HYBE has officially announced the termination of Kim Garam's contract, resulting in her departure from LE SSERAFIM. So, what will happen to the all-girl group?
HYBE released an official statement about its decision to terminate Kim Garam's contract. It also revealed LE SSERAFIM's future activities without its controversial member.
In the statement, the company revealed, via Koreaboo, that it had decided to terminate its exclusive contract with the rookie idol. It then apologized to its fans and everyone who had shown love and support to the group for causing concern over the said member's controversy.
It then said LE SSERAFIM would continue their activities as usual as a five-member group. It also promised to exert its best efforts to support the girls to further grow as artists through their music and performance.
For context, Kim Garam had been involved in a huge school bullying controversy after her alleged victim made the claims before the group officially debuted. HYBE had denied the accusations time and over again, but the accuser was persistent.
HYBE and Source Music then decided to let its young talent go on a hiatus indefinitely but insisted they wouldn't kick her from the group. But today, Kim Garam is no longer a member of LE SSERAFIM.
Meanwhile, the now-five-member group has been showing great success since debuting in May. In fact, Forbes claimed they could take the "2022 global rookie crown" with the high ranking of their hit album and single "Fearless."
Their EP has sold over 412,000 copies worldwide and ranked high on the album charts in South Korea and Japan. Their debut single has also proven to be high-ranking on Korean charts, becoming a mainstay hit, sitting at No. 12 on the Goan single charts after two months of release.
It also ranked No. 12 on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart and No. 75 on the Billboard Global 200 singles chart. By the looks of it, LE SSERAFIM has already built a solid fan base.
Three of its members, Kim Chaewon, Sakura and Huh Yunjin, are already known in the industry. Chaewon and Sakura were former members of the temporary girl group IZ*ONE.
Yunjin also competed in the singing competition "Produce 48," which created IZ*ONE. Sadly, the start of the group was marred by controversy after Kim Garam's bullying allegations emerged.
The news caught the attention of both the local and international media, resulting in negative news following LE SSERAFIM. But just like the name of their debut album and single, the girls have proven themselves "fearless."
