'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
K-pop dance group Girl Crush is currently in hot waters with netizens for including a minor to their lineup.
Girl Crush is known for its provocative concepts for those who may be unfamiliar. They have been praised for their mature concepts, which were seen as a form of female empowerment.
The dance group had recently lost a member, and many had been wondering if a new member would be revealed. The Twitter account @Nugupromoter announced that the group's newest member would be Hayun, a former member of BABA & BLAZE born in 2005.
The addition of a minor to Girl Crush's lineup led to massive outrage among netizens
In the tweet, the account expressed its outrage at seeing the newest member's age and the fact that Hayun had previously performed with the group when she was as young as 14.
When the tweet was shared, netizens couldn't hide their outrage, stating that while idols are debuting at a young age, it is entirely inappropriate for a group who are known for their thoughtful concepts.
Hayun was born in 2005 and turns 17 this year. She also reportedly collaborated with Girl Crush earlier in 2019, when she was 14 years old. The controversy led to severe backlash from the netizens, leading to the group’s agency issuing a statement to clear up the speculation.
The group's agency, HW Entertainment, issued a vague statement stating that Hayun is not currently part of the lineup. Although Hayun was denied as the newest member, the statement emphasized that she was training with the group and that they would wait until Hayun was of legal age before she joined.
For many netizens, the statement was equally concerning. Many were worried that Hayun would continue to practice and perform and that the company would wait for Hayun to reach a "legal age." The company was bombarded with accusations of grooming and the s*xualisation of a minor.
After severe backlash from netizens, the group has deactivated all of its SNS accounts. The agency has not released any other statement answering netizens' questions either.
About Girl Crush
Girl Crush debuted as a dance group in 2016 before becoming a K-pop group in 2019. Following the release of their single Memories, they have been releasing dance covers of classic songs such as Brave Girls, Rollin, and Iggy Azalea's Kream.
While they are relatively less popular, they have developed a cult following for their performances and provocative attire.
