[TW: Mentions of bullying]
An alleged friend of former LE SSERAFIM member Kim Garam released a statement after HYBE and Source Music terminated the idol's exclusive contract with them. This friend of hers detailed what happened to them and the "victim" of Garam's supposed bullying. Keep on reading to know the full statement.
Kim Garam's Alleged Friend Speaks Up After HYBE/Source Music Terminates Idol's Contract
On July 20, HYBE and Source Music jointly announced through an official statement that the agency has terminated its exclusive contract with LE SSERAFIM Kim Garam. The female idol was caught up in a controversy over bullying a middle school classmate as soon as she was introduced as a member of the group.
The issue ultimately led her to hiatus but her management company maintained its position that she was innocent. They posted a detailed explanation of the situation, claiming that the supposed victim was actually the bully.
ALSO READ: #WeWantGaramBack: Fans Call for Kim Garam's Return to LE SSERAFIM Promotions
However, many were confused after HYBE and Source Music announced that Kim Garam's contract with them had been terminated. The company initially defended her but didn't explain what happened in the investigation. The agencies also didn't mention whether they were wrong and that she was guilty of bullying.
As a result, an alleged friend of Kim Garam stepped up to explain the situation and accused HYBE/Source Music of using the former LE SSERAFIM member and her controversy for noise marketing.
The friend's statement is as follows:
"First, Yoo Eun Seo bullied me from elementary to middle school, cursed my parents, and physically threatened me. This is not the most important part of the situation, so I won't elaborate on it now. However, the reason I brought this up is because I asked myself what I did wrong. As a party who was bullied for about a year, the perpetrators who had lied to each other for about a month hid under the word 'victim.' I was accused of being the second perpetrator.
Secondly, the fact that Yoo Eun Seo claimed to transfer is false. In Eun Seo's position, it is a lie that she moved because of Garam. Also, she posted a picture of classmate 1 (who was Garam's friend at the time) in her underwear on classmate 2's account. Later on, she transferred to another school. In the process, Yoo Eun Seo was disciplined with No. 6. This is what Eun Seo has said herself, and she has evidence of this.
Thirdly, in relation to the threat of complaint, it is true that I was threatened with a complaint through Eun Seo's friend around April.
Lastly, I gave Garam everything I had as a friend and collected testimonies from other friends, but they didn't use our data for their statements. I was very hurt by these adults who used an 18-year-old (Korean age) as means of marketing. I'll post more materials and stories later."
This statement (which was released on Instagram) was screenshotted and shared on Twitter and translated by one netizen. The Twitter user, however, didn't specify the Instagram account to prevent causing damage to the alleged friend.
What are your opinions on the statement of Kim Garam's alleged friend? Do you think they are telling the truth? Comment down below!
LE SSERAFIM to Perform at "SEOUL FESTA 2022"
In other news, LE SSERAFIM was announced as one of the performers at the upcoming "SEOUL FESTA 2022" arranged by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
READ MORE: LE SSERAFIM Kim Garam Is Like Soojin? Similarities of Idols Draw Attention
Apart from the rookie group, other performing artists include PSY, RAIN, The Boyz, NMIXX, Stray Kids, ENHYPEN, NCT Dream, Weki Meki, and Nature. Fans can also expect performances from Forestella, Tiger JK, Bizzy, and Yoon Mirae.
The hosts for the event will be ASTRO Cha Eunwoo and Kim Sejung.
The 120-minute "SEOUL FESTA 2022" will be held at Jamsil Sports Complex on Aug. 10 and will be broadcast live to 118 countries via KBS World.
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Written by Maria Scott
