On November 10, T-ara’s Qri posted a cryptic photo on her personal social media—an image of the moon partially hidden by the darkness of the night—without any caption. This post gained attention following actress and former T-ara member Ryu Hwayoung’s recent claims that she was bullied during her time in the group. Qri’s social media comments section has since been flooded with debate from fans.
Previously, on November 9, Kim Kwangsoo, former CEO of T-ara Agency, discussed the bullying controversy from 12 years ago during an appearance on MBN’s program. Come on, go season 3. Kim explained that when Hwayoung sprained her ankle and couldn’t perform at a concert in Japan, the other members expected her to apologize. Back in Korea, as they planned to discuss it, a former T-ara staff member revealed threatening messages sent by Hwayoung’s sister, Hyoyoung, to T-ara’s youngest member at the time, Ahreum.
Kim said he became angry and tore up the sisters’ contracts, urging them to “go away and do their jobs.” However, this emotional reaction unintentionally fueled bullying rumors, severely damaging T-ara’s image. Although T-ara’s parents wanted to reveal the entire conversation, Kim refrained, citing concerns for Hwayoung and Hyoyoung’s well-being.
The day after Kim’s appearance on November 10, Hwayoung addressed the issue on social media. She expressed confusion about why Kim would “distort the 12-year incident with distorted statements” and felt compelled to “correct the misinformation.” He claimed that “the bullying was real”, refuting allegations that he had pretended to be a victim and insisted that he made every effort to integrate with existing members while dealing with violent language and physical abuse.
Hwayoung also revealed that she initially intended to hold a press conference to present evidence of the bullying, but was convinced by Kim to remain silent, as he offered to release her sister from her contract if she remained silent. “At just 20 years old, I thought this was the best decision,” he added, noting that he left the group without apologizing and had remained silent for 12 years.
Hwayoung joined T-ara in 2010, but left the group in 2012 due to bullying controversies. She has since pursued an acting career, appearing in dramas such as Age of youth, The beauty insideAND Player 2: The war of scams.
Meanwhile, T-ara recently celebrated their 15th debut anniversary with a concert in Macao, reconnecting with fans.
