All About Soojin's Exit from (G)I-dle and the Troubling Allegations That Changed Everything

South Korean singer Seo Soo-jin hasn’t been part of the K-Pop girl group (G)I-dle since she left in 2021. Though it’s been a few years since Soojin made music alongside fellow members Soyeon, Miyeon, Minnie, Yuqi, and Shuhua, who debuted as a united front in May 2018, she surprised fans with a couple of solo projects.

Her first EP, "Agassy," dropped on Nov. 8, 2023, followed by "Rizz" on May 23, 2024. The track "Mona Lisa" from that mini-album hit 12 million views on YouTube as of this writing.

Despite her solo success, fans are still craving more from the K-Pop idol, who, based on her Instagram activity, has been spending time traveling and perhaps enjoying the perks of being a solo artist.

But why exactly did Soojin leave (G)I-dle? Here’s a look at the accusations that led to her departure and whether they hold any truth.

Soojin made the difficult decision to leave (G)I-dle after allegations surfaced that she had bullied fellow classmates, which were starting to negatively impact the group. The controversy gained more traction when actress Seo Shin Ae came forward, claiming she was a victim of Soojin’s bullying.

By March 2021, Soojin stepped back from the group as the negative attention continued to grow. By August 2021, Soojin officially parted ways with (G)I-dle, with Cube Entertainment, her managing label, issuing a statement on Aug. 14, per Soompi.

The statement read, "First, the agency apologizes for having caused concern through the controversy associated with our artist Soojin." It continued, "Today, we are announcing the decision that Soojin will be leaving the group. (G)I-dle will henceforth promote as five members. We will continue to do our best and provide unstinting support so that (G)I-dle can show their growth in music and performance."

Throughout the ordeal, both Soojin and Cube Entertainment maintained her innocence regarding the allegations, but the mounting bad press seemed to have become too much for the group to handle. Despite denying the claims, some speculated that Cube Entertainment’s decision to part ways with Soojin made her appear more guilty than anything else.

It was a tough blow for Soojin and the group, but they faced the challenges head-on. As Soyeon told Teen Vogue in March 2022, shortly after Soojin's exit, "If we only had ups, we wouldn't be this strong, and we wouldn't have been able to create what we have. I think these downs allow us to get to higher places."

The girls have differing accounts of what went down. Soojin, in a statement, attested, "I have never spoken with actress Seo Shin Ae during my days in school," according to Soompi. However, Seo has a completely different recollection of their time in school, accusing Soojin of making things unbearable for her.

In a statement shared on March 26, 2021, Seo claimed the incidents took place in middle school, where Soojin allegedly made "groundless insults and personal attacks," such as, "I wonder how she is a celebrity when she’s not even that pretty." Seo blames these insults for causing her to develop a fear of people and become more introverted. With both parties holding tightly to their own accounts, it remains unclear what really happened.