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Tamar Herman

New K-pop girl group Le Sserafim is set to move forward as a five-member group after it was announced a sixth member, Kim Garam, is leaving the act.
On July 20 Source Music, the label behind Le Sserafim, released a statement announcing it had terminated its contract with 16-year-old Kim, and that Le Sserafim will permanently become a five-member team.
Kim had been placed on hiatus from the group in mid-May, following weeks of controversy in which she was accused of bullying and bad behaviour at school.
Le Sserafim released their first album, Fearless, on May 2.

[공지] 르세라핌 향후 활동 계획 안내 pic.twitter.com/OUZBSFgjeb
— SOURCEMUSIC (@SOURCEMUSIC) July 20, 2022

Last month, Source – a subsidiary of Hybe, the company behind BTS – repeatedly stated that Kim was not an abuser, but rather the victim of bullying.
The announcement of Kim’s initial hiatus followed reports on May 19 that a former classmate had brought a lawsuit against the performer.
Ever since Kim was unveiled as a member, Le Sserafim had been dogged by rumours that the teen has a history of school violence that had resulted in disciplinary action.
Before Kim’s hiatus was announced, Source Music had denied most of the claims and rumours.

The lawsuit, filed by one of Kim’s former middle school classmates, demands that Kim acknowledge her actions – the details of which are unclear, but which allegedly caused the student to attempt suicide – and issue an apology.
The student also requested that Hybe issue a statement about its position on school bullying.
In Source’s May statement, the company alleged that Kim’s side of the story was more complicated and that she was acting aggressively in defence of a classmate.

According to Kim, the classmate who filed the lawsuit had allegedly taken photos of a friend changing clothes at school and posted them on social media.
Kim’s verbal abuse and threats, which resulted in her appearing before a school violence committee, were because she wanted to defend her friend, she said.
The company also denied other rumours, such as her taking part in underage smoking and drinking, being involved in gang fights, attacking classmates with bricks, being brought to school via police car, and being cut from another girl group due to her actions.

School bullying has become a hot topic in South Korea, with many celebrities and athletes’ careers haivng stalled after allegations and accusations were made of their past behaviour towards classmates.
Last year, Soojin left girl group (G)I-dle amid rumours of bullying at school, while several other K-pop stars, such as Stray Kids’ Hyunjin, have had to address allegations, apologise and take breaks from their careers.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, or you know someone who is, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on +1 800 273 8255. For a list of other nations’ helplines, see this page.


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K-pop idols

Le Sserafim’s Kim Garam leaves  K-pop girl group following school bullying scandal

Kim Garam is stepping back from Le Sserafim after a lawsuit was brought against her for school bullying. Photo: Instagram/@le_sserafim

Kim has been accused of bullying and bad behaviour at school. Photo: Instagram/@le_sserafim

Le Sserafim released their first album Fearless on May 2.

Le Sserafim will begin promoting as a five-member group. Photo: Instagram/@le_sserafim

BTS company Hybe ready for a big May with debut album from girl group Le Sserafim and releases from Seventeen, Enhypen and TXT

BTS label Hybe has a slew of new releases in May 2022, from acts including Seventeen, Le Sserafim (above), TXT and Enhypen. Photo: Hybe

K-pop group Tomorrow X Together (TXT). Photo: Hybe

Seventeen will release their fourth album Face the Sun this month. Photo: Hybe

New BTS album release date confirmed by group’s label Big Hit Music – more details to come, it promises on Weverse

BTS during the 64th Annual Grammy Awards show. The K-pop group’s record label, Big Hit Music, took to Weverse to confirm their upcoming album later this year. Photo: Reuters

BTS at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Reuters

A cardboard cut-out of BTS band member Jin seen in Las Vegas on April 7. Photo: Getty Images/TNS

A billboard featuring a BTS message in Las Vegas. Photo: AP

The female BTS? Meet Hybe’s first K-pop girl band, Lesserafim: the music giant unveiled six members from Kim Chae-won to Miyawaki, but is Kim Garam really involved in a scandal already?

Meet Hybe’s first girl group, Lesserafim. Photo: Source Music

Hybe’s Lesserafim will debut in May. Photo: Source Music

The name Lesserafim is an anagram of “I’m Fearless”. Photo: Source Music

From left to right we have Lesserafim’s Miyawaki Sakura, Kim Chae-won and Huh Yun-jin. (left to right) Photos: @39saku_chan, @_chaechae_1, @huhneyunjin/Instagram

Girl band Lesserafim has six members. Photo: Source Music

Kim Garam, 16, and Hong Eun-chae, 15, posing in short skirts sparked controversy. Photos: @le_sserafim/Instagram, Source Music

Kim Chae-won with successful producer Bang Si-hyuk and Miyawaki Sakura. Photo: @hitmanb72/Instagram

Hybe’s sub-label Ador will also debut another girl group in 2022. Photo: @alldoorsoneroom/Twitter

Boy band Enhypen was born from the show I-Land in 2020. Photo: Getty

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Le Sserafim’s Kim Garam initially took a step back from K-pop group amid bullying rumours in May
The 16-year-old faces a lawsuit in which she is accused of bullying a fellow student while at school, which the band’s label has repeatedly refuted



Kim Garam, a 16-year-old member of new girl group Le Sserafim, had had her career terminated after a lawsuit was brought against her for school bullying.
