Only a few months after debuting, K-pop girl group April lost a member on Monday.
DSP Media released a statement on Nov. 9, announcing that April's leader Somin would leave the group. The group will be rebranded as a quintet after debuting with six members in August.
Somin will remain under the agency despite departing from April.
Following the announcement, Somin published a handwritten letter to fans addressing the change.
In the letter, Somin expressed her plan to focus on her studies.
DSP Media announced that Somin's new path came after Somin thought about her future and broached the topic with the company, reports eNews.
According to the entertainment agency, the former April member came to the decision to leave the group after discussions with DSP Media.
Following the news of Somin's departure, DSP Media denied rumors pertaining to Somin joining DSP Media's senior girl group, Kara.
Somin was first introduced to K-pop audiences as a member of DSP Media's earlier group, Puretty. Following the group's disbandment in 2014, Somin appeared on "The Kara Project" competition show, where DSP Media trainees competed to join Kara. Following Heo Youngji's win, the other trainees remained under DSP Media, including Somin.
In August, Somin debuted as a member of April on the debut EP, "Dreaming."
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Tamar Herman is a multi-media journalist and the co-founder of KultScene. She is a freelance writer and copy editor, and has written for MTV Iggy, Noisey, and Paste Magazine.
