Kpop Celebrity News

On May 29, T-ara members Eunjung, Hyomin, Jiyeon, and Qri held a surprise broadcast through V Live on the set of their album jacket photo shoot.

They announced that they will be returning in two weeks with a track called “My Name Is” (literal title).

Jiyeon revealed, “We will be releasing the song and holding a showcase on June 14. We will then perform our comeback stage on ‘M!Countdown’ on June 15.”

“This new album has a unique arrangement and format unlike any other. It feels different to us,” they shared.

T-ara’s upcoming title track “My Name Is” has been produced by Brave Brothers.

T-ara will have their last performance as six at their upcoming concert in Taipei, Taiwan.

Their agency MBK Entertainment previously revealed that members Boram and Soyeon will not be joining their upcoming comeback, as their contracts will expire on May 15. T-ara will return with the four remaining members Qri, Eunjung, Hyomin, and Jiyeon.

After thinking it through, Boram and Soyeon have decided to perform with the group for the last time at their concert in Taiwan. This concert is special in that it is their first concert in Taiwan since their debut nine years ago. It will be held from May 12 to May 14 for three days.

It is expected that Boram and Soyeon will open up about their feelings and thoughts about their departure during the concert, as it will be their last time appearing in public as members of T-ara.

MBK Entertainment recently gave an update on the status of the T-ara members’ contracts.

On March 23, T-ara’s agency, MBK Entertainment, revealed that members Boram and Soyeon will not be renewing their contracts, saying, “As reported, T-ara’s Boram and Soyeon’s contracts will end on May 15.”

They also said, “Qri, Eunjung, Hyomin, and Jiyeon have decided to renew their contract until the end of December, and will be focusing on solo activities, dramas, and other personal schedules as well as overseas activities.” They added, “The T-ara members will release their last album together as a whole group in May.”

Meanwhile, the agency previously stated that T-ara will not be disbanding.

Early February, the years-old T-ara bullying scandal resurfaced when — after an appearance by Ryu Hwayoung and Hyoyoung on tvN’s “Taxi” — a former T-ara staff member came forward with her account of what happened.

Now, a little over a month since the staff member came forward, the scandal has resurfaced once more, sparked by a comment from Kim Woo Ri, a stylist who used to work with T-ara.

On March 13, Kim Woo Ri said on “Heard It Through The Grapevine” that Ryu Hwayoung used to mistreat the staff that used to work with her. He gave a specific example, saying that she addressed her hair stylists disrespectfully as “Shampoo,” and that she said things such as, “Shampoo, let’s go.” He said, “Since she got things that T-ara had to work hard for all at once, she had no respect. Simply put, she was rude.”

Ryu Hwayoung responded on her Instagram on March 14, writing, “Mr. Kim Woo Ri. I know you’re close with Hyomin, but don’t make up stories.” She then uploaded a picture of the T-ara members with Kim Woo Ri, saying, “I get it, Mr. Woo Ri, so stop making things up.”

However, two other staff members who used to work with Ryu Hwayoung have come forward in Kim Woo Ri’s defense and confirmed that they were called “Shampoo” by Ryu Hwayoung. One of the stylists, who gave an anonymous statement, said, “[The T-ara members] usually called us ‘Unni,’ but Hwayoung called us ‘Shampoo.’ She did disrespect her hair stylists by calling them ‘Shampoo.'”

Another anonymous staff member said, “I felt that she was disrespecting our profession itself, so I submitted a resignation letter at one point.” The staff member added, “She embarrassed us in front of others, so it was impossible for the staff to like her.”

Jiyeon may not be coming back anytime soon.

All work on her solo comeback has been halted, and release has been indefinitely postponed. MBK Entertainment and her label had been conferring about songs and concepts - however, as of the 13th, Star News has found out that all work on her solo album has been canceled. This means she won't be coming back in March or April as planned.

One of the reasons why work on her solo release has been canceled is because of the recent re-focus on the T-ara-Hwayoung-Hyoyoung controversy. Her label didn't want people to mistake that she was using the controversy to promote her album. Therefore, all work has been halted until everything calms down again and her album can be promoted just through the music and herself.

February 8, Ryu Hwayoung and her twin sister Ryu Hyoyoung appeared on the tvN talk show “Taxi,” where Ryu Hwayoung, a former member of T-ara, talked about the group’s scandal from five years ago.

Ryu Hwayoung said, “It’s a shame. Thinking about it now, it’s something that can definitely happen between girls. Looking back, we were still young and inexperienced. I, also, wasn’t an adult.” When asked if she ever cried, she responded, “I locked myself in my room and cried a lot. I had lost a lot of weight at the time, and my sister, choking up, told me to stop losing weight.”

Ryu Hyoyoung, Hwayoung’s sister, added, “My sister was watching a music program, and she was spaced out [thinking about something else]. It made me think that I should work harder.” Ryu Hwayoung, hearing her sister say this, started crying.

However, following this broadcast, a T-ara staff member from the time of the scandal spoke up online, revealing their account of what allegedly really happened.

The staff member said, “I saw yesterday’s broadcast of ‘Taxi.’ I saw that Ryu Hwayoung and Ryu Hyoyoung cried, too. [Hwayoung] said ‘It’s something that can definitely happen between girls’? That they didn’t know better? As if what happened was nothing? What, exactly was it that ‘could have just happened’? The threat that [Hyoyoung] would scratch up someone’s face?”

The staff member posted images of an text conversation — which have been confirmed as real — between Hyoyoung and Areum, T-ara’s youngest member at the time.

The members of T-ara, who have been going through a rough time due to rumors of alleged bullying involving former member Hwayoung, released a handwritten apology letter to fans on their official website on August 29 KST.

After keeping her silence for nearly a month, T-ara‘s former member, Hwayoung, has tweeted in response to the controversy and the way the situation has been unfolding.

A T-ara representative has opened up about the group’s controversy.

After revealing their spectacular blockbuster-style part 1 music video for “Day by Day”, T-ara just released a dance version!

Gaon Chart has unveiled the top artists in physical and digital sales for the first half of 2012!

T-ara has dropped additional details on their July 3rd comeback!

T-ara‘s Boram has been revealed to have been hospitalized in Japan for acute gastritis.

Although T-ara‘s new member was revealed just recently, Dani has already been receiving love calls for advertisements before her official debut.

T-ara will be welcoming two new members to their group. One will be revealed on the 31st, while the other will be revealed this coming June.

The Japanese division of Korean Food Manufacturer Group Nongshim selected the lovely ladies of T-ara to be their advertisement models last year, and recently released videos of the members personally cooking their own bowl of ramen through their homepage.

T-ara‘s Eunjung has been robbed of a staggering, 23,000 Euros (~ $30,078 USD) while in Italy.

The seven ladies of T-ara recently traveled to Italy’s scenic Milano (Milan) for a well-deserved break after what has been their busiest rounds of promotions yet. The girls also traveled alongside with an upcoming Core Contents Media girl group in order to show their support for the group’s photo shoot.

Despite their busy schedule, T-ara recently took some time to volunteer again, this time for the welfare facility of Seoul Main Customs.

Earlier it was reported that T-ara may undergo member changes. To follow up, Core Contents Media‘s CEO Kim Kwang Soo has revealed a bit more information to give us an insight into what changes we could expect to see from the group.