Hwayoung fights back against T-ara, accusing her of being forced to shut up, suffering alone for 12 years

Appearing on a TV show aired on November 9, CEO Kim Kwang Soo caused a stir when he spoke up about rumors that once shook the Kpop music industry, which were internal affairs within T-ara.

This CEO said he sided with the T-ara members, canceled Hwayoung's contract but kept silent because he was worried about her future.

Shortly after, Hwayoung posted a long post to respond to CEO Kim Kwang Soo's words. Hwayoung said that she was bullied and scolded by T-ara, and did not pretend to be the victim. The female rapper has been silent for the past 12 years, and she was upset that Kim Kwang Soo brought up the story again and turned her into a villain.

Original text of Hwayoung's article:

"Hello, I am a former member of T-ara.

First of all, I want to sincerely apologize for talking about an unpleasant topic. After watching yesterday's program where CEO Kim Kwang Soo talked about the internal turmoil in T-ara, I thought deeply hundreds of thousands of times before deciding to post this article.

In 2012, as the central figure in the incident, I caused many controversies and witnessed the disbandment of my favorite group, T-ara. Regardless of who was right or wrong, I lived and blamed myself a lot. I always felt guilty towards the fans who loved T-ara and the members that I parted with with words like "bullying" and "conflict".

For 12 years, I carried the label of “T-ara’s destroyer,” chose not to respond to the rumors, and lived with the consequences. Although the breakup was a stormy one, T-ara’s existence allowed me to become the person I am today. Even though I was traumatized and felt it was unfair, I chose to remain silent.

However, when I heard CEO Kim Kwang Soo speak, I did not understand why he brought up the incident 12 years ago with bias and distorted facts. This motivated me to speak up to clarify the wrongdoings, even though it was very difficult.

First of all, it was true that I was bullied. It was wrong that I “played the victim.” As a new member of T-ara, I tried my best, determined not to bother the original members, and tried to fit in. However, the original members often used violence and constantly insulted me. I endured it because I believed that everything would be okay if I tried harder.

Second, after I injured my ankle, I apologized to the members many times. Even when I couldn't perform on stage in Japan, I asked the director to let me sing a song. I did so because I felt sorry for the members who worked harder, and I thought singing a song would help them.

Third, it is true that I got my nails done at the hotel. But T-ara members also had nail technicians come to hotels in Japan. To describe me as getting my nails done before a performance just because of my personal preference is a malicious attack on me.

When my contract with T-ara ended, I had a lot of evidence that I was being bullied and planned to hold a press conference. However, CEO Kim Kwang Soo suggested that if I remained silent and did not hold a press conference, he would terminate my contract with my sister and I without any conditions. I was 20 years old at the time and thought that was the best option. In the end, I left without receiving an apology and remained silent for 12 years.

After that, T-ara members appeared on many shows, claiming that they did not bully me and said many things that were not true. My parents and I felt helpless watching those shows, we cried because we could not do anything.

I sincerely want to ask CEO Kim Kwang Soo: "What do you mean by bringing up the story from 12 years ago, and mentioning my name with such distorted comments?".

Currently, I do not have an agency and act on my own. I understand clearly that I cannot compete with the person who has had power in the entertainment industry for the past 40 years. However, I still speak up for the truth."

Hwayoung was added to the group in December 2010 and the controversy started from there. When Hwayoung was absent from the 2012 concert, T-ara members made insinuations on social media. Netizens began to find evidence of T-ara members bullying Hwayoung. A wave of protests against T-ara broke out across Asian websites.

T-ara's 15th anniversary comeback, Roly Poly version 2 coming soon, bombarding Kpop with 2NE1? Minh Lợi11:01:11 21/05/2024Recently, Hyomin posted an Instagram story with photos revealing T-ara's 15th anniversary project and checking in at the photoshoot with the members. This information currently makes Kpop fans restless.