Former T-ARA singer Areum reportedly hospitalised after suicide attempt

Former T-ARA singer Areum has reportedly been hospitalised after a suicide attempt.

South Korean news outlet Osen (via journalist Jeff Benjamin) reported that Areum had been taken to a hospital after attempting to take her own life in the early morning of March 27. The publication also reported that the singer has yet to regain consciousness and had left a suicide note.

The news comes just a day after Areum accused her ex-husband, businessman Kim Young-gul, of being physically and emotionally abusive towards the singer and her children in a post on Instagram. She also claimed that her husband dabbled in gambling and prostitution.

Areum announced on Instagram in December 2023 that she had filed for divorce from Kim. In the same post, the singer also revealed plans to get re-married to her new fiancée once the divorce is official.

At the time, the singer had also hinted at her ex-husband’s alleged abuse, saying that she had “lived in such immense pain” and that she had “much proof to show”, per Soompi.

Areum made her debut as a K-pop idol in 2012 as a member of the K-pop girl group T-ARA. She would later form the sub-unit T-ARA N4 with Eunjung, Hyomin and Jiyeon in April 2013, before leaving both groups in July of the same year.

Since her time with T-ARA, Areum has competed on the reality TV competitions The Unit in 2017, Kookmin Singer in 2021 and Sing Again 3 in 2023.