Chronological Overview of Objective Facts Given the chaotic and mixed narratives surrounding this incident online, the objective facts presented in this article are analyzed and compiled strictly based on two authoritative documents released by Kim Garam’s side, both bearing the official seal or signature of the South Korean School Violence Countermeasures Committee. Unilateral statements, including but not limited to those from Kim Garam herself or her former agency HYBE, are excluded from this analysis.
The two objective and authoritative documents referenced here are selected from a set of three documents published through her friend's social media account: namely, the Notification of School Violence Committee Results and the School Violence Committee Mediation Minutes. The third document, titled School Violence Committee Mediation Minutes (Case Summary), is excluded due to the absence of an official seal or signature, rendering its authorship and authority untraceable.
First, the Notification Report explicitly states the conclusion: "The perpetrator student, Kim Garam, shall undergo 6 hours of special educational training in accordance with Article 17, Paragraph 1, Item 5, and her parents shall undergo 5 hours of special educational training." Therefore, Kim Garam's involvement in school violence is an objective outcome recognized by both legal and administrative procedures.
According to the Mediation Minutes, the chronological sequence of the incident is as follows:
- Due to the victim student gossiping behind their backs, Kim Garam and seven others took the victim to a nearby apartment and subjected her to verbal abuse for three hours.
- The victim student subsequently hacked into the social media account of one of the involved students and publicly posted a photo of another student wearing only underwear.
- Following this leak, Kim Garam directed further verbal attacks, including but not limited to threats and insults such as "I'll kill you if you refuse," at the victim student.
At the end of the Mediation Minutes, the recording committee member emphasized once more: "Do any students or parents believe there is any content in the case summary that does not align with the facts?" Neither Kim Garam nor any of the involved students or parents raised any objections. Consequently, the cause, course, and conclusion of the aforementioned incident—including the statements made and actions taken—stand as objective facts agreed upon by both parties.
The original files of the complete documents released by Kim Garam's side are attached at the end of this article.
Analysis of Current Public Traction
Prior to the official announcement of her new exclusive contract, Kim Garam had already created her personal Instagram account in May 2025. As of the official announcement date, she has garnered over 1 million followers despite having posted only 8 updates. Furthermore, three months ago, she began sharing her daily life at Konkuk University and her acting coursework on YouTube, accumulating approximately 270,000 subscribers across just 8 videos. Consequently, her current starting point in terms of public traction is undisputedly higher than that of any typical rookie actor.
However, given that her former agency and her former group, LE SSERAFIM, are currently on a thriving, upward trajectory, the label of "former member" will remain tightly bound to her career until she can achieve a level of popularity and professional strength that completely overshadows her past association.
Future Career Projections
The agency Kim Garam has signed with, Management Koo, is a well-established, actor-exclusive agency representing numerous veteran, heavyweight actors alongside rising rookies. In recent years, the opportunities secured by the agency for its rookie talent have mostly consisted of supporting roles in non-mainstream series; however, given that the production entities are major South Korean broadcasters like SBS and the lead actors hold substantial recognition, it can be inferred that the agency possesses a solid network of industry resources.
In their official statement, Management Koo explained that they scouted Kim Garam after reviewing her YouTube videos, noting her versatile talents across acting, singing, and dancing. Typically, when dealing with controversial public figures, talent agencies tend to opt for a "low-risk, soft-landing" strategy—meaning they will likely arrange for her to debut via minor roles in web dramas. Given Kim Garam's background as an idol, this may also extend to her lending her vocals to the series' official soundtracks (OSTs).
How do you see Kim Garam’s career panning out?
Appendix
- Notification of School Violence Committee Results
- School Violence Committee Mediation Minutes
