Claims have surfaced that Cocoro, who previously promoted in South Korea as a member of the girl group Cherry Bullet, has also been forced out of the Japanese girl group ME:I.

ME:I, formed through Produce 101 Japan The Girls, recently announced the departures of four members Cocoro, Ran, Shizuku, and Kokona along with the termination of their exclusive contracts with agency Lapone Girls. However, on December 25, Japanese magazine Josei Jishin reported that while the other three members chose to leave voluntarily, Cocoro alone was allegedly dismissed by the agency.

Lapone Girls officially confirmed on December 22 that all four members had left the group and ended their contracts. According to Josei Jishin, the agency reportedly tried hard to persuade Ran, Shizuku, and Kokona to stay. The three repeatedly discussed contract renewals ahead of the year-end deadline but ultimately decided to leave, a decision the company respected. In contrast, the outlet claimed that Cocoro was notified of contract termination by the agency and has yet to fully accept the decision.

Following the announcement, Ran and Kokona shared statements saying they had reached their decisions after deep self-reflection. Shizuku, who had previously been caught up in dating rumors with JO1 member Ohira Shosei, publicly apologized, admitting that her careless behavior as an idol had hurt many people.

Cocoro, however, did not release any personal statement regarding the contract termination. Josei Jishin interpreted her silence as further evidence that she was dismissed rather than leaving by choice.

The report alleged that Cocoro had already drawn criticism during Produce 101 Japan The Girls for acting independently without coordination, as well as for remarks and behavior that disrupted filming, which reportedly resulted in penalties at the time. Despite this, the agency was said to have hoped she would mature after debut and take on a leadership role as the oldest member of the group.

Instead, the magazine claimed that problematic behavior continued after ME:I’s debut. Cocoro was allegedly late to schedules on multiple occasions and showed a lack of professional awareness. Even on the group’s official YouTube content, she was reportedly voted unanimously by the members as the person most likely to be late.

The outlet further cited an unnamed insider, claiming that Cocoro had taken a hiatus starting in March this year due to health issues, focusing on treatment and rest. During this period, however, she was allegedly seen frequently drinking late into the night without attempting to conceal her identity, sometimes returning home in the early morning. There were also reports of her being spotted out socializing with flashy blonde hair despite being on medical leave. The agency reportedly warned her several times, expressing concern that her behavior could negatively influence other members, before ultimately deciding to terminate her contract.

Cocoro debuted in 2019 as a member of Cherry Bullet but left the group in December of the same year. After placing 11th on Produce 101 Japan The Girls, she re-debuted with ME:I and had been actively promoting in Japan prior to the recent controversy.

Sources: Daum