AOA's Jimin is leaving AOA and the entertainment industry following bullying allegations from her former member Mina.
According to a report by Soompi, FNC Entertainment confirmed the news that AOA's leader will no longer be part of the group after a scandal broke out over her bullying of Mina which led her to attempt suicide.In their announcement, FNC Entertainment apologized for the controversy that came out of the bullying scandal and vowed to manage their artists better in the future.They also apologized to the fans for causing concern.
It can be recalled that Mina, who left AOA in 2019, recently opened up about the poor treatment she received from Jimin during her 10 years as a member of AOA. She said that Jimin's harsh words and ill-treatment was the crux of her decision to leave the group.
She also revealed several incidents wherein she attempted to commit suicide because of Jimin's bullying. She said that she even underwent 3-4 rounds of scar treatment because of this. She said that she continues to live her life in misery because of the memory.
She also backed up her claims with screenshots of Jimin's text messages showing her dismissive and harsh behavior towards her member.
Jimin posted her apology to Mina following the controversy. In her message, she acknowledged her faults as a leader and said she felt regret about the way she made Mina feel during their time together. She said that she also apologized to Mina but she understood that the feelings Mina built over the years won't easily be resolved with just a few words. She also apologized to fans for her shortcomings.
After her apology, Jimin continued to receive negative criticism for her bullying as fans dismissed her post as an attempt to save face. They were even more inflamed when they learned what transpired during Jimin's personal attempt to apologize.
Meanwhile, Mina's agency Woori Actors also posted a statement to update fans on the condition of their artist.
The label recently shared that Mina is resting and finding stability. They said that Mina is trying to overcome the challenges with the help and support of people who love her.
They further said that the label will be working towards ensuring the mental health of their artist so that she returns in a healthy state.As for now, they said that they were unsure how this issue would impact Mina's journey as an actor, but they were optimistic that she would recover and excel in the field of acting once she is well again.
