(G)I-DLE will be a five-girl group for the coming weeks as its member, Soojin, has decided to go on a hiatus while she's under investigation for a bullying incident.
Cube Entertainment released a statement confirming that Soojin will be taking a break as they continue to verify the allegations against their artist. The agency also said that they are talking to a number of students, teachers and even Soojin's former schoolmates.
However, Cube also said that they now know Soojin was involved in a heated argument with a schoolmate but they still have no evidence of bullying or physical violence. They said that while they invited the people involved for a face-to-face meeting, their requests were turned down. Cube said that their office will remain open for future meetings if those involved are now ready to talk to them.
Sources said that Soojin's bullying victim was her former schoolmate, who is also now an actress, Seo Shin Ae. The allegations surfaced more than a week ago even as the incident happened during middle school.
Unnamed sources also came out on social media to testify that bullying did take place and that someone from Cube Entertainment did approach them for a meeting. However, they declined the face-to-face because the victim didn't want to speak to the agency's lawyers but only to Soojin.
Both the (G)I-DLE and the accuser have posted their statements on social media. Soojin was firm in saying that she did not cause pain to anyone and that, as far as she can recall, she has never talked to Seo while they were in school.
Despite her statement, Peripera removed Soojin on their social media campaigns following a backlash from the fans. Soojin was supposed to be the brand's newest ambassador but the timing of her first promos came right after the bullying accusations surfaced.
A spokesperson for the South Korean beauty product said that they will be working with their image model to resolve the issues. The company took down their promos with Soojin's face within a day of its launch.
CLIO, Peripera's parent company, has also removed Soojin's promotions and could be considering legal action against the singer if the bullying accusations are proven true, according to reports. In a statement, the company said that they are concerned about Soojin's controversy and they might have miscalculated picking out their new endorser.
