Hybe responded to Kim Garam's statement about the school bullying controversy that marred her starting career as a K-pop idol. The former LE SSERAFIM member released a testimony, maintaining her innocence, through a friend on Instagram for the first time.
Kim Garam shared her side of the story in a lengthy note on Instagram. As her alleged friend claimed the rookie K-pop star didn't have a social media account, she had it her way to help her.
The individual who claimed to be the controversial star's friend posted the letter and some documents from the Autonomous Committee for Countermeasures against School Violence.
As a response, Hybe released its own statement to Xports News, via AllKpop. It said it had terminated its exclusive contract with the young artist, so it had nothing to say about her claims, adding "any additional comments would be inappropriate."
In the letter, Kim Garam admitted it was very late, but she stressed she didn't have the chance to air her side before. "Because I put much effort to achieve my dream, it is true that I was afraid that the dream that I ran toward would break to pieces because of my past actions," she added, per Soompi.
However, she admitted she was more afraid of the criticisms she received that continuously increased as time passed. The attached document that showed the Autonomous Committee for Countermeasures against School Violence also got everyone's attention.
She pointed out that she had never hit or inflicted violence against anyone. She also stressed that she was only forced to transfer schools and never smoked cigarettes, drank alcohol or bullied anyone.
Kim Garam added she was just a regular student. She then brushed on the issue of receiving Degree 5 disciplinary action from the school violence committee, explaining that a classmate named "Yoo" gossiped and uploaded photos of other students in their underwear in her first year of middle school.
She added that she just wanted to help the victim by confronting Yoo. However, she didn't realize what she did then was wrong, calling her action "immature."
Despite that, she didn't want to hate her past self. She then reflected on her two-week promotion as a LE SSERAFIM member, calling it dream-like and unforgettable. That said, Kim Garam promised to work hard to become a better person and thanked her fans for their continuous love and support.
