LE SSERAFIM'S Instagram page
MANILA, Philippines – A few weeks after she was dismissed from K-pop girl LE SSERAFIM, former member Kim Garam released a statement on Wednesday, August 10, regarding the bullying allegations that were previously made against her.
“Since I worked hard towards my dream, it’s true that I was honestly scared my dreams would be shattered because of my past actions. However, as each day went by, I became more scared of all the accusations made against me,” Garam said in a post made through her friend’s Instagram account, according to a translated Soompi report.
A netizen had accused the K-pop star of harassing her juniors and smoking cigarettes. She firmly refuted such claims, insisting that she was just a regular student. She also denied that she had a drinking habit and that she was forced to transfer schools.
Garam also went on to explain why she received Degree 5 Disciplinary Action from her school’s violence committee. She said that she had taken action against a classmate named Yoo Eun-seo who had been gossiping about other students and uploading explicit photos of them.
“Thinking that I was helping the victim, I confronted Yoo and while doing so, I also swore. At the time, I did not notice the difference between majority and minority so I was unable to think deeply about why confronting Yoo was a mistake,” said the former LE SSERAFIM vocalist.
“At that time, my method was incorrect and I made a lot of mistakes, but I do not want to hate my past self,” Garam continued.
She also looked back on her days with LE SSERAFIM, describing the two weeks she was able to promote with the group as an unforgettable experience.
“I am working hard to become a better person. I’m endlessly thankful to my precious fans who love and support me,” Garam said.
A day later, on Thursday, August 11, Garam’s former label HYBE issued a short response to her statement, saying that due to the termination of her contract, “further comments are inappropriate so there is nothing for us to say.”
Garam debuted with the K-pop girl group LE SSERAFIM on May 2 with the song “Fearless.” In April, Source Music shared a lengthy statement denying the bullying allegations made against Garam prior to the group’s debut. In April, she took a break. On July 20, Garam was officially dismissed from LE SSERAFIM and ended her contract with HYBE.
LE SSERAFIM now promotes as a group of five, with members Kim Chae-won, Miyawaki Sakura, Huh Yun-jin, Nakamura Kazuha, and Hong Eun-chae. – with reports from Juno Reyes/Rappler.com
Juno Reyes is a Rappler intern.