Korean Public Switches Sides, Showing Support For Hwayoung In T-ARA Debacle

The public stands with Hwayoung again.

In a twist of events, the public has shifted sides after a shocking exposé by trainers that worked with T-ARA between 2010 to 2013. Two trainers spoke up about the bullying that Hwayoung had experienced in the group. They blamed the company for failing to mediate and claimed that the members had not been happy that she joined the group.

I have seen the contents of T-ARA’s group chat before. Right before their Japan concert, Hwayoung hurt her leg and she could not walk properly. It was totally swollen. Because of that, Hwayoung apologized in the group chat for being unable to perform with everyone. Normally, people would respond with “get well soon,” “don’t worry about it,” things like that. But all the members sent “LOL.” That was really shocking for me. Just as many would already know, the members all posted things like “difference in willpower,” “applauding a genius,” stuff like that on Twitter, attacking Hwayoung. Bullying doesn’t need to be physical, right… Because no one wanted to share a room with Hwayoung, she lived out of the living room. The company knew about this too. They should’ve mediated.

— Lee Joo Hyo

A trainer also spoke up about how Hwayoung had been slapped by another member.

One day, Hwayoung came in with her cheek red. I asked what happened, and she just froze up. It was definitely done by a slap on the cheek. I guessed that she was hit, and only then she confessed that she had been hit by [redacted.] This was one of the matters that revealed to me that she was being bullied by the others.

— Ta Rae

In response to the new information on the bullying controversy, the public has turned their support towards Hwayoung. Many reiterated that they had believed her back then. Given that some members of T-ARA had been known as iljins in their school days, the public was more inclined to believe that they continued their actions even after debuting.

| theqoo

• Crazy… They truly played at being bullies even after becoming female idols. Because that’s how they had previously lived.
• So it’s true that she was bullied…
• She kept being criticized after T-ARA’s matter. I wonder how she held it in, she must’ve felt so wronged.
• Gasp.
• I thought that I was living in a parallel world because everyone was supporting T-ARA…
• If they used their real names for the interview, then they probably truly knew what was going on back then. I’m reconfirming just how spiteful and evil the members were.
• Did they really think people took Hwayoung’s side back then because they were stupid? You can totally get a grip on the situation just by looking at it. As time went by, they all grouped up and acted like they were the victims. Isn’t that hilarious? This is just like APRIL and their cultish fans.
• Aigoo…
• Kwang Soo really did something here. He totally made T-ARA eat it while they were buzzing about a reunion.

You can read the full interview with the trainers below.

T-ARA’s Former Trainers Speak Up About The Truth Behind Bullying Scandal