T♔ARA, a South Korean girl group who debuted in July 2009 is facing one of their their biggest controversies till now. Their group's name is inspired from the word 'tiara' with hopes that this girls will become the "crowned queens of the music industry". Well, currently at the moment they seem to be crowned for being the conroversies queens. During their pre-debut days they were named Super Rookies having trained for 3 years as a group already. However at the time of their debut two of the members left the group due to music differences, with 3 new additional members finally forming the official group with members - Jiyeon, Hyomin, Eunjung, Qri, Soyeon and Boram. However their group had a new member addition in 2010 during the release of YaYaYa. Their group underwent 2 new member addition again in 2012 making it a 9 member group.
However as of 30th July 2012, the CEO of Core Contents Media, Kim Kwang Soo announced that he has terminated Hwayoung's contract with the company making her a freelance artist hoping that she'll have a successful future. With her departure from the group and controversies including her bullying scandal, T-ARA has lost more than 6,000 of their official fans and as of now all hell has broke loose.
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Now that we're done with the introductions and over with the insight, let's cut the crap and get on with the show. I've been a QUEEN's for as long as I can remember. The moment I saw Jiyeon in 'God of Study', I knew I was done for. That girl had me bewitched and that's how I got to know T-ARA. And I swear each and everyone of their concept till now has been refreshing, always breaking away from the stereotypical music the K-Pop industry has to offer and I love them for that.
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When I loved T-ARA they were a 6 member group and I wasn't exactly happy when I found out that they would have a new member, Hwayoung. Kim Kwang Soo stated that she would be an assest to the group and gave her the postion main rapper while Hyomin still had that position. This only threw more chaos into the mix. During her debut, I found nothing special in her no matter how much other QUEEN's tried to like her, praising her talents while truth is many QUEEN's had a hard time accepting her. Let's be true, no one even noticed her until she cut her hair short for 'Cry Cry'. Even I only started accepting her as a member of T-ARA from her rap in 'We were in Love'. Finally I was starting to accept her, then KKS just had to cut her short.
It all started from T-ARA Budokan Concert in Japan where Hwayoung could not perform on-stage in all the performances and other members started tweeting about 'determinations'. The tweet was not exactly directed at anyone but netizens started speculating that that diss was made at member Hwayoung who could not perform with enough determination. Hwayoung tweeted back in reply saying she tried her best asking for help from God saying you're out there watching me right. It was then netizens went wild and started going through T-ARA's past videos and making screenshots of videos where it looked like member Hwayoung was being bullied.
In one particular video shot in Japan, Eunjung was forcing Hwayoung to eat rice cakes. While the other members were smiling and laughing, Hwayoung looked like she was about to cry. Another photo surfaced showing Boram damaging her umbrella. Natte Pann(I think the name was something like that) an online forum where people can just basically post anything recently had a post where that person was stating how she was a loner in the group refusing to reveal the group's name since she was sure people would find out right by their group name's initial. She told about how she was always an outcast and being timid and shy did not help her in approaching them at all. She also went on stating that when they're on the camera, everyone had their arms around her acting all-friendly but the moment they're away from it, they are back to being their cold-self. Neverthless to say it all makes perfect sense as to who the person is and to whom this complaint is for.
Kim Kwang Soo only states that Hwayoung's termination of contract was the sole decision of him and 19 of his staff members and they were awake the whole morning till 7 trying to make T-ARA realize that Hwayoung was no longer a part of them. He again states that whether the bullying is true or not doesn't matter, it's teamwork that should be put first. For these members who've practiced day and night, it's unfair that one member's selfish action can ruin the whole group's name. Also he's stated that if a member is in the group just for the fame of T-ARA and is not working hard for it, he'll remove her from the group. Talk about irony! Then what is Areum and Dani doing in a group who already has 3 years of experience under their belt in the music industry?Also I'm not exactly satisfied with how he leaves the bullying matter unanswered telling that it's not important but teamwork is.
I agree teamwork is important for a group's rise to fame but isn't bullying just as harmful. When a member of the team is being bullied, doesn't it undermine her potential to give her whole as a member of that group? However our dear CEO still believes that leaving things poorly unanswered is the best solution to one's controversy. This has led to a group 'T-Jinpyo' being formed which means that they demand the truth from T-ARA with over 34,000 members joining as of till now. I'll say Hwayoung has a lot of people on her side.
But then KKS striked back by revealing her dark side stating that after their concert in Japan, they came back to perform in one of the music shows where Hwayoung was to rap sitting in her chair due to her leg injury. But right when they were to perform after 2 groups before them she refused to rap putting immense pressure on Eunjung and Hyomin who had little time to memorize their raps and as a result Hyomin ended up making a mistake during her rap segment. Also after the show ended and they were outside in front of numerous fans and reporters she threw her crutches on the floor and threatened to yell at her managers stating that she'll scream saying she wanted to go home. Bratty much? Many fans and managers have stated that they have not been strange to this behaviour of hers. Many staffs have cried stating their frustruations and saying they want to quit.
Kim Kwang Soo stated that fame for girl groups were important and these staffs who worked hard 24/7 driving car though being sleep-deprived, checking their make-up before every performance were more important since it was due to their hard work too that T-ARA are where they are at the moment. And these 19 staffs agreed that it was best that Hwayoung leave the group as her actions are hindering the group.
Some fans have even argued that Eunjung who's currently a permanent member in 'We Got Married' and is starring in 'Five Fingers' should be removed or else they won't watch the program. Comments like 'If she's so cold in real life then what's the good with acting?" and terms like two-faced have surfaced online. Honestly, isn't it a bit too much? Not beacause I'm a QUEEN's but do you guys even know the whole truth? Are you ready to judge a person you've known and supported for 3 whole years just upon some statements fed to you? How more immature can you be? At least wait until it's official. If she really is a mean two-faced bitch, then start your complaints!!!
Personally, I don't know what's going on behind the scenes and I can't say much but I feel like I'm being tied to a heavy stone and thrown in a lake. I'm desperately trying to clutch to life but these restrictions are binding me like crazy. I don't know whom to believe. If Hwayoung is really at fault then I think it's best that she leave T-ARA cause as a QUEEN's I won't stand back and watch as she hinders T-ARA and my JIYEON. But if it's really true, if the bullying and dislike for her is true, I don't know what will happen to me.
I'll just wait and let things fall into it's place. And I wish other people would do the same too rather than turning into an angry mob. But I still think no matter what the results turn out to be I'll still be a Queen's just the same. Wish them to overcome this obstacle as quick as possible and emerge with bonds even stronger than before.
Long live T-ARA!
