“Jang Wonyoung, It’s Right Not to Go” Why Did Cheon Ha-ram Oppose Mourning for the Late Kim Ha-neul?

On Feb 13th, during a party leadership meeting at the National Assembly, Cheon Ha-ram stated, “I understand that there is considerable debate over whether the idol whom Ha-neul liked should attend the funeral. While it may be presumptuous of me to say this, I personally believe that it would be more appropriate for the idol (Jang Wonyoung) not to attend.“

Explaining his reasoning, Cheon Ha-ram said, “This might be an extreme prediction or worry, but we cannot completely rule out the possibility that young elementary school children might develop a misguided idea, thinking, ‘If something happens to me, will my favorite idol come to mourn me?’ Because of this, I believe this situation should be approached with extreme caution.”

Regarding the negative comments directed at Ha-neul’s father, accusing him of “forcing” Jang Wonyoung to attend the funeral, Cheon Ha-ram defended him, “Can parents who have lost their eight-year-old child be expected to respond in a way that perfectly aligns with public expectations? Even if there are aspects of the bereaved family’s response that do not fully meet public standards, I ask for understanding and urge people to refrain from posting malicious comments.”

Previously, Ha-neul’s father publicly expressed his wish for Jang Wonyoung to pay her respects, telling reporters, “Ha-neul had asked me to take her to an IVE concert in Daejeon, and I had promised her I would. Her dream was Jang Wonyoung herself. I know she must be busy, but if possible, I hope she can come to see Ha-neul one last time.”

Following media coverage of this request, IVE’s agency Starship Entertainment sent a funeral wreath inscribed with “Singer IVE. May the deceased rest in peace“. They also sent photocards that Ha-neul liked when she was alive to express their condolences.

Ha-neul tragically passed away on Feb 10th, after being fatally stabbed by a female teacher in her 40s inside an audio-visual room storage area at an elementary school in Seo-gu, Daejeon. The teacher, who confessed to the crime, had been receiving treatment for depression since 2018. During police questioning, she admitted, “I planned to die together with any student, regardless of who they were. I told the last child leaving that I would give them a book, lured them into the room and committed the act.“