Kim Garam, a former member of the group LE SSERAFIM, is set to stand before the public once again—this time as an actress, leaving her past controversies behind. By signing an exclusive contract with a new agency, Kim Garam has signaled her official return to the entertainment industry, marking a fresh start through acting rather than performing on stage.
On the 16th, management agency Management Koo announced the signing of an exclusive contract with Kim Garam, promising full and unwavering support for her future acting endeavors.
A Fresh Start as an Actress Under Management Koo
Regarding the background of the contract, Management Koo explained:
“We have been closely monitoring Kim Garam’s YouTube activities and were deeply impressed by her potential for growth as an actress, as well as her diligent attitude. Her daily dedication and continuous self-improvement to achieve her dreams became the decisive factor in finalizing this exclusive contract.”
The agency further added:
Dedication to Acting: “Kim Garam has been consistently training and researching to improve her acting skills, showing a remarkable growth rate in a short period.”
Self-Development: “She continuously invests time in studying English and Japanese, and has even taught herself how to play the guitar, never stopping her pursuit of new challenges and learning.”
The agency stated, “The diligence, passion, and continuous desire to learn and grow that Kim Garam possesses will serve as great assets for her future acting career. We plan to provide full support so that she can expand her scope of activities.”
Management Koo concluded that after internal discussions, they decided to sign the contract based on her high growth potential. However, the official announcement did not include any direct mentions or clarifications regarding her past school violence controversies or school violence committee measures.
LE SSERAFIM Withdrawal Amid School Violence Controversy
Kim Garam was swept up in controversy immediately after LE SSERAFIM’s debut teasers were released in April 2022, when allegations of school violence during her past surfaced online. During this process, it was revealed that she had been recognized as a perpetrator by the Autonomous Committee for School Violence Countermeasures during her middle school years and received a Level 5 Measure.
Note on Level 5 Measure: Among the 1st to 9th levels of disciplinary actions issued by the school violence committee, a Level 5 measure involves special education completion or psychological treatment by internal or external experts. It is classified as a disciplinary action with a severity that is by no means light.
At the time of the controversy, Kim Garam and her former agency, HYBE, refuted the claims, stating that she had never physically assaulted anyone and argued that she was actually a victim. However, due to the clearly documented Level 5 disciplinary record, public criticism did not easily subside.
Consequently, Kim Garam had to halt official activities in May 2022, just 19 days after her debut in the music industry. In July of the same year, her exclusive contract was terminated, and she officially withdrew from the group. Since then, LE SSERAFIM has continued its activities as a reorganized 5-member group without recruiting additional members.
Majoring in Acting and Launching a YouTube Channel
Following her departure from the group, Kim Garam enrolled at Konkuk University, majoring in Media Acting, to focus entirely on preparing for her dream of becoming an actress. In June of last year, rumors of an exclusive contract with another entertainment agency surfaced, but that agency clarified that they had only held a meeting and ultimately decided not to sign a contract, ending the rumors as a mere happenstance.
Afterward, in March, she reappeared before the public by opening her personal YouTube channel. The channel gained significant public interest through videos showing her doing things like playing the guitar, and it has recently demonstrated her lasting influence by surpassing 260,000 subscribers.
