T-ara Bullying Controversy Resurfaces After 12 Years
Nov 11, 2024
|
On November 9th, MBK Entertainment CEO Kim Kwang-soo appeared on MBN's 'Let's Go' Season 3 and discussed the T-ara bullying controversy. He explained that Ryu Hwa-young was excluded from a Japanese performance due to a leg injury, while the other members practiced all night to fill the gap. However, as rumors of discord spread, he took the decision to terminate the contracts of both Ryu Hwa-young and Ryu Hyo-young.
In response, Ryu Hwa-young immediately refuted Kim’s claims, stating, "It is true that I was bullied." She went on to explain, "As a new member of T-ara, I tried to fit in without causing harm to the existing members, but I endured much verbal abuse and physical assault from them."
This sparked chaos on the members' social media pages, with fans and anti-fans clashing in the comment sections. Furthermore, previous revelations from when the bullying incident first emerged are gaining attention once again. At the time, a netizen, claiming to be a member of T-ara's dance team, made headlines by posting that Ji-yeon slapped Ryu Hwa-young on the cheek after criticizing her failure to follow choreography. In response, Bae Yoon-jung, a member of T-ara’s choreography team, clarified that the accusation of physical assault in the practice room was groundless, stating, "There could not have been any assault, as the room was open to other celebrities and outsiders."
|
Additionally, the past revelation that Ryu Hwa-young and Ryu Hyo-young allegedly threatened Arum, the youngest member of T-ara, is once again drawing attention. In 2017, when the sisters appeared on an entertainment program and tearfully spoke about being victims of bullying, a netizen claiming to be a former T-ara staff member released a threatening message allegedly sent by Ryu Hyo-young to Arum. The messages included abusive threats such as "Wait for it at Music Bank," "I'll scratch your face so you can’t appear on broadcasts," and "They (T-ara) should be hit to get their act together."
As the fallout from the T-ara bullying scandal continues, attention is now on whether the members will respond to the renewed controversy.
Reporter Baek Ji-eun silk781220@sportschosun.com
silk781220@sportschosun.com
