Bullying scandals have become more rampant in the industry. Several idols were accused of such behavior following their debuts. Here are five of the biggest bullying scandals in K-pop.
1. Soojin ((G)I-DLE)
In 2021, Soojin, a former member of (G)I-DLE, was embroiled in a controversy when an alleged former schoolmate, identified as "A," claimed that Soojin once bullied her younger sister.
"A" accused Soojin of calling the victim and the victim's friend to the bathroom, forcing them to hurt each other physically. They alleged the former idol would also send group texts calling the victim a loner and an outcast. "A" also claimed that Soojin extorted money from other students, smoked underage, and rode motorcycles with older men.
Actress Seo Shin Ae joined the conversation when she posted an Instagram Story with the words "None of your excuses." The actress alleged that Soojin had bullied her in school, as well. Soojin's supporters defended the idol, saying that Seo Shin Ae was spreading lies to gain fame, and asked her to apologize to Soojin.
Soojin released several statements denying the rumors. She stated she never met nor bullied Seo Shin Ae while they were students. CUBE Entertainment released a statement saying they would investigate the situation.
After months of hiatus, Soojin left the group in August 2021.
2. APRIL
Hyunjoo first left ARPIL in 2016, with DSP Media claiming she chose to leave to pursue an acting career. However, in February 2021, Hyunjoo's brother took to online community forums to reveal that she actually left the group due to the other members bullying her.
Hyunjoo's brother revealed that the former APRIL member suffered from suicidal tendencies and panic disorders due to the bullying. Another user, who claimed to be Hyunjoo's friend, claimed that the other ARPIL members would make sarcastic remarks around her and mock her, especially Naeun.
In April 2021, Hyunjoo made a post admitting her co-APRIL members bullied her for three years. She claimed she suffered both physical and verbal violence at the time.
The APRIL members and DSP Media denied the claims. However, APRIL soon lost fame and their gigs and was criticized online. APRIL disbanded in 2022.
3. Jimin (AOA)
In 2020, former AOA member Mina took to Instagram to accuse Jimin of bullying her for ten years, leading to suicidal ideation. Mina claimed she left the group and could no longer endure the bullying.
Mina even accused Jimin of bullying four more people, and one had passed away. Jimin initially denied the rumors on her Instagram Stories, calling them fiction. However, Jimin apologized to Mina at the height of the controversy. That same year, Jimin left AOA and retired from the entertainment industry.
Mina continued to make claims against Jimin. However, she soon was under scrutiny after internet users noticed discrepancies in her stories. Dispatch also released an article claiming Jimin and Mina had apologized and patched up their relationship months before Mina's initial post.
4. T-ARA
Hwayoung left T-ARA in 2012, claiming the members bullied her. She spoke about the incident on the reality show "Taxi." Her twin sister, Hyoyoung, backed up her sister's claims.
Allegedly, Jiyeon and Eunjung were the group members that bullied Hwayoung the most. Internet users soon found videos of the members embarrassing Hwayoung, treating her like an outcast, and ignoring her in front of the cameras. In addition, a trainee under the same agency as T-ARA claimed that Jiyeon and the members all bullied Hwayoung.
In 2017, staff members stepped forward and claimed it was actually Hwayoung and Hyoyoung who bullied the members, releasing messages that showed Hyoyoung threatening Areum with physical harm. In addition, stylists revealed that Hwayoung was disrespectful to them and revealed she faked an injury to gain sympathy.
While Hwayoung initially denied the claims and lashed out at staff, she eventually admitted the truth. She suffered from immense backlash as a result.
5. Kim Garam (LE SSERAFIM)
In April 2022, after Kim Garam was announced as a member of LE SSERAFIM, the idol was accused of bullying. Photos of the idol posing with inappropriate drawings were shared online, as well as screenshots with NSFW messages. In addition, Internet users claimed she would curse at other students, talk behind people's backs, and smoke underage.
A victim soon stepped forward, claiming Kim Garam bullied her. She revealed she suffered malicious messages from the idol and her friends and was the victim of violence at her hands. Because of the anxiety and fear she experienced, she transferred schools.
While HYBE initially denied the claims, the backlash against Kim Garam was so intense that she ultimately went on hiatus. During her hiatus, more former schoolmates spoke up about Kim Garam's allegedly bullying.
In July 2022, Kim Garam left LE SSERAFIM .
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Written by Alexa Lewis
