&TEAM's Harua has posted an apology for his remarks from a recent interview.
In an interview released in the March issue of the Japanese magazine 'Nikkei Entertainment', the members of &TEAM discussed their thoughts and reactions to their Korean debut last year with the release of their 1st mini album, 'Back to Life'.
Harua said, "It was right around the time when we were beginning to see good results in Japan, and so I felt like I wanted to continue to work hard and aim higher. So suddenly, when we were told that our next stage would be Korea, there were some aspects I didn't understand."
He then added on, "When our debut in Korea was decided, many of our fans gladly cheered us on and sent us off, telling us to take care of ourselves. Thanks to the fact that they were waiting for us and wishing us success in Korea, it felt like we were embarking on a new endeavor while tucking away our experiences until now and our activities in Japan in a deep place in our hearts. Because of the fans' cheers, we were able to take on the challenge."
In response to Harua's words, many Korean fans expressed disappointment, claiming that the idol was "drawing a distinct line between Japanese fans and Korean fans" and "showing clear favoritism toward Japanese fans".
When the issue escalated across various social media platforms, Harua posted a lengthy apology via Weverse. He said,
"I've decided to leave a post, as my heart is heavy knowing that some LUNÉ (&TEAM's official fan club) were hurt by my words in a recent interview. First and foremost, I want to apologize for disappointing LUNÉ, our fans who always trust and support me, with my choice of words.
It has always been my dream since my trainee days to become a singer loved by many fans. Because of that, when I heard that we would be debuting in Korea, instead of feeling happy, I think I was more concerned by the weight and pressure of it all, whether I was ready to stand on a new and unfamiliar stage, whether I could show fans that I'd grown in the last 3 years. I wasn't able to organize my haphazard thoughts well in my interview response, and as a result, I made some LUNÉ feel like I did not take our Korean debut seriously, or I thought of it as only a step in our success in Japan. I'm sorry about that.
Those moments when I was able to meet LUNÉ were the happiest, most precious moments of my life, moments I would not exchange for the world. Through this incident, I've come to realize just how much my words carry weight. From now on, I will become Harua who expresses myself more thoughtfully.
I love you so much, LUNÉ."
Meanwhile, &TEAM is a global boy group made up of members K, Fuma, Nicholas, EJ, Yuma, Jo, Harua, Taki, and Maki. Leader EJ's nationality is Korean, while Nicholas's nationality is Taiwanese and the rest of the members are Japanese.
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