On February 10, the YouTube channel One Mic uploaded a video titled “The Girl Group That Suddenly Disappeared 5 Years Ago – Visiting Her Home. A New Life and New Career. Song Chaeah.” In the video, Song Chaeah—who previously promoted under the stage name Harin—shared updates about her current life as a show host.
Introducing the home she now shares with her mother, Song Chaeah reflected on her difficult past. “I used to live in a dorm with cockroaches, right next to a garbage dump. Compared to that, this feels like a hotel,” she said with a bittersweet smile.
Song Chaeah debuted with Rusty in June 2019, but activities came to a halt in January 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She revealed that she was unable to return home and moved only between the company and the dorm before finally leaving in 2021 with the help of a lawyer and government support.
She claimed that during her time at the agency, she was treated as a “debtor.”
“We obviously had no income. They said we were in debt just for breathing,” she stated. “I believe the company actually owed us a significant amount of money, but in the end, I didn’t receive it. I didn’t even get 10% of what I expected.”
Song Chaeah also alleged that the agency’s CEO forced her into internet broadcasting activities.
“At first, they said it was to communicate with overseas fans during COVID. But at some point, it turned into ‘go make money,’” she explained. “It wasn’t anything inappropriate, but they made me and one other member—since I was the leader—do it.”
Despite her reluctance, she complied. “I really didn’t want to do it, but I did because they told me to. I even earned money for the company,” she said. According to her, the contract specified a 70:30 profit split, but that agreement was not honored. “For the first month or two, they paid about 1 million won (approximately $750). After that, it dropped to 500,000 won.” She further claimed she endured years of gaslighting from the agency’s CEO.
“During COVID, I was completely cut off from the world. I did everything they told me to, hoping to be liked by the CEO. But when I realized I still wasn’t valued, that’s when reality hit me,” she confessed. After leaving the company, Song Chaeah said she struggled with feelings of falling behind her peers and took on various part-time jobs to survive. Even now, despite establishing herself as a show host, she continues to seek part-time work on days without broadcasting schedules.
Reflecting on her twenties, she shared, “If I put it nicely, I gained life experience. If I’m being honest, I feel like I lost them. If I’m not doing anything, I get extremely anxious.”
However, she also expressed determination about her future. “If you rush, even things that could work out won’t. My goal now is to stop worrying about others and just focus on my own path.”
Her revelations have sparked renewed discussions about idol contracts, financial transparency, and mental health in the entertainment industry.
Sources: Money Today,YouTube Channel “One Mic”