Former HYBE Trainee Harin Clarifies Remarks on NewJeans, Addresses Online Backlash
Former HYBE trainee Harin clarifies her comments about being part of a pre-debut team linked to NewJeans, saying she never intended to criticise the company and is now focusing on her career.
Former HYBE trainee Harin addresses online backlash after revealing she trained alongside future NewJeans members.
Japanese model and former K-pop idol trainee Harin (Harada Rin) has spoken out following intense online criticism after revealing she was once part of a pre-debut team linked to NewJeans. The 2003-born model stressed that she never intended to “expose” HYBE or target any individual.
Harin Responds to the Controversy
In an interview earlier this month, Harin shared her personal struggles from her trainee days with HYBE subsidiary Source Music in 2020. The comments quickly went viral, with headlines suggesting she had been “removed” from NewJeans, sparking a wave of malicious comments on her social media and YouTube.
On August 14, Harin released an official statement:
“What I shared was purely my personal feelings of frustration and disappointment from the past. It wasn’t meant to criticise or expose anyone. That time was hard, but it was also a valuable experience that made me stronger. I still support the friends I trained with and will work on improving myself.”
Her Journey Before and After N-Team
Harin, a former member of the Japanese idol group Shibu3 Project, passed an audition for Source Music in 2020 and joined a pre-debut lineup believed by fans to be “N-Team” — a project reportedly involving future NewJeans members. The group’s debut never happened, and several members later joined Min Hee Jin’s label ADOR to debut as NewJeans.
Harin revealed that just before the planned debut, she was unexpectedly told to leave the team and terminate her contract, forcing her to return to Japan immediately.
Despite the setback, Harin says she is focusing on her modelling career and remains grateful for the lessons learned.
