INFINITE leader Kim Sunggyu has opened up about a painful experience from his career, revealing that he once received a three-page letter filled with insults shortly before a concert.
The singer shared the memory while reflecting on criticism, emotional resilience and the importance of recognising the people who genuinely support him.
On October 27, 2026, INFINITE’s official YouTube channel released previously unreleased footage from the group’s advice and counselling content, which originally featured Sunggyu, Nam Woohyun and Lee Sungyeol on October 22.
In the new clip, titled “The Courage to Be Disliked,” the members discussed the challenges of dealing with negative opinions and learning not to let criticism define their lives.
Sunggyu’s recollection stood out because of the timing of the incident.
The letter arrived before a concert, when he was preparing to perform in front of an audience.
Rather than offering constructive feedback, its contents attacked several aspects of his life and career.
Although the experience left him hurt and emotionally drained, the singer explained that what he read afterward helped him reconsider the weight he gave to negative comments.
His story also prompted his fellow members to reflect on the larger number of people who continue to support them.
Sunggyu Reveals the Contents of the Three-Page Hate Letter
During the conversation, Sunggyu recalled receiving a letter before a show and beginning to read it, only to discover that all three pages contained insults directed at him.
“Before a show, I was handed a letter and started reading it, and all three pages were insults about me,” he said.
The criticism extended beyond his work as a singer.
Sunggyu explained that the letter targeted his singing, acting and even his personal life, making the experience particularly upsetting.
“Seeing that someone put that much effort and time into writing just to insult me, I realized there are people who want me to get hurt no matter what,” he continued.
The incident left him feeling hurt and exhausted.
Receiving such a lengthy message immediately before a concert also meant confronting those feelings at a time when he was preparing to go on stage.
However, Sunggyu’s story did not end with the negative letter. He explained that after reading it, he moved on to other letters he had received.
Several contained encouraging messages, and he realised that supportive responses greatly outnumbered the hateful ones.
“After reading that letter, I was hurt and felt drained, but then I read the next letters.
Several of them were really cheering me on, and there were far more of those,” he recalled.
That contrast helped him put the experience into perspective.
Instead of allowing one person’s hostility to overshadow the support around him, he began to recognise how much more attention he could give to those who sincerely cared about him.
INFINITE Members Share a Lesson About Handling Criticism
Woohyun and Sungyeol agreed with Sunggyu’s reflection, emphasising that the number of people supporting the group was much greater than the number of people criticising them.
“There are far more people who support us. More than 90 percent,” the members said.
Sunggyu then explained the lesson he had taken from the experience, connecting it to the idea of having the courage to accept that not everyone will like you.
“There are so many people who care about me this much, so I don’t think I need to throw that away and live a fake life just to change myself for others,” he said. “You need the courage to be disliked, too.”
The conversation offered a glimpse into how the INFINITE members approach criticism after years in the entertainment industry.
Their discussion focused on recognising the difference between constructive feedback and comments intended simply to cause hurt.
The group celebrated its 16th anniversary in 2026 with the fan meeting tour INFINITE RALLY V and released the single “Our Season” in August.
Woohyun also marked the 10th anniversary of his solo debut with his second full-length album, 2X8.
INFINITE continues to connect with fans through performances, music releases and content shared on its official YouTube channel.
Through the latest video, Sunggyu’s recollection offered a personal reminder that hurtful comments do not have to outweigh the encouragement of people who genuinely care.
His message was straightforward: not everyone will approve of every decision, but changing oneself solely to satisfy critics can mean losing sight of the people and values that matter most.
