On Nov 9th, T-ARA’s past bullying controversy resurfaced due to comments made by CEO Kim Kwang-soo. On MBN’s “Let’s Go Go Season 3”, CEO Kim acknowledged past conflicts among T-ARA members, stating, “I had both Hwayoung and her twin sister Hyoyoung bring in their contracts and tore them up, telling them, ‘Leave. I’ll release you without any conditions. Go pursue your careers.’ The [remaining] T-ARA members did nothing wrong, so we pushed forward with their broadcasts.” In response, Hwayoung countered “I don’t understand why they’re making biased and distorted comments about an incident from 12 years ago“, asserting that the bullying was real and claiming she had been verbally and physically abused by T-ARA members, reigniting public interest in the truth of the controversy.
Amid this, fans have started to demand Jiyeon clarify if she indeed slapped Hwayoung. This demand surfaced due to a comment left by an individual claiming to know Hwayoung. The commenter, identified as “A”, wrote on Hwayoung’s post, “Our Hwayoung, who even got slapped by a certain member.“
The reason this comment drew attention is that it aligns with previous rumors about Jiyeon and Hwayoung’s relationship. In 2012, when the bullying allegations initially emerged, a person who identified as a backup dancer for T-ARA, “B”, claimed that Jiyeon had slapped Hwayoung, which caused controversy. T-ARA’s agency denied the rumor at the time, calling it “groundless”. However, A’s recent comment has reignited the rumor, with netizens now asking Jiyeon to address it.
Jiyeon announced on Oct 5th that she was divorcing Hwang Jae-gyun after two years of marriage. She said, “I am sorry to deliver unfortunate news. We have agreed to undergo the divorce mediation process. I ask for your understanding for not addressing the issue sooner.”
Afterward, Jiyeon announced a fresh start with a brighter expression. In her first post following the divorce, she shared her thoughts on T-ARA’s fan meeting and hinted at active future activities. However, once again, her plans have been hindered by a past incident. Attention is focused on whether Jiyeon, who is still remaining silent, will address these allegations.
Source: Daum
