After reports of Gyuri being excluded from KARA's contract terminations against DSP Media were made, fans began wondering why until she revealed in an interview that she had no knowledge of the terminations.� Rumors of her being an 'outcast' from the group immediately began circulating after her statement. Netizens brought up a segment from an Mnet program that once stated, "A female five member group, 'E', has bad relationships with one another. The remaining four members shun the leader."� Using the segment as evidence, netizens speculated Gyuri to be the outcast leader. One long-time associate of KARA spoke with Newsen regarding the matter and stated, "That is an absolutely absurd speculation that does not even deserve a response.� Park Gyuri received absolute trust and faith from her team dongsengs, and the fact that she's even rumored to be an outcast is absurd." He continued, "When KARA was going through a hard time, Gyuri�stabilized�the group and consoled the members.� She's a thoughtful child that takes care of her members well, to the point where the members used to call her 'mom.'� Just thinking of Gyuri being a part of such a rumor is so comedic." Not only Gyuri, but Eunjung was once swept up in a similar rumor due to the sudden leader switch in T-ara from Eunjung to Boram, along with the addition of a seventh member. In an interview with Newsen, Eunjung and Jiyeon commented, "We seriously don't think there can be a group as close as we are.� Whenever there are rumors about discord or outcasting, we just laugh it off amongst ourselves." Eunjung continued, "We heard that we're the first idol group to change a leader without switching out members.� None of us thought much of our leader change, and did it out of an effort to improve ourselves by using each others' talents. Unlike what others think, it's not an exchange of rights or influence.� Some day, even maknae Jiyeon can become a leader."

The outcast rumor regarding Eunjung resurfaced with recent developments on KARA's controversy, leading Eunjung to write on her Twitter on January 22nd, "Outcast... what is that? Why won't it stop? Hm." One industry representative commented, "The group's leader receives the most attention, which frequently gets them swept up into outcast rumors.� Celebrities can get hurt just as easily as anyone else, so we really need to eradicate such speculations." Source: Newsen, Star News via Nate