Kim Garam has made her first statement since leaving LE SSERAFIM, which HYBE has shared a brief response to.
- Watch: ILLIT Covers NewJeans, TWICE, And LE SSERAFIM On "Weekly Idol"
- March Girl Group Member Brand Reputation Rankings Announced
- Watch: LE SSERAFIM Takes 8th Win And Triple Crown For “EASY” On “M Countdown”; Performances By Hwang Minhyun, Chungha, And More
On August 10, Kim Garam uploaded a statement to her friend’s Instagram account, sharing her side for the first time since leaving LE SSERAFIM. She began with an apology before sharing, “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.”
Kim Garam then firmly stated that she had never hit or inflicted violence against anyone, been forced to transfer schools, smoked cigarettes or drank alcohol, or bullied anyone. She added, “I was just a regular student.”
Regarding the specific incident that led to Kim Garam receiving Degree 5 disciplinary action from the school violence committee, she explained that in her first year of middle school, a classmate referred to as “Yoo” was gossiping and uploading photos of other students in their underwear.
Kim Garam continued, “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.”
Kim Garam shared that while she thought she was being loyal and righteous at the time, she looks back now and understands she was immature. She added, “At that time, my method was incorrect and I made a lot of mistakes, but I do not want to hate my past self.”
She reflected on her two weeks of promotions with LE SSERAFIM as a dream-like and unforgettable period before adding, “I am working hard to become a better person. I’m endlessly thankful to my precious fans who love and support me.”
In response to Kim Garam’s post, her former agency HYBE shared on August 11, “Due to the termination of Kim Garam’s contract, further comments are inappropriate so there is nothing for us to say.”
Before LE SSERAFIM’s debut in early April, Source Music released their first statement denying Kim Garam’s bullying allegations and she began her temporary hiatus in May. In July, it was officially announced that Kim Garam’s contract with HYBE was terminated and that she was leaving LE SSERAFIM.
Source: Soompi
