Monday, January 21, 2019

3) Hwayoung Supports T-ara and T-ara Support Hwayoung

There is a widespread belief that Hwayoung lied about T-ara by claiming she was bullied and “playing the victim.” Hwayoung haters make these claims as if they are indisputable and universally accepted facts, but there is really no truth in them at all. She has never claimed she was bullied and never played the victim. She has supported to T-ara ever since her dismissal, wished them success and expressed her sympathy for the persecution they suffered. She is not responsible for what happened to T-ara. 

On 31 July 2012, the day after Hwayoung was fired, she posted a message on Twitter in which she called for the rumours to stop. She worded it rather weakly and vaguely, but at that time she would have been in a state of shock and bewilderment. Eight days before she had been performing as normal, then she sprained her ankle and within a week she had been kicked out of the group.


“To my fans, you've loved me until now, and I'm sorry that I've only given you disappointment. Please stop now, and look forward to our more mature and improved selves in the future. I apologize for making you worry during this time. I also want to apologize to my Core Contents Media family. I'll greet you all with a better image next time." 


Four weeks later, on 28 August 2012, with the scandal showing no signs of abating, she clearly felt that the campaign against T-ara was going too far, and had another go, this time making her meaning unmistakable. She wrote this on Twitter: 
"이번 은정언니 드라마하차기사를 접하고마음이좋지만은 않았습니다. 티아라활동을하면서 멤버들과 의견차로인해 대립이있었던건 사실이지만 이로인해 왕따설이돌고 상황이악화된사실들에 마음이 아팠습니다. 또한 서로 왜곡된사실들로 인해 상처받아 많이속상했습니다.

I feel sad when I read the news about Eunjung unnie has been replaced from her drama. Yes, during last month concert the member are having the conflict and differences opinion in the group but I don’t get it why netizen twisted the story into bullying issue and spread the false rumor. It did a big damage to me and T-ara, we are having really really hard time of this. I am really upset and hurt by this distorted false rumor. 
하지만 한솥밥을먹고 지내며 행복했던날들도있었기에 지난일은 잊고 이젠다시웃는얼굴로 서로를응원하며 지내고싶습니다. 티아라를 많이사랑해주시고 아껴주시고 찾아주셨는데 이번사건때문에 여러분들에게 많은 심려와 걱정끼쳐드려 죄송했습니다.
I will never forget the memories of being happy together as T-ara member, I hope everything will be wash away and we can finally put our smile on our faces. Lets us all hwaiting! Last I would love to say thanks for showing me and T-ara support and love, this incident has been giving you guys a big trouble and I am sorry to let you guys down… I am sorry"

Alternative translation:

"After reading the news that Eunjung unnie was withdrawn from her role in her drama, I did not feel good about it. After the nasty rounds of rumors about me being excluded from the group went around, the reality of the deteriorated situation was painful. I was truly hurt from the distortion of the truth.”

Hwayoung also added, “But since we did have our good times together I want to forget about everything bad that happened, and wish that we can cheer each other on. Please give T-ara a lot of love and caring attention. I apologize for causing our fans to worry because of the recent happenings.”
https://www.soompi.com/article/420450wpp/ex-t-ara-member-hwayoung-speaks-on-eunjung

That is a very clear statement that the bullying rumours are false, but it was received in a variety of ways. KpopStarz reported it sensibly and accurately. “Hwayoung Directly Denies Bullying Rumors Associated with 'T-ARA Crisis' …Internet users commented, 'Hwayoung has said herself that it is not bullying so lets stop all this drama...'”  

Some T-ara fans were already so committed to hating Hwayoung that they didn't want to know what she was saying. "Honestly I dont know what she said and I dont care. The time for her to talk was end of July/beg of August. She stayed quiet to maximize damage to T-ARA. Hwasshole can go to HELL"  
Why It Makes Me Sorry That Hwayoung Is Sorry – Seoulbeats

So that fan would rather have his idols suffer years of hate and abuse than listen to Hwayoung, just because he missed her first attempt to stop the scandal, and all those fans who hate her have taken the same attitude. By accusing her of claiming she was bullied they gave the story more credibility and effectively campaigned against T-ara. That Seoulbeats page is well worth a read, along with this one: 


The next day, T-ara published a statement on their website, apologizing for their “immature” actions and asking the fans to give generous support and love to Hwayoung”


We are writing this letter after a long period of thinking.

The past month has felt longer than our pre-debut trainee years or the years that we spent receiving love from our fans.

First, we would like to sincerely apologize for hurting and disappointing so many people.

Not being able to solve the issue of the difference of our members’ will amongst ourselves and making our personal problems viewable to the public was a very immature thing to do and we are deeply reflecting upon our actions. We sincerely apologize for acting so carelessly.

If we would’ve understood, sacrificed and acted more maturely toward each other, none of this would have ever happened. At the thought of this, each and every day was so torturous to us.

When we look back, we know that everyone carried the same dream going forward and we tried to overcome hardships together. But in just one momentary action, those good times were shone with a negative light and it really pained our hearts.

We also think that it must have been so hard for Hwayoung, who was suffering because of the misunderstandings people had about her being bullied.

We were all so shocked at all of this because no one wanted it and no one even thought of this happening. And now, we are truly saddened that we cannot be together [with Hwayoung] anymore. We only hope that nothing hurtful will happen to Hwayoung from now on.

To all the people who were worried because of us, to all the disappointed people who loved our music – we are truly sorry.

We believe that this hard time was truly a big lesson for all of our members. Since we need to be ones to give strength to others, we realize how much of a responsibility we have and how we must take responsibility over every single thing we do.

From now on, to our parents who live for us, to all the fans who stayed with us till the end, to all the people who listen to our music… and to all of those who we’ve worried and disappointed – instead of breaking down, we would like to work even harder by asking for forgiveness.

We genuinely apologize. We also hope that you will give generous support and love to Hwayoung, who probably had it harder than us. We will always be supporting Hwayoung as well.



On September 10, in a phone interview with Dispatch, Hwayoung said, "I tried my best to wait patiently for their comeback performance. It’s because I was a T-Ara member before. Of course I’d be curious. That’s why I watched them with interest. I hope they’ll do well. I’m always cheering for them.”  
Interview With Hwayoung: “I Hope They’ll Do Well” | Soompi

Hwayoung gave T-ara further support in an interview in January 2014: 
“There's definitely things I did wrong, and I didn't get along very well with the other T-ARA members. But now everything's okay. While I rested I thought about suffering during practice with the other members, and how we would perform on stage. I hope that someday I'll be able to meet them again. Although we're no longer walking the same path, isn't there a chance that I'll meet the T-ARA members in entertainment or drama? I hope that actually happens. If it does I first want to say to them, 'Take courage!' That's because I know how much they had to suffer. I also want to see them, 'See you at the top.'"  

She also commented that the manipulated photos and "evidence" by netizens were absurd and frustrated 

If T-ara fans had used Hwayoung's evidence to clear them and treated her as T-ara asked them to instead of accusing her of lying, the scandal would have finished much sooner. The Hwayoung haters were T-ara's enemies and made it drag on for years.


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