Ex-T-ara Areum Speaks Out Against Allegations of Child Abuse and Drug Use

According to a report from Sports Kyunghyang on June 4th, Areum clarified, “I have not received any notification about being sent to the prosecution.”She also disclosed that she is currently in the hospital due to stress.

Areum expressed her disbelief at the “child abuse”accusations, stating, “This is absurd!”She went on to recount how her first child, who was five years old at the time, told her about being abused by her ex-husband during their first custody meeting. As a result, she took her child and they both underwent investigations. Areum emphasized that she had fully cooperated with the police during the investigations and that they had even supported her side of the story.

Despite the drug allegations that arose in April, she maintained her innocence by stating, “During that time, my ex-husband obtained diet pills from another source and fabricated evidence to file a lawsuit against me. I was subjected to a degrading investigation, including having my hair forcibly pulled for testing. However, I was ultimately exonerated of all accusations.”

On June 3rd, it was announced that the Gyeonggi Gwangmyeong Police Station had referred Areum to the Ansan branch, Suwon District Prosecutor’s Office in early May. She was recommended for indictment for violating the Child Welfare Act (child abuse and neglect) and child abduction. A, Areum’s mother, was also charged with child abduction and sent to the prosecution.

Following the aforementioned allegations, Areum’s ex-husband B filed charges against both Areum and her mother in February. After a thorough 3-month investigation, the police referred the case to the prosecution with a recommendation for indictment.

In 2012, Areum became a member of T-ara, but she departed from the group the following year. She then married an older businessman in 2019 and welcomed two sons. However, in December 2023, she made public her ongoing divorce proceedings with her ex-husband and disclosed her intentions to register her marriage with her boyfriend, C.

During this procedure, Areum made startling allegations stating that her former spouse had mistreated their two sons and that she had also suffered from domestic abuse.

Despite Areum’s previous claims, doubts have been raised due to allegations surrounding her and her boyfriend C. Reports have surfaced claiming that they solicited money from acquaintances under the guise of medical expenses. Despite Areum’s defense that this was the work of a hacker, speculation persisted. Ultimately, she chose to end her relationship with C.