Rome Prisma Independent Film Awards, garnering significant attention.