It is well known that J.Y. Park and Bang Si Hyuk have a long history together. The two were inseparable in the 90s and 00s with Bang Si Hyuk working as a producer under J.Y. Park at JYP Entertainment. They have created many hit tracks together and even gone through struggles trying to break into the U.S. music industry.

However, there was an infamous "Sock incident" that broke them apart. 

Recently, the two iconic figures of the K-pop industry sat down and revealed the detailed story of what happened. J.Y. Park and Bang Si Hyuk appeared as special guests on the November 1 episode of the popular talk show 'You Quiz on the Block' and revealed many unshared stories from their past.

One of those stories was the "sock incident." On this day, J.Y. Park began by saying, "At the time, I didn't have any money because it was when I invested everything I had into the company. And the shareholders at the time were against breaking into the U.S. music industry, so they didn't support me. They said to fund it by yourself for 1 year, and if you succeed, we'll allow you to use company funds." 

He continued, "So I didn't have any money. I had a hyung/acquaintance there (in the States) and he allowed the two of us (J.Y. Park and Bang Si Hyuk) to stay with him. That hyung was actually a newlywed at the time. Thinking back now, that was very rude of us. At first, we said we would stay for a month but ended up staying 4 months. But we later gifted him and his wife with expensive watches."

J.Y. Park explained there was no extra room in the house to produce music, so they set up a studio in the garage. He shared, "Si Hyuk and I shared one room, not one house. The room was small with just one bed."

Bang Si Hyuk, recalling the time when he went to the U.S. in 2003, continued to tell the story. He continued, "So I was in charge of laundry, and (J.Y. Park) hyung was in charge of something else. And he keeps rolling up his socks together. So, every time I did the laundry, I would have to unroll his socks. I told him not to do it, but he kept on doing it." Bang Si Hyuk went on and shared, "One day, I exploded because we were two grown men sharing a small room together."

J.Y. Park picked up the story from there and said, "So Si Hyuk exploded, and I got so surprised. I thought, 'Is this something he has to be this mad about?' I realized he had bottled it up for months because he's younger. I'm the type to go around leaving things here and there, and Si Hyuk would pick things up after me - from artist management to company management. But at the time, I thought he was just getting mad over some socks. So he ran away from the house. But he had nowhere to go, so in the middle of the night, he snuck back home."

J.Y. Park revealed that Bang Si Hyuk decided to return home to Korea after that incident. Bang Si Hyuk shared, "We joke if that incident didn't happen, the history of K-pop would be different." He continued, "(J.Y. Park) actually thought deep about this (going to the U.S.), but I thought lightly of it and just said I'll go if you go. But I couldn't stand more than 4 months." 

J.Y. Park then shared he made a few songs before Bang Si Hyuk left for Korea. One of the songs was sold, and J.Y. Park was able to get financial support from the company, but he confessed that was how he threw away billions of KRW (millions of USD) down the drain. He shared, "I went, and there was the financial crisis in 2008 and failed. I didn't succeed. I went back because I established JYP USA but failed. So I came back."

Bang Si Hyuk recounted the supportive response of J.Y. Park to his decision to strike out on his own, expressing gratitude for the unexpected backing. He said, "I thought I didn't want to stay as J.Y. Park's assistant and I wanted to do things that I want. Most people would've gotten mad but J.Y. Park is so amazing because he told me, 'If you leave to become independent, the world is different from what you think it is and it's going to be hard. So in the beginning, I'll support you financially and you can pick the artists you want.' That's why I was able to become independent."

When Yoo Jae Suk asked how J.Y. Park felt when Bang Si Hyuk told him about leaving, he responded, "He devoted so much to the company and to me. So if he said that (he wanted to be independent), of course, I should help him."