Speculation has been circulating about Kim Garam, former member of girl group LE SSERAFIM, making a comeback in the entertainment industry. However, MODEN BERRY KOREA has firmly denied reports of signing an exclusive contract with her.
On June 11, MODEN BERRY KOREA addressed the rumors regarding a contract with Kim Garam, telling OSEN that the reports were "completely unfounded."
Kim Garam debuted in May 2022 as a member of LE SSERAFIM under Source Music, a label under HYBE. However, from the release of her debut teaser in April 2022, allegations of school bullying surfaced against her. Her agency responded by stating the accusations were “malicious distortions edited to defame her, relating to issues during early middle school years when she was making friends.”
The agency further clarified, “Third-party testimonies confirmed that Kim Garam was actually a victim of malicious rumors and cyberbullying during middle school.” They regarded the allegations as a deliberate attempt to sabotage the artist before her debut and announced legal action against the spread of distorted or false claims.
Despite the agency’s stance, further accusations emerged, including the release of a notice from the School Violence Countermeasure Committee, escalating the controversy. The agency acknowledged that Kim Garam was confirmed as a perpetrator by the committee and received a disciplinary action (Level 5). However, they insisted that Kim Garam’s involvement was limited to accompanying friends to protest the posting of private photos by a victim, denying any collective physical violence.
The agency revealed, “Kim Garam faced severe psychological distress due to relentless rumors during her debut. After discussions, we decided to temporarily halt her activities to allow her to heal.” Following this, LE SSERAFIM continued as a five-member group, and Kim Garam officially left the team and terminated her contract in July 2022.
Recently, Kim Garam sparked renewed speculation about her return after opening a personal social media account on May 18 and posting recent photos. Reports then surfaced that she was in talks with MODEN BERRY KOREA about an exclusive contract and that negotiations were proceeding positively.
However, MODEN BERRY KOREA has now denied these reports, confirming to OSEN that although they held a meeting with Kim Garam, they ultimately decided not to proceed with a contract.
MODEN BERRY KOREA’s roster includes former DIA member Somyi, TEEN TOP’s C.A.P, UNB-BIGFLO’s Euijin, and TO1 (TOO)’s Choi Chihoon.
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