Soojin leaves (G)I-DLE

SEOUL • K-pop idol Soojin will no longer be part of popular girl group (G)I-DLE, according to Cube Entertainment, the group's management agency, in an announcement last Saturday.

This latest move comes five months after she was forced to go on a hiatus over bullying allegations which involved her former schoolmates, one of whom was actress Seo Shin-ae, 22.

In its short statement, Cube Entertainment did not give any reasons for Soojin's departure and said only that it would move forward with the remaining five members.

While Soojin had strenuously denied the bullying allegations in detail in March, her accusers did not back down on social media.

At the time, Cube Entertainment had investigated the accusations and filed criminal complaints.

Soojin had said then: "If it turns out that I did something wrong, then of course I will take the punishment given and leave the group."

Since the news broke, her fans have taken to social media to express outrage and dismay, as well as to condemn Cube Entertainment for ousting the 23-year-old from the girl group formed in 2018.

On Seo's YouTube channel, her latest video's comment section has been flooded with accusations from Soojin's fans, saying things such as, "Are you happy now that you ruined Soojin's career?"

Indignant fans have also started an online petition, Justice For Soojin, which was signed by more than 90,000 people within 19 hours of it being set up.

The person who set up the petition wrote: "Soojin was falsely accused of school bullying (which was years ago) and had a fight with her friend when she was 12. Isn't it ridiculous to kick somebody out of the group because of that?"