Kim Kwang-soo, CEO of MBK Entertainment and Core Contents Media, appeared on a TV show and said: “The victims 12 years ago were not Hwayoung, but the members of T-ara.”
Hwayoung immediately denied this claim and online debates ensued. Amid this, a netizen who claimed to be a former employee of Core Contents Media came forward in support of Hwayoung.
Netizen A posted on the online community Instiz, “I am here to reveal the truth about the T-ara incident. I was working at Core Contents Media at the time.”
A said: “I’ll be brief about the T-ara incident. Hwayoung had a family member with ties to a company executive. Originally, her older sister was supposed to join T-ara, but she passed the position to Hwayoung.“
A continues, “From the members’ perspective, Hwayoung, who joined a top-tier group not through talent or image but through connections, would have been difficult to accept. Even as an employee, I often saw Hwayoung struggling to fit in with the group.“
A continues, “Since the existing members were quite strong-willed, Ahreum, who joined after Hwayoung, also had difficulty adapting. Verbal abuse and assault happened. Once, I saw Hwayoung crying, and when I asked her what happened, she sobbed, saying that T-ara OO member hit her. I couldn’t believe it at the time, but the staff had an atmosphere of indifference towards T-ara members’ abuse of Hwayoung.“
A added: “T-ara’s 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 be deleted because it reveals personal information” and called for further proof, including verification of their employment status, with some saying stated that they will remain neutral for now.
Kim Kwang-soo’s appearance on MBN’s “GO”.
On November 9, CEO Kim Kwang-soo appeared on MBN’s program “GO” to talk about T-ara’s 2012 bullying scandal. He admitted that although T-ara’s members were the victims, his handling of the situation led them to be seen as authors. 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 to her missing a concert in Japan, 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, “Go away.” I will release you unconditionally.’ But then, rumors spread online that Hwayoung was being bullied. The members’ parents also suggested holding a press conference and revealing everything about KakaoTalk, but I stopped them by saying, “They are young.” What will happen to their lives?‘”
Kim said he was responsible for amplifying rumors about bullying, explaining: “If netizens label someone as wrong, it is accepted as truth. I didn’t think T-ara did anything wrong, so I continued with the broadcasts, but people interpreted it as me using my influence. I fell from grace while trying to take care of Hwayoung and Hyoyoung. When I meet T-ara, I cry with guilt. These girls could have had a stronger career peak, but my decision ruined their lives. More than ten years have passed, but the controversy over bullying persists. It’s the biggest regret of my 40 years in the entertainment industry.”
Hwayoung’s response
The next day, Hwayoung responded with a lengthy post refuting Kim’s claims.
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 forced not to cause trouble for existing members and did everything to blend in. However, the original members of T-ara often subjected me to both physical and verbal abuse.“
He further stated: “At the time of termination of my contract, I had evidence to prove the bullying and intended to share my position in a press conference. However, CEO Kim Kwang-soo offered to terminate my sister’s contract if I remained silent.She claimed she still had evidence of the bullying, escalating the controversy.
Source: born
