Ryu Hyo-young Reveals Motive Behind Past Threatening Texts to T-ara’s Areum
Nov 11, 2024
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On the 11th, Ryu Hyo-young shared, "We were only around 20 years old at the time. My younger sister and I had left our hometown and moved to Seoul. We had no adult support, so we relied heavily on each other. Then I heard something shocking from my sister, who said she was being ostracized by the T-ara members. She said, 'It's so hard,' and 'I miss you.' I reacted impulsively to protect her, which led to my message incident."
She continued, "Looking back, I realize it was foolish to send that message, and I still regret it. I apologized to Areum later, but I still feel sorry. I was only 20 years old and scared that my sister might make a bad choice if I did nothing. I hope people understand that my intentions, though misguided, were to protect my family."
Ryu Hyo-young and her sister Ryu Hwa-young signed an exclusive contract with Core Contents Media, now MBK Entertainment, in 2010. Initially, Hyo-young was to join T-ara, while Hwa-young was assigned to a new girl group, but the roles reversed, and Hwa-young joined T-ara, while Hyo-young debuted with Coed School and later 5dolls.
In 2012, rumors surfaced that Hwa-young was being bullied within T-ara. T-ara had achieved remarkable success, even performing at Japan's prestigious Budokan venue. However, speculation of discord arose when Hwa-young missed a performance due to a leg injury. Posts from other T-ara members on social media sparked further controversy, and a rap instructor for the Ryu sisters also criticized T-ara online.
In response to the escalating tension, the agency eventually terminated its contract with Hwa-young and Hyo-young, while denying any bullying within T-ara. Despite this, rumors of bullying persisted. Further controversy arose when messages from Hyo-young to Areum surfaced, including threats such as, "Wait," "I'll scratch your face so you can't broadcast," and "They (T-ara) need to be beaten to behave."
Since then, T-ara's popularity has waned, and group activities have ceased. Recently, Kim Kwang-soo, CEO of MBK Entertainment, reignited the issue by asserting on MBN's 'Let's Go' Season 3 that Hwa-young was not bullied within T-ara. Hwa-young responded with claims of harassment, stating she faced both verbal and physical abuse. Hyo-young also defended her past actions as a way to protect her sister.
The public remains divided on this issue. Some netizens criticize Hyo-young's actions, questioning, "Didn't you send threatening messages to Areum?" while others empathize with her protective instincts, saying, "Anyone would defend their family." Some have also noted that Areum accepted Hyo-young’s apology, bringing closure to the incident for some.
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