fromis_9 Says Rookie Dorm Was Above Its Agency—With Pipes Freezing in Winter and AC Leaking in Summer

A rookie-era housing story from the K-pop group fromis_9 has sparked fresh public discussion about working conditions in the entertainment industry after members described living in unusual—and difficult—quarters above their agency’s office.

In a recent appearance on variety show Knowing Bros, the group said that instead of residing in a standard dorm or apartment complex, they lived on floors that the company had repurposed for housing. The comments quickly went viral, with many fans expressing concern that young performers were forced to adapt to preventable problems during their early career.

Living in the agency building, “basically on the rooftop”

According to the members, during their debut years they lived in a company building where the fourth and fifth floors were remodeled into living space. One member described the arrangement as being “rooftop basically,” emphasizing that their housing was effectively inside the workplace infrastructure rather than a dedicated residence.

The revelation surprised the show’s cast, who asked whether the setup was at least comfortable and safe. The members’ responses suggested that it was not.

Winter pipe freezes and summer AC leaks

Members said the dorm conditions were shaped by ongoing maintenance issues that affected daily life. They described two recurring seasonal problems: in winter, the pipes would freeze; and in summer, the air conditioner would leak, prompting staff to come up to scoop out water.

The group also said that during winter, the freezing problem became serious enough that they had to stay in a hotel. While the members framed the memories as something they can look back on now, the specifics underscored how disruptive the environment could be—especially for performers still building their careers and routines.

Fans react with anger and relief as success follows

Online reactions were mixed but strongly emotional. Many fans expressed outrage on the grounds that such conditions were unfair, particularly for rookies who typically face intensive schedules and limited power to negotiate their living arrangements.

At the same time, some commenters paired criticism with relief—pointing out that after fromis_9’s rise, the members were able to move on from the situation and share their story publicly. The discussion also touched on the broader question of how agencies handle welfare and infrastructure for artists early in their contracts.

Why the story matters beyond one group

Although this episode centers on fromis_9, the details reflect a pattern that occasionally surfaces in entertainment coverage: young idols living in converted spaces, facilities located in commercial or office buildings, or arrangements that blur the line between workplace and residence. In that context, even “small” issues—like frozen pipes or leaking AC—can have outsized impact on health, sleep, and day-to-day stability.

For audiences, the viral effect lies partly in the contrast between polished performances and the behind-the-scenes realities rookies can face. For the industry, the spotlight reinforces the expectation that housing should meet basic safety and comfort standards—not simply function as a stopgap.

What happens next

With the story continuing to circulate, more scrutiny may fall on how agencies manage living accommodations for trainees and debut artists—especially regarding maintenance, emergency responses, and whether alternative arrangements (such as hotels during winter) are consistently available.

The immediate news cycle will likely depend on whether fromis_9 or other performers share additional context about the timeline of the dorm setup, improvements over time, and what changed once the group stabilized in popularity.

For now, the members’ comments have done what many viral entertainment stories rarely achieve: they transformed personal memories into a concrete discussion of living conditions—turning what could have been background trivia into an issue fans feel is worth asking about.