Hyunjoo, a former member of APRIL, is said to have received bullying from fellow APRIL members for years. This case came to light from an individual claiming to be Hyunjoo's younger brother. This Hyunjoo sister uploaded a post about bullying on February 28, 2021.
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| Hyunjoo April. instagram / hyun.joo_lee Verified • |
Then on March 1, someone shared a post on an online forum claiming that they were bullied by APRIL's Naeun during elementary school.
APRIL's agency DSP Media denied the allegations and said they would take strong legal action against all posts containing malicious slander and false information.
Quoted from Soompi, the contents of the statement from Hyunjoo's younger brother were as follows:
"Hello, I am the younger brother of former APRIL member Hyunjoo.
I wanted to reveal the truth for years, but I held back for my sister's future.
But now I think I have to be brave and speak up, which is why I'm writing this.
It's said that Hyunjoo left the group because she wanted to act, but that's not true.
She was bullied and ostracized in the group, and because of this, she suffered from many things such as panic disorder and difficulty breathing.
He even attempted suicide.
When my parents and I think about that past, we still feel like our hearts are torn apart.
Hyunjoo left the team, so the agency sent a letter about how he left because he wanted to focus on acting and told him to write it in his own handwriting.
So he wrote the letter without us knowing it.
Everyone thought it was the best for him.
However, after writing the letter, Hyunjoo became the one who betrayed the team for his own benefit and received malicious comments that were hard to hear.
After that, there were no apologies from the other members, and even when they saw my mother coming to the agency, they just laughed it off.
My sister is still working hard in her career.
So I've held back just in case it spoils her image, but I can't stand looking at the members living well as if they haven't done anything wrong.
Even though I'm going through hard times, I am very upset and angry when I think about how my sister feels.
I don't want to see active members anymore.
I hope they stop appearing on TV and remind my family about that time, and I don't want to see Hyunjoo having a hard time again. "
Another person claiming to be Hyunjoo's high school classmate (with the initials "A") made similar accusations. On March 1st, "A" made a post titled "All APRIL members are perpetrators."
In the post, “A” stated, “I want to clarify the misconception that only some APRIL members bully Hyunjoo. At that time, all the members, except Chaekyung and Rachel (who joined after Hyunjoo's departure), bullied him. "
“A” continued, “Somin, former member of April, was the first to hate Hyunjoo. Chaewon wanted to be closer to Somin, so he put some distance between Hyunjoo and him. Naeun stole Hyunjoo's sneakers and insisted that he bought them. "
"A" also said, this case has been going on for a long time, but the wound may not heal. "We are waiting for the perpetrators to reflect on and make a sincere apology, and I hope that Hyunjoo can overcome the trauma and continue to be actively involved in various activities."
APRIL Agency DSP Media Response
In response to these allegations, DSP Media released an official statement which reads as follows:
Hello, this is DSP Media.
This is our question regarding the recent controversy regarding Hyunjoo and the APRIL members.
We would like to provide you with a detailed description of how he was selected to be in APRIL and to leave the group. Hyunjoo joined our company as an actress and trainee. However, at the time of APRIL's formation, Hyunjoo wanted to become an actress, but after we persuaded her, she and her family agreed she would be part of the group.
Since her debut was confirmed, Hyunjoo has been unable to participate in team activities because she has been struggling with physical and mental problems. At that time, not only Hyunjoo but also the other members experienced physical and mental problems. Everyone goes through difficult times, and given the circumstances, it's clear that no one can be considered a perpetrator or a victim.
Hyunjoo finally stated that he wanted to leave the group during "Tinkerbell" promotions. We tried to prevent it, but he insisted. We feel responsible for the hardships that Hyunjoo and the other members suffered during this period.
Since then, we have fully supported the acting activities that Hyunjoo wanted. We also support his desire to become an idol after that. It is true that we provide all possible support for his activities in the field he wants after he leaves the group.
Unconfirmed facts and speculations could cause even more damage to Hyunjoo and APRIL. We sincerely ask you to refrain from spreading rumors.
We apologize for the pending official statement. Thank you."
Hyunjoo left APRIL in October 2016 and was promoted as a member of the girl group Uni.T through the survival show "The Unit." Uni.T disbanded in October 2018.
Until now, the agency still denies the bullying case committed by APRIL members to Hyunjoo. /tirto.id