Sujin from ‘(G)I-DLE’, still at risk of school violence… Working alone in ‘No Response’

Sujin, a former member of the group (G)I-DLE, received a disappointing 'Standing Alone Report Card'. Compared to group activities. The fact that they focused on overseas activities rather than domestic activities and the inability to appear in front of the public due to the controversy over school violence were among the obstacles. The problem is that the industry is also ignoring Sujin.

Sujin released her first solo EP 'The Handmaiden' through various music sites at 6 PM on the 8th. This album contains a total of 6 songs, including the title song ‘The Handmaiden’.

It is also the album that announced the resumption of Sujin's activities in earnest. However, it cannot be found as much interest and attention as before. The album's initial sales were only ranked 16th among domestic female solo artists (about 72,000 copies). The music score was also the highest at number 223 on the Melon daily chart.

The school violence controversy is a label for Sujin. In particular, it is painful that the negative perception among the public has not been erased. Rather than coming back after resolving the controversy, he is being evaluated as being anxious to hide the controversy. In fact, Sujin continued to show a defensive attitude regarding various issues related to her.

Prior to the release of the album, the 'Q&A' sent by the agency BRD Entertainment included only thoughts on the release, introduction of the album, and favorite tracks. There was no answer to school violence. Because it failed to answer the public's curiosity, some criticized it as a 'half-hearted comeback'.

The sudden music broadcast activity also did not receive positive reviews. The agency continued to state that Sujin has no official activities. At a time when the school violence controversy had not been resolved, domestic activities were judged to be burdensome. However, Sujin's appearance could be seen on Naver/Playlist's 'NPOP', which aired at 8 PM on the 20th. The agency's clumsy handling of matters only caused confusion to fans.

In August 2021, Sujin was embroiled in suspicions of school violence during middle school. Sujin took the stance that it was 'unfounded' at the time, but suspended her activities. In this situation, the controversy grew significantly when actress Seo Shin-ae claimed that Sujin's suspicions of school violence were true.

Afterwards, Sujin emphasized, “I never had a conversation with Seo Shin-ae during my school days.” The exposer was sued for defamation by spreading false information. However, the controversy did not subside and he eventually left the group. Additionally, the exclusive contract with the agency was terminated in March of last year. It was a process that left me feeling uncomfortable.

Sujin returned, but the public wasn't ready to accept him. Furthermore, the industry is also ignoring Sujin. This can be seen by looking at the number of SNS shorts videos, which are said to be an essential promotional tool for idols. Usually, idols film shorts videos of fellow celebrities they met on music shows. In the case of Sujin, there are a total of 5 SNS shorts posts. Of these, four were filmed alone and one was filmed with a dancer. This is compared to the hundreds of shorts videos filmed with numerous fellow celebrities during the group's activities.

“I will do a lot of research and work hard to show a variety of musical colors rather than just one.”

This was the will that Sujin conveyed upon her return. Aside from the controversy, there were also times when he showed his capabilities as an idol. However, the controversy surrounding him is blurring his ‘color’. It is a time when an accurate explanation of the controversy is needed for public understanding. Singers loved by the public continue to emerge.

Reporter Junho Yoon, Ten Asia delo410@tenasia.co.kr