(G)I-DLE's Soojin is officially leaving the K-pop group after being embroiled in a bullying controversy.
Cube Entertainment, the company managing (G)I-DLE, released a statement on August 14, Saturday, following Soojin's departure.
"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.
Thank you."
Soojin was on a five-month hiatus since a netizen claimed that she had been a bully in high school. According to the netizen, Soojin called her younger sister and her friend to the bathroom. There, she told her sister to slap her friend and proceeded to slap both of them. Soojin allegedly declared her younger sister an outcast in school.
Cube Entertainment identified the netizen as the older sister of a student who went to the same school as Soojin. Both Soojin and the company also denied similar bullying allegations of other netizens.
Prior to her departure from (G)I-DLE, Soojin was on hiatus since March. She was with the group since its debut in 2018.