Former T-ara member Hwayoung broke her 12-year silence regarding the bullying controversy, revealing that she did indeed suffer verbal and physical abuse from the group’s members. This statement has drawn attention to the responses from the T-ara members.

On November 10, Qri posted a picture of a crescent moon on her social media without any caption, sparking a debate among fans and netizens in the comments.

Previously, on November 9, Kim Kwang Soo, the former CEO of T-ara’s agency, appeared on MBN’s 'Let's Go' and commented on the T-ara bullying rumors. He stated, “At the time, the rumors surrounding T-ara were so outrageous and infuriating that I immediately decided to make a major announcement. This is something I’m revealing for the first time on television—I told Hwayoung and Hyoyoung to bring their contracts, and then I tore them up. I told them to leave and do what they wanted. But online, it spread as if they were bullied.”

He went on, “The parents of T-ara’s members visited me and suggested we reveal everything, including the messages. But I was concerned about the lives of Ryu Hyoyoung and Ryu Hwayoung. Because I didn’t reveal it, my life was ruined,” he said, with tears welling up.

On November 10, the day after the broadcast, Hwayoung posted a lengthy statement on her social media, refuting Kim Kwang Soo's claims and asserting that she had indeed been bullied by T-ara members. She claimed, “The original T-ara members frequently subjected me to verbal abuse and physical bullying. I endured it, hoping things would improve if I worked harder.”

With Hwayoung’s claims of abuse, public attention shifted to the T-ara members. Qri posted a photo of a crescent moon on social media but has not commented further.

Meanwhile, the SNS page of member Jiyeon became chaotic with comments. Some netizens left comments such as “Did you really slap Hwayoung?” and “Live kindly,” while fans replied, “Don’t worry about today. Your fans are always here,” and “We love you, unnie.”

As the T-ara bullying controversy resurfaces, criticism toward the members is growing, and there is anticipation over whether they will break their silence to address the issue.

T-ara, which debuted in 2009, welcomed Hwayoung as a new member in 2010, but bullying rumors surfaced in 2012 due to reported conflicts. This led to Hwayoung’s departure from the team, and T-ara faced a downturn in popularity, with the “bullying” label overshadowing their prior fame. Eunjung was forced to leave her drama 'Five Fingers,' and a concert in Japan was canceled.

The controversy continued, with conflicting claims that Hwayoung was indeed bullied or that she played the victim. In 2015, Eunjung expressed frustration, saying, “We would like to reveal everything if it's true or not, but there are reasons we can’t. I decided I’d just live with people criticizing me.” However, in 2017, Hwayoung and her sister Hyoyoung mentioned the bullying incident on a variety show, shedding tears and drawing public attention again.

The T-ara bullying incident eventually faded from public interest, and T-ara recently held a fan meeting celebrating their 15th anniversary. After leaving the group, Ryu Hwayoung transitioned to acting, appearing in dramas like 'Ex-Girlfriends' Club,' 'Please Come Back, Mister,' 'Hello, My Twenties,' 'My Father is Strange,' and 'Beauty Inside.'

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