Former T-ARA’s Hwayoung Blasts Former CEO After His Comments On The Infamous Bullying Scandal
Comments made by T-ARA‘s former CEO Kim Kwang Soo have reignited the girl group’s bullying controversy after former member Hwayoung responded to him via Instagram.
On a recent episode of MBN‘s Let’s Go, T-ARA’s then-CEO Kim Kwang Soo spoke up on the matter. He claimed to have been a firm supporter of T-ARA’s original members. Kim also opened up on how he “ripped up” Hwayoung and Hyoyoung‘s contracts.
T-ARA’s CEO Breaks His Silence About What Happened During The Group’s Bullying Scandal With Hwayoung
Since then, Hwayoung, seemingly upset by her former CEO’s statements, has taken to Instagram to share a lengthy response. In her post, Hwayoung addresses her alleged bullying and ankle injury and asks why CEO Kim brought up the issue again after a whopping 12 years.
“Hello, this is former T-ARA member Hwayoung. First of all, I would like to sincerely apologize for causing concern with an uncomfortable topic. After seeing the broadcast of a certain variety show yesterday, where former agency CEO Kim Kwang Soo spoke about the T-ARA bullying controversy, I thought deeply—hundreds and thousands of times—and finally decided to write this message.
In 2012, as the central figure of the so-called ‘T-ARA Bullying’ incident, I caused various social controversies and witnessed the disbandment of my beloved group, T-ARA. Regardless of who was right or wrong, I have lived with a great deal of self-reproach. I have always carried feelings of guilt toward all the fans who loved T-ARA and the members with whom I parted ways under terms like ‘bullying’ and ‘conflict.’
For 12 years, I have carried the label of being involved in the ‘T-ARA Bullying’ incident, choosing not to respond to numerous rumors and living with the consequences. Although the disbandment was tumultuous, T-ARA’s existence allowed me to be who I am today. Despite having trauma and feeling wronged, I chose to remain silent.
However, upon hearing CEO Kim Kwang Soo’s statements on that particular show, I couldn’t understand why he would bring up the incident from 12 years ago with biased and distorted claims. This prompted me to speak up and correct the inaccuracies with my truth, despite how difficult it is.
Firstly, the fact that I was bullied is true. The claim that I did not experience bullying and merely pretended to be a ‘victim’ is false. As a new member of T-ARA, I worked hard with the determination not to burden the original members and to blend in. However, the original members often subjected me to violence and constant verbal abuse. The reason I endured was that I believed things would improve if I tried harder.
Second, after I injured my ankle, I apologized to the members multiple times. Even when I sprained my ankle and couldn’t perform on stage in Japan, I begged the director to let me sing just one song. This was because I felt immense guilt toward the members who had to work much harder due to me, and I thought singing even one song would help.
Third, it is true that I received nail care at the hotel. However, it was common practice for T-ARA to call nail technicians to our hotel for maintenance during Japanese activities. Getting my nails done was in the same context. My nail was broken and I got it fixed before a performance. Portraying this as if I received nail care solely for my own pleasure before a performance felt like an unjust attack on me.
When my contract with T-ARA ended, I had plenty of evidence to prove that I was bullied and planned to express my side through a press conference. However, CEO Kim Kwang Soo proposed that if I kept quiet without holding a press conference, he would terminate the contract of my older sister, who was also under the same agency at the time. At just 20 years old, I thought that was the best option. In the end, I left without even receiving an apology, and I have kept silent for 12 years.
After that, the T-ARA members appeared on various shows, claiming they had never bullied me, and settled the bullying issue among themselves with statements that were far from the truth. Watching those broadcasts, my parents and I felt helpless, shedding tears as we realized there was nothing we could do.
I sincerely want to ask CEO Kim Kwang Soo: What is your intention in bringing up this 12-year-old story on a show and mentioning my name with such distorted remarks?
Currently, I am without an agency and on my own. I am well aware that I cannot fight against someone who has been influential in the entertainment industry for over 40 years. Despite that, I am speaking up because I have confidence in the truth of what happened back then.”
— Former T-ARA’s Hwayoung
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