Former 9MUSES leader Ryu Sera has alleged that she was kicked out of the now-disbanded girl group.
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During an interview with Brazillian journalist Fefo Caires, the former K-pop idol detailed her exit from the girl group in 2014, claiming that she wasn’t told that she would no longer be part of the group. The singer alleged that in the months leading up to her departure, she had been in discussions about a contract renewal with her then-agency Star Empire.
“When it came to a renewal of my contract, I wanted to put more [clauses] in the contract where it says like [the group] are allowed to have concept meetings together… and that we [would] have some say in what the future concepts would be,” Ryu said. “And one day, I read a news article that says I am leaving the band.”
The singer later claimed that she and Star Empire had been talking about a contract renewal for “months”, noting that she had said “no” to a renewal agreement earlier in the negotiations. “But then I changed my mind, and I wanted to change some things [in the contract regarding] 9MUSES’ future plans and activities,” she said.
However, Ryu claimed that her requests might have ultimately caused Star Empire to end their relationship with the singer. “I think my boss thought I crossed a line when I asked [for] too many things – like letting us [decide] what songs and concepts, or what to wear, in the future – and I don’t think he liked it,” she said.
9MUSES made their debut in 2010 with the single album ‘Let’s Have A Party’, featuring the title track ‘No Playboy’. Ryu left the group in 2014 and launched a solo career the following year with her first mini-album, ‘SeRen:Ade’.
Last year, the singer returned to the spotlight with a stint on the MBN reality show Miss Back. The series also featured a number of other former K-pop girl group members, such as After School’s Raina, Stellar’s Gayoung and Dal Shabet’s Subin.
In other K-pop news, BTS are set to release their new English-language single ‘Butter’ later this month. The boyband have so far teased the upcoming song with “concept clips” featuring members Jin, Suga, RM and Jungkook.