Kim Garam Maintains Her Innocence In New Statement

Kim Garam made her debut along with LE SSERAFIM in May 2022. She was soon accused of school violence and bullying in what was to become a huge saga. Due to the overwhelming amount of allegations made against Kim Garam, she was put on hiatus until the allegations were checked. While her former agency HYBE had continuously denied the accusations, more and more accusations poured out from her ex-schoolmates. Ultimately, Kim Garam was taken out of the group.

As LE SSERAFIM continued to promote as a 5-member group, Kim Garam returned to a shroud of secrecy. Finally, on August 10, 2022, Kim Garam released her own statement regarding the accusations.

Firstly, to review the case, it started when multiple past photos of Kim Garam as a student were leaked. Some of the photos did not paint Kim Garam in a positive light. One, in particular, was of her posing in front of a board of obscenities.

Allegations that she had been a delinquent flew. Kim Garam was accused of outcasting anyone she didn’t like, as well as bragging about her bullying power. A former classmate of Kim Garam, called Yoo Eun Seo (pen name), then stepped up to specifically accuse Kim Garam of school violence against her. She had claimed that a school violence committee had been opened against Kim Garam due to the matter. As a result, Kim Garam was given a 5th category ruling. The ruling was a particularly severe one, with the public recognizing the 5th category as one given to those who have used physical violence on someone. Thus, the public turned against Kim Garam even further.

In Garam’s new statement, she denies having used violence on anyone ever, as well as other accusations. She claims to have never bullied or outcast anyone.

Hello. This is Kim Garam.

Firstly, I would like to apologize. Although it’s very late, I had no chance to give a statement all this while. It’s true that I was afraid that the dream that I had been working hard for and running towards all this while, would shatter, due to my past actions. But as days passed, I was even more afraid of all the criticisms targeted at me. And if you would so give me a chance, I definitely want to tell my side of the story honestly.

1. I have never hit anyone or used violence on anyone, not even once.

2. I have never been forced to transfer.

3. I have never smoked nor consumed alcohol.

4. I have never outcasted or bullied anyone.

5. I was just a regular student.

About the school violence committee matter, around March to May, when I was in my first year of middle school, it happened after Yoo Eun Seo had talked about my friends behind their backs and uploaded a photo that had another friend captured in it, only dressed in her underwear.

I had confronted Yoo Eun Seo as I wanted to help my friend and I ended up cursing at her in the process. Back then, as I had not been able to recognize the difference between the majority and minority, I did not think of my actions as wrong back then when I was confronting Yoo Eun Seo.

I had thought that helping my friend was being loyal, and I had simply felt that my actions were chivalrous, so I was unable to recognize the seriousness of the matter. Now, looking back, I had been rather immature.

Back then, my friendships were the most important to me and I was at the age where I enjoyed the time spent with them the most. My methods then were wrong and although I made some mistakes and bumbles, I don’t want to hate who I was back then.

My parents had always told me not to ignore friends that needed help and were in a tough spot. Even right now, I think the same.

I will work even harder in order to let my future shine brighter. My debut was accountable for the time that I had spent working towards my dream. Those two weeks after debut was just like a dream to me but ultimately, it has become a period of time in my life that I cannot ever forget.

And to the precious fans of mine who loved me and cheered me on, thank you. I was able to hang on because of the endless support from my fans. I will definitely work hard.

Thank you for reading this long post.

August 10, 2022, from Kim Garam.

— Kim Garam

Read more about the entire controversy below.

https://www.koreaboo.com/series/kim-garams-bullying-allegations/timeline/