Where’s Kim Garam Now? Talk Show Speaks On Former Idol’s Current Whereabouts
A variety show touched on the whereabouts of former LE SSERAFIM member Kim Garam.
On the May 15 episode of tvN’s Free Doctor (Translated title from 프리한 닥터), the show tackled the controversial topic of bullying allegations in Korea’s entertainment industry.
In the episode, the variety show spoke about Kim Garam’s bullying allegations. The former idol, who orignially debuted with LE SSERAFIM, left the group only two weeks after her debut after being alleged to have bullied a schoolmate.
Kim Garam, who received much attention for her visuals, was alleged to have bullied a classmate just one day after her debut. In a viral post, a netizen alleged that the idol hung out with a bad crowd and that she and her friends had ganged up on students and had cursde them out and bullied them on social media.
The show revealed that HYBE would quickly respond, stating that “The school bullying allegations are malicious rumors and are not true. We have verified that Kim Garam was actually a victim of school bullying through a third party’s testimony.”
The controversy would take another turn, however, when on May 2, the day of Kim Garam’s debut, the former idol’s Middle School schoolmate uploaded a picture of the idol. In the picture, Kim Garam is seen making inappropriate hand gestures and posing in front of a board with a lewd remark written on it. One of the reporters on the show, however, pointed out that “It isn’t like (Kim Garam) forced anyone to draw this or teased anyone with this, so this has nothing to do with her bullying allegations.”
Soon after, another post went viral in which a netizen defended Kim Garam and alleged that the bullying allegations stemmed from the former idol defending her friend whose naked pictures were spread online. The netizen denied that Kim Garam had participated in any bullying.
The show then revealed that a piece of evidence pointing to the fact that some bullying may have occurred was submitted. In a document sent by an anti-school bullying committee, Kim Garam’s name is listed as the perpetrator and stated that the former idol had been punished for school bullying.
In the document, Kim Garam is shown as having received a 5th-degree punishment. A 5th-degree punishment calls for the student to receive mandatory counseling, and the record remains on the student’s record for two years after they graduate.
Kim Garam would leave the group after the document surfaced, three months into her short career.
The show then revealed what the former idol has been up to since departing the group. According to reporter Choi Jung A, Kim Garama has returned to being a student and is attending “S” Art High School.
What are your thoughts? You can watch the full segment in the link below.
