Is HYBE trying to hold onto Kim Ga-ram, who is in the center of controversies, and just throw away LE SSERAFIM’s image?
HYBE’s girl group LE SSERAFIM, which got involved in several controversies before their debut, has finally been unveiled.
LE SSERAFIM (Sakura, Kim Chae-won, Huh Yun-jin, Kazuha, Kim Ga-ram, and Hong Eun-chae) made a splendid debut after holding the showcase to celebrate the release of their debut album “FEARLESS” on May 2nd.
It was such an exciting and happy day for members except for Kim Ga-ram. It is because questions related to Kim Ga-ram’s “school bullying” scandal were inevitably raised at the debut showcase. However, Kim Ga-ram and the members faced the issue with a calm and relaxed expression.
Leader Kim Chae-won answered first, saying, “The company is dealing with this matter by following the procedures”. Kim Ga-ram also said, “Please understand that it is hard to say anything about the issue at this point”, adding, “I will show you a more hard-working appearance as a member of LE SSERAFIM”.
Regardless of whether the scandal is true or not, they seem to be unaware of the fact that they are causing a great stir. Despite the unchanging reality that the school bullying suspicions might be true, they decided to stay confident. Therefore, this has damaged the group’s image.
Many stars who had previously denied the allegations of school bullying had to spend a certain period of time self-reflecting while examining public opinion. In fact, many cases of school bullying turned out to be true after complaints and allegations were even said to be groundless.
(G)I-DLE Soo-jin left the group, while Stray Kids’s Hyun-jin posted an apology and had a hiatus for self-reflection. After getting involved in similar controversies, actors Jo Byung-gyu, Park Hye-soo, and Lee Na-eun dropped out of their projects or made their works be postponed. Actor Ji-soo, whose issue was a huge scandal, decided to retire from the entertainment industry. Kim Dong-hee, who sued the whistleblower and denied the suspicions, was eventually found to have committed school bullying through the police investigation, making his appearance become more ridiculous.
Claiming rumors as “groundless” is no longer a good way to deal with scandal every time controversy over school bullying arises. Most of them recently returned to activities and decided to take moves shamelessly.
Those cases are quite similar to Kim Ga-ram’s. They are all engaged in legal battles. However, the difference is that those mentioned celebrities at least showed a movement of self-awareness, whether it was voluntary or unintentional.
Instead of burying her in the group, Kim Ga-ram took the stage in the center position. During the interview, she also stood in the center of the group’s formation together with Miyawaki Sakura, a former member of IZ*ONE.
In other words, by not only holding onto Kim Ga-ram but also putting her in the spotlight, the company seems to have abandoned the group’s image. Therefore, many non-fans believe that it has become harder for LE SSERAFIM to erase the “school bullying” issue.
Some people still expect the situation to face a turnaround as a result of the legal battle. However, it is true that numerous past photos of Kim Ga-ram, which have been released so far, will continue to affect the image of the group.
