Ahreum Reflects on T-ara Days: ‘Ryu Hwayoung Took Special Care of Me… But It Left Scars'”
On the afternoon of the 18th, Ahreum posted a lengthy message on social media, starting with, “I don’t have any official comments to make about the incident, but since I’ve been receiving numerous DMs, I’m leaving a short message just for today.”
Ahreum, who joined T-ara as the latest member, reflected on her struggles adapting to the group, memorizing already-released songs and choreography. She confessed, “It was incredibly difficult to process the sudden events back then, watching the Twitter exchanges among the older members.”
Ahreum emphasized her gratitude toward Hwayoung, stating, “Even after I left, I have always shared this, though it often went unnoticed: Hwayoung unnie took special care of me, perhaps understanding my feelings as a new member, and I was always thankful and followed her closely.”
However, Ahreum also revealed how isolating it felt after the incident, likening it to walking on thin ice. “At a young age, I felt like I was walking on a thorny path,” she said, adding, “It’s true that I later received an apology from [Ryu] Hyoyoung unnie, as it was all due to misunderstandings.”
Describing her T-ara experience as a painful memory, Ahreum stated, “Why not just remember us as the faces of those beloved songs from that time? What’s the point of asking me about this and that now? I believe everyone involved deeply regrets their actions during those younger days, feeling remorse, pain, and difficulty. Some may have suffered more than others, but I think no one came out of it unscathed.”
Concluding her message, she expressed a wish for peace, saying, “Even now and in the future, I just want to live as an ordinary person. I hope everyone can move on from the wounds of the past and find peace in their lives.”
Previously on Nov 12th, A posted through his SNS account, “Please stop DMing me about the recent issues regarding the group Areum was once part of. What would I know? Only those directly involved would know.”
He added, “It’s a story from over 10 years ago, and Areum herself doesn’t know much about it, so I ask YouTubers and others to stop inquiring. I just wish it could be left to flow on its own. Why dig up old traces when they no longer matter?”
Areum joined T-ara in 2012 but left after just a year. In 2019, she married an older non-celebrity man, and they had two sons, but in 2023, she announced she was in the middle of a divorce and dating A.
She became the center of controversy with allegations of money demands and fraud with A, and while they reportedly broke up, they recently announced they reunited and had a third child.
CEO Kim Kwang-soo appeared on MBN’s “Let’s Go Go” on Nov 9th and addressed the 2012 T-ara bullying incident, saying, “The T-ara members were victims back then, but my handling of the situation turned them into perpetrators. It’s the one thing I regret most in my 40 years in the entertainment industry.”
Following the broadcast, Hwayoung quickly responded with a lengthy post, stating, “I truly was bullied. As a new member of T-ara, I tried hard to blend in without causing trouble, but the original members frequently used violence and verbal abuse against me.”
It was revealed that Hwayoung’s older sister Hyo-young sent Areum threatening messages at that time, saying, “If you don’t want to get hit, do it right”, “I’ll scratch your face so you can’t appear on broadcasts” and “They [T-ara] need to be hit to come to their senses.”
Regarding this, Hyo-young explained, “I was shocked by what my sister told me—that she was being bullied by T-ara members, and she felt very distressed and said she missed me. I sent those texts hoping to stop them from tormenting her, but I know it was foolish, and I still regret it. I previously apologized to Areum about the messages, but I continue to feel sorry.”
Source: Nate