Japanese model Harin, whose birth name is Harada Rin, has spoken out after a sudden surge of attention over her comments about being removed from a pre-debut team linked to NewJeans. On August 14, 2025, she released a statement on YouTube through her official channel, saying her recent comments were personal reflections and not aimed at any company or individual."I hope you know that what I've spoken about in this interview are my very personal feelings of failure and disappointment from the past, and are not intended to criticize or expose any particular company or individual," she said (translated via Google translate).In her note, Harin described her trainee period as tough but valuable. She mentioned she still supports her former teammates and plans to work on showing a stronger side of herself, adding,"I still support the members who laughed and cried with me back then! I will work harder in the areas where I'm lacking and show you a better side of myself. I will remain the same Harin, like the four seasons, when the autumn breeze blows and autumn arrives, no matter how hot the summer. I hope you will continue to support me!"Harin, born in 2003, was once part of the Japanese pop group Shibu3 Project and cleared an audition for Source Music, a label under HYBE, in 2020. Now living in Korea, she works as a commercial model and actress.Former HYBE trainee Harin's alleged removal from the NewJeans controversy explainedHarin (Image via Instagram/@hariiiny)It all began after Harin appeared on Japanese actor Takeda Hiromitsu’s YouTube channel, @gochuwasabi. There, she talked about living in Korea and shared that she once trained to debut as an idol."For two years, I practiced like crazy, from morning till night, without sleep. My parents even went to stamp the contract, and the company CEO was like, 'Oh, Harin, let's debut.' We were all talking," Harin said (via thequoo).Harin said she passed a 2020 audition for Source Music, under HYBE, and joined a pre-debut lineup widely believed to be linked to “N-Team,” a project fans associate with future NewJeans/NJZ members. She recalled being removed from the team without warning."One day, they suddenly told me to terminate my contract, and I was the only one who was told to leave. It was so hard. I worked so hard and came this far, so why are you rejecting me here?"luna ୨ৎ @luenacoreLINKWho is Harin, and what happened?Harin, a former Source Music trainee and member of the pre-debut “N-Team,” was never affiliated with ADOR or considered for the NewJeans lineup, as ADOR did not yet exist during her training period.She has also admitted that Source Music required her to drop out of high school in order to devote herself entirely to trainee activities. This is incredibly similar to what the company (Source Music) pressured Minji to do. However, despite the pressure, Minji continued her studies and ultimately graduated. Notably, this appears to coincide with a sudden wave of media play, emerging just as the mediation between ADOR/HYBE and NewJeans is set to take place.After that, reports claimed she was removed from NewJeans, which drew a lot of traffic to her channels along with negative comments.The attention quickly shifted to her Instagram activity. Viewers noticed that she had liked several comments on her latest post, including one saying she should be glad not to be involved in the current ADOR–NewJeans dispute.