Former Employee Sides with Hwayoung in T-ara Bullying Scandal: ‘The Company Ignored the Assault’
Hwayoung immediately rebutted this, and online debates ensued. Amidst this, a netizen claiming to be a former Core Contents Media employee stepped forward in support of Hwayoung.
A said, “I’ll keep it brief regarding the T-ara incident. Hwayoung had a family member with connections to a company executive. Initially, her older sister was supposed to join T-ara, but she passed the position onto Hwayoung.“
A continued, “From the members’ perspective, Hwayoung, who joined a top-tier group not due to talent or visuals but through connections, would have been hard to accept. Even as an employee, I frequently saw Hwayoung struggling to fit into the group.“
A continued, “Since the existing members were quite strong-willed, even Ahreum, who joined after Hwayoung, had a tough time adjusting. The abuse and verbal assaults did happen. Once, I saw Hwayoung crying, and when I asked her what happened, she sobbed, saying that T-ara member OO had hit her. I couldn’t believe it at the time, but the staff had an atmosphere of indifference toward T-ara members’ abuse of Hwayoung.“
A added, “The T-ara bullying was real. There are still many celebrities in the entertainment industry today who abuse their power and mistreat others.” A also provided proof of employment.
Netizens who saw A’s post reacted with comments such as “shocking,” “the post will probably get deleted for revealing personal information,” and demands for more proof, including verification of their employment status, with some saying they would remain neutral for now.
Kim Kwang-soo’s Appearance on MBN’s “GO”
On November 9, CEO Kim Kwang-soo appeared on MBN’s show “GO” to speak about the 2012 T-ara bullying scandal. He admitted that although T-ara members were the victims, his handling of the situation led them to be seen as perpetrators. He expressed deep regret, calling it the biggest mistake of his 40-year career in the industry.
Kim spoke about a series of incidents, including Hwayoung’s injury that led her to miss a Japan concert, the members’ social media posts, and subsequent events. He revealed, “I was so angry that I asked Hwayoung and Hyoyoung to bring their contracts and tore them up, saying, ‘Leave. I’ll release you without conditions.’ But then, rumors spread online that Hwayoung was being bullied. The members’ parents even suggested holding a press conference and revealing everything on KakaoTalk, but I stopped them, saying, ‘They’re young. What will happen to their lives?’”
Kim said he was responsible for amplifying the bullying rumor, explaining, “If netizens label someone as wrong, it becomes accepted as truth. I didn’t think T-ara did anything wrong, so I pushed forward with broadcasts, but people interpreted it as me using my influence. I fell from grace while trying to look out for Hwayoung and Hyoyoung. When I meet T-ara, I cry out of guilt. These girls could have had a stronger career peak, but my decision ruined their lives. It’s been over ten years, yet the bullying controversy persists. It’s the greatest regret of my 40 years in the entertainment industry.”
Hwayoung’s Response
The next day, Hwayoung responded with a long post refuting Kim’s statements.
On November 10, Hwayoung posted on her Instagram, “It’s true that I was bullied. As a member who joined T-ara later, I was pressured not to cause trouble for the existing members and tried hard to blend in. However, the original T-ara members frequently subjected me to both physical and verbal abuse.“
She further alleged, “At the time of my contract termination, I had evidence to prove the bullying and intended to share my side at a press conference. However, CEO Kim Kwang-soo offered to terminate my sister’s contract if I remained silent.” She claimed to still possess evidence of the bullying, intensifying the controversy.
Source: nate