BREAKING NEWS: ChoA announced she’s leaving AOA, FNC Entertainment denies

. 안녕하세요 초아입니다 저의 갑작스런 활동중단에 많은분들이 관심 가져주시고 걱정해주셔서 정말 감사했고 죄송했습니다 조금 늦었지만 제가 쉴수밖에 없었던 이유와 고민해서 내린 결정에 대해서 말씀드리고 싶어요. AOA라는 팀으로 데뷔하자마자 많은 사랑을받았던것이 아니기때문에 그만큼 사랑 받는다는것을 소중하게 느끼고 항상 감사하고 있었습니다. 팀에서 맏언니 였지만 아직 한참 어린 저는 활동을 해오면서 울고싶을때가 많았습니다. 하지만 저를 찾아주시는 이유는 밝은 저의 모습이라는것을 잘알고있었어요 마음은 울고있었지만 밝게만 보여야 하는 일이 반복되었고 스스로를 채찍질 할수록 점점 병들고있는 스스로를 발견 했었습니다. 불면증과 우울증을 치료하고자 약도 먹어보고 2년전부터 스케줄을 점점 줄여왔지만 피곤에서 오는 문제가 아니였기에 결국 모든활동을 중단하게 되었습니다 기다려주시는 분들을 떠올리며 복귀할수있도록 노력했지만 마냥 쉬고있는 상태로 부정적인 관심들이 지속되면 팀원들에게 더 많은 피해가 가게 될수 있다고 생각이들었습니다. 소속사와 협의 하에 저는 오늘 부로 aoa라는 팀에서 탈퇴하여 함께했던 멤버들의 활동을 응원하고자합니다. 연예인을 준비하고 활동했던 8년동안 많은것들을 배울수 있었다고 생각하고 힘들다고 생각하는 지금 이순간 조차 저를 성장시키는 과정이라고 생각이듭니다. 저는 올해 28살로 앞으로 혼란스러운 스스로를 차근차근 돌아보고 지난 8년간의 방송활동 이외에 남은 20대는 제 나이만큼의 넓은 경험들로 채워보고싶어요. 지금은 예정되어있던 개인활동 외에 활동은 생각하지 않고있는 상태로 언젠가 더이상 두렵지않고 지금보다 더 나아진 제 모습을 보여드릴 수 있을 때 그때에도 저를 응원해주시나면 분들이 계신다면 다시 돌아오고싶습니다. 많이 부족한사람인지라 그 와중에서도 끝까지 응원해주시고 걱정해주신많은 분들께 진심으로 애정어린 감사를 드립니다. 오랜시간 함께해온 멤버들 그리고 사랑받을수 있도록 부족한 점을 매꿔 주셨던 많은분들 , 그동안 저를 포함한 AOA를 사랑해주신 많은분들께 진심으로 감사드립니다.

A post shared by 초아 (@queenchoa_) on Jun 22, 2017 at 5:17am PDT

AOA’s Choa shocked fans as she suddenly announced on her social media her departure from AOA. Her letter translates as below:

“Hello,

This is Choa.

Thank you so much and sorry for concerning many people about my abrupt leave from work.

A little late but, I want to tell you the reason why I have to rest and the decision I made after a lot of thinking.

Because AOA was not that loved during debut as a team named AOA, I always felt grateful and appreciated for being loved and I think about it a lot.

During our activities, I often wanted to cry even though I was the eldest. But I am still young.

But I knew well that my bright image was the reason many liked me and looking for AOA.

Even though I was crying inside, I had to appear happy.
It happened so many times. And the more I pushed myself, the more I felt sick.

To care for my Insomnia and Depression, I even tried to take medicines and have been scaling down my schedule since two years ago.

But I finally made a decision to stop all activities, because I found out that the problem did not come from exhaustion.

I tried to get it back together remembering those who wait for me, but then I thought it can cause more damage to my team members if the negative attention from me continues.

So from today, I will leave AOA and I would like to support the activities of the members who met together for consultation with our agency.

During the last eight years of preparing and acting as entertainers, I thought that I could learn a lot. Even this moment will be a growing process for me.

I am 28 years old now.
I will look around myself which is in confusion.
I want to fill my remaining 20s with experiences appropriate for my age.

Except for the personal activities that were already scheduled, now I am not thinking of promoting. Someday, when I am not afraid anymore and can show you a better version of myself than now; and if you are still cheering for me, I want to come back.

I am deeply grateful to my fans who are still concerned for me despite lacking in many ways.

To the members whom I have been with for a long time,
To the many people who filled my lacking points so that I can receive love,
And to those who love AOA including me,
I sincerely thank you very much.”

Her label, FNC Entertainment immediately released a statement saying that they have yet to discuss ChoA’s sudden announcement and they are now trying to contact her to finalize things. They will announce their final decision soon.

Contributor: Ana Park