Domestic abuse is no laughing matter but sadly, many have chosen to stay silent out of fear of being shamed or accused of lying. Lee Areum (이아름), an ex-member of popular K-pop girl group T-ARA, recently came forward that her ex-husband, Kim Young Gul, had abused not only her but their children as well.
She did everything in her power to speed up the divorce process but was then met with overwhelming guilt for not being able to protect her children. Earlier today (Wednesday, 27th March), it was reported that the singer tried to take her own life. Here’s what happened:
According to several Korean news reports, Areum has been hospitalised after an apparent suicide attempt at her home. At the time of writing, no further details have been shared about the tragic incident, however, it was mentioned that the idol left a suicide note before the attempt.
Korean media reported that the “Sugar-Free” songstress is currently receiving treatment at an unspecified hospital but has yet to regain consciousness. The status of her sons is still unknown. While her motives for taking her own life have not been confirmed, fans speculated that it had something to do with the domestic abuse case.
Many were devasted after the news broke out and suggested that Areum must’ve felt extreme guilt for not being able to protect her children from their father’s rage and assault. Some expressed anger towards the ex-husband for mistreating his family and pushing his ex-wife past the breaking point while others demanded justice for the singer and her children.
As for the domestic violence case, Areum recently released disturbing photos of her bruises from Kim Young Gul’s abuse and alleged that he even subjected his children to more inhumane treatments such as spitting on their faces, urinating on them and smearing their faces with faeces. Read her full statements below:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C47cCtIL2X2/?hl=en&img_index=1
https://www.instagram.com/p/C4AqOUzppN9/?hl=en&img_index=1
Sources: Osen, Instagram(1)(2)
