Article: Kim Kwang Soo tells all about the truth of T-ara’s bullying scandal, “I ripped up Hwayoung’s contract, the members are the victims”

Source: Sports Chosun via Nate

“At the time, I found it so ridiculous and angering that I made a decision. This is something I’m saying on TV for the first time, but I told Hwayoung and Hyoyoung to come bring me their contracts and ripped it up. I told them to leave, that I’d let them go without any penalties. Then the internet started running with bullying rumors.

T-ara’s parents came to me and said that we must hold press conferences and reveal all the Katalks and everything that transpired, but then I thought about what would happen to the life of those two so I chose to take it upon myself in the end, let myself die. Even if they did something wrong, I was worried about Hwayoung’s future because she was still so young. 

From my view, T-ara had done nothing wrong so I had them continue promoting, but the public took it the wrong way, alleging that I was abusing my power in the industry to keep T-ara relevant. But again, I was of the opinion that we had done nothing wrong. I told the group that I will take all the hate, but I need you guys to keep going, because if you stop here, that’s it for your careers. It felt like such a huge risk back then, and perhaps that risk is still ongoing today.

The T-ara members come visit me on my birthday often and I cry to them because I feel so sorry. I wonder if maybe I should’ve waited. I always tell them I’m sorry, that I should’ve held back.”

[+102, -8] Kim Kwang Soo’s the worst in all of this. I remember a long time ago when T-ara first advanced into Japan, he was walking around holding hands with the T-ara members over there on the streets.

[+91, -2] Wow, so while T-ara was getting all that hate under all that scandal back then, he chose to hide that entire time, and only now come out with the truth 10 years later????

[+52, -1] “While wondering what was going to happen to the members’ lives, a part of me died” You didn’t die… you killed the group and the members’ lives were changed forever.

[+45, -7] So basically T-ara wasn’t even at fault but took the fall for everything… Why not come forward with the truth back then instead of waiting so long now?

[+11, -1] He talks as if he’s been bearing the burden this whole time ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ when he’s the one who did not give a single explanation or opened a single press conference during the scandal, kept forcing the members to promote while taking all that hate

[+7, -0] I think all of you are forgetting that T-ara tried to clarify and explain and even put out a documentary style show trying to explain that there was no bullying going on, but everyone was like, oh, they’re lying, they were bullying, and just got more hate for it. T-ara did all they could.

[+6, -0] Ajusshi, you didn’t only wrong T-ara… you need to be begging for forgiveness to Seeya too

[+5, -0] Well, it’s too late now

[+3, -0] So you decided to kill off six in order to save one? How does that make sense? Ham Eunjung was on the rise to stardom with her acting but was completely exiled after that.. same for the other members… Kim Kwang Soo ended all their careers with his decision.

[+3, -0] Of all the many scandals under this man’s name, T-ara is only the tip of the iceberg

[+2, -1] T-ara had to waste the peak of their careers, five years of it, on getting hated… it makes no sense that they had to sacrifice their careers for the future of one bully