Netizens Slam HYBE, Defend LE SSERAFIM Kim Garam’s Alleged Victim

HYBE‘s response to a statement regarding an alleged bullying victim is receiving backlash from netizens. Yoo Eunseo claims that she suffered abuse at the hands of LE SSERAFIM‘s Kim Garam during their school years.

Kim Garam | HYBE

The victim (henceforth named using the pseudonym Yoo Eunseo) was a victim of school violence from Kim Garam and her friends from late April to early May 2018. She transferred to a new school one to two weeks after the incidents, unable to withstand the continuous group violence.

— Yoo Eunseo’s legal counsel

According to Yoo Eunseo’s legal counsel, Yoo Eunseo suffered “extreme anxiety” due to the abuse and its aftermath, which drove her to try to take her own life.

Yoo Eunseo, who could not endure the extreme anxiety and fear caused by the second round of attacks made on her, eventually attempted suicide. This led to her and her parents deciding for Yoo Eunseo to stop her studies and expressed their intention to have her drop out of school. Currently, she is being treated by a psychiatrist without attending school for the past seven weeks before finalizing the withdrawal process. Her mother has stopped all of her personal activities to take care of her and to prevent her from attempting to take her life again.

— Yoo Eunseo’s legal counsel

HYBE, however, claims that Daeryun law firm is skewing the truth by only telling one side of the story.

We would like to say that Daeryun compiled and published the events that occurred in 2018 in a way that makes their side look advantageous, so we will compile and share our official position shortly. Therefore, journalists should refrain from reporting on the basis of one-sided arguments.

Once again, the controversy began with the spread of false information about a member who was about to debut. Judging that this act of spreading false information was malicious, we immediately took legal action and are still proceeding with this process.

— HYBE

HYBE’s handling of the situation is now receiving backlash from netizens, many of whom are siding with Yoo Eunseo and slamming the agency for defending Kim Garam.

i really wonder what power does kim garam has that hybe lied and released a statement saying she's the victim when there had been countless allegations against her being a bully. i feel bad for her victims and her other members https://t.co/7RJrsc8bvC

— anne (@roloalbum) May 19, 2022

no company will go this hard to defend a ROOKIE now i want to know what’s that bitch parents job. anyways hybe staff who keeps defending her deserve to go to jail with garam. #garam_out https://t.co/UDQsKK33Ke

— sae | svt cb “hot” on may 27 (@cisnys) May 19, 2022

the kim garam situation is so crazy to me like how much of a menace do you have to be at 12 to get a restraining order filed against you ??? and hybe really painted her as a victim and turn on a blind eye for her wrong doings?? yall deserve to jail with her. go to fckin hell.

— , (@yjwhours_) May 19, 2022

reminder that victim was probably 12-13 at the time. kim garam drove a 13 to attempting s*icide and got an official bullying document, but hybe tried to disgustingly paint her as a victim #garam_out https://t.co/HUu9I45AGp

— thea rovz (@thearovz) May 19, 2022

garam made the victim's life a mess by bullying them to the point they tried to take their own life. and hybe threatened the victim for speaking up and painted garam, the abuser, as a victim.. this is so fucked up who are this girl's parents? why is hybe protecting a criminal?? https://t.co/rqeifb0SoD

— ada⁷ (@fixonagustd) May 19, 2022

Some netizens are accusing HYBE of not thoroughly background-checking their idols. Others claim that the agency was well aware of Kim Garam’s alleged actions prior to her debut.

there's no way hybe who earns millions of money and has lots of connection didnt get to background check their trainees' school records

— mio ✘ gone bad (@txtdazed) May 19, 2022

very crazy how a HYBE subsidiary apparently doesnt do any sort of background check bc how did all of that slip past you

— ju (@minaszns) May 19, 2022

hybe is going to hell, they truly didn't background check their idol bc everything in there must be in the shcool files but also in garam's school files too yet you still début her https://t.co/dLA0ua9LHd

— Gwen (@silklino) May 19, 2022

According to HYBE’s statement, the agency is still in the process of investigating the matter and taking legal action. Read it here:

HYBE Shares Response To Kim Garam’s Alleged Victim’s Statement