KPOP's Most Tragic Survival Show - KARA Project

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Hey guys,
I'm sure all of you have heard of survival shows like Produce 101, Girls Planet 999 and iLand, but today I will be talking about a less well known show called KARA Project. Terrible events happened to each and every contestant after the show, making KARA project perhaps the most tragic KPOP survival show ever.
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Credits:
- Research by: Evangeline, Shigi
- Editing by: Evangeline, Alya

[@ploopy678]

Trigger warning: This video contains briefly touches on some heavy topics (s*icide, and EDs.), so if these topics trigger you then please do not watch this video! Watch out for your mental health and stay safe 😊 Also, I just realized that there were a few seconds from 21:31 - 21:40 where the sound cut off. I was basically saying there that many of the contestants who lost the show ironically ended up with better career prospects than the winner. Huge thanks to Seoulbox for sponsoring this video! Get your very own Seoulbox box at: myseoulbox.com/​ (Use Code PLOOPY15 for 15% off!) Watch My Teenage Girl with me on Patreon: www.patreon.com/ploopy678

[@Madchad6969]

Finally

[@richiestephanie1852]

Ok sis this outfit todayyy.

[@Madchad6969]

Every outfit you wear is fire

[@neozones9648]

please include warnings like that in the video too next time I was so thrown off

[@kpopscenario1406]

Hiii

[@scottietrademark]

I cant imagine being 22 and thinking your career is over, its disgusting that women have an expiration date because of their age/looks. I feel so bad for Sojin, thinking that she was done for because of DSP and the entertainment industry's stupid and closed mindset

[@mariannebec9871]

The worst out of this is how industry is pushing it on more and more and people support ! Like My Teenage Girl has 120k subscribers and most of top trainees are from the 1st grade (10-12 YEARS OLD) or 3rd (15/17) this insane

[@kimkardashi-un2.051]

I don't know why they want to see infants dancing on stage, like 🧐

[@mewhenjungkookeats1553]

Don't men have an expiration date as well?

[@johannaisolde]

@@mewhenjungkookeats1553 Look at how many second gen boy group comebacks we had this year. Then do the same for girl groups. Noticing sonething? While it's true that men debut at a very young age too, the idea that women aren't attractive anymore after they have reached a certain age is very prevalent in the media. In Kpop, a lot of people think girl groups "age out", which is when most members reach their late to mid twenties and their contracts expire.

[@lnaa3728]

It is the same for men.

[@MsAsh3070]

What happened to poor Sojin is exactly why the rise of these survival shows terrifies me. Some of these kids are so, so young and when they get eliminated, they feel that it's the end and they've no future left. And then add in the public humiliation aspect...I wouldn't be surprised if there were other Sojin's among the lesser known Produce, Mix Nine, Idol School, I-land, Unit etc. contestants. There really are not enough people priorising the safety and mental wellbeing of these young kids.

[@havensohn3821]

Lets not forget the my teenage girl kids. The children are being pitted against the older girls acting tough and bratty leading to hate and I cannot fathom the irresponsibility of mbc.

[@Sanas_Shy_Language]

Well, the issue is that Sojin felt too old. Everyone else in her life was getting their stuff together while she was working hard trying to become an idol before she became too old and sadly, when she didn't make it into Kara, her last chance was taken from her. Im sure the pressure from her parents didn't help either.

[@DaeguYunie]

@@havensohn3821 - My Teenage Girl especially gives me the creeps. Aren’t there 11/12 year olds being pitted against grown women in their early 20s? It already seems to unfair to everyone, plus I saw some clips of two girls who were voted by viewers as a joke and it just seems to sad to get their hopes up like that. It kinda felt like they were being advertised by the show as a “bimbo duo” who are just so ✨confused✨ and ✨inexperienced✨ and so get treated like a joke without really thinking about how this might effect them in the future :/ But I could be misreading things, so feel free to tell me what you think.

[@MsAsh3070]

@@Sanas_Shy_Language That may be how she felt but she had depression, she wasn't viewing things objectively. 22 isn't too old, lots of idols debut in their early 20s. Mamamoo had just debuted around then and Solar and Moonbyul would've been the same age. Victoria from F(x) debuted when she was 22. Irene was 23. 2ne1's Bom and Dara were 25. Jiae and Baby Soul from Lovelyz were about the same age. Sojin from Girls Day was 26. Kahi from After School was 29. Is it harder? Yes, but not impossible. And she had some public interest behind her as Baby KARA's Sojin. I honestly do think that if she had tried another company after her contract with DSP had ended, she would've been snapped up and debuted very quickly, particularly at that time when trainees with existing public recognition were a lot less common. She wasn''t out of options and if her illness hadn't won, she could very well have such a bright future today.

[@michellesmirnova4471]

@@MsAsh3070 I have to say that you have decent reflections but we also don’t really know the girl and have no idea what might’ve been going on in her life. I do agree that her irrational thoughts probably contributed to things, but I do also believe there is a very real pressure around debuting at a certain point. Especially nowadays debutants are only getting younger and younger, it’s rare to see anybody over the age of 20 in these new lineups. I frankly think it’s wrong to have a bunch of young kids debut in groups, but that’s irrelevant. The point is that, while I do think she was being unreasonably harsh with herself, fighting for idol life when you’re above say 23, especially these days, is like fighting for a “normal” career when you’re 50. It’s possible but it’s damn difficult because nobody wants someone who’s not young and fresh

[@natashanatasha7875]

Sojin's story is tragic, I didn't see much of her during the 1st ep of the show, but she seemed nice...

[@Shyress]

Yeah just seeing her in these clips made me think that she had to be such a nice and loving person, that id love to be friends with. And the fact that she saw no future and thought that death was the only option makes me so sad.

[@FatimaMarques0890]

Sojin, poor girl I get why she felt the way she felt. Can't even imagine how her parents must have felt at burying their daughter, the amount of guilt or regret or for not having believed and supported their daughter in the pursuit of her dreams. Imagine if not only had she debuted but having her family backing her up. Total different story, most likely.

[@jeromesol2725]

I guess her family didn't support her because they might've known about how hard it might've been to be an idol. They should've supported her instead despite knowing it, but I will have to give it to them that they didn't since they must've known the difficulties of an idol or through other means or maybe they just really don't want her to become an idol because they planned a job for her

[@Octobris]

Good. That father can rot.

[@tsuyuasui7297]

@@jeromesol2725 they most likely just planned a job for her

[@MsAsh3070]

One thing you're slightly off on is that KARA Project wasn't to find one new member of the group, initially they were going to take two girls to replace Nicole and Jiyoung, not one. It was only towards the end of the show that they decided they were only going to take one. Sojin was actually a favourite to win given that she was closest in age to KARA, the KARA members favourite to win and number 2 in popularity among the public. So she definitely would've gotten in the group if the original plan to take two girls had remained.

[@cgilbert210]

That makes Sojin's story even more tragic. 😭

[@NayNay_D]

If I am not wrong Somin end in number 2, and Sojin in 3

[@aliaqadeeja7553]

Nooo poor Sojin😭😭😭

[@betterthanyou.9530]

SoMin was second place. Not soJin.

[@nightvisiongoggles]

Like what others who followed the show have said, it must be made clear that Youngji and Somin were 1 and 2 in votes and popularity. But because 633 people already liked the comment, they already believed what you said.

[@nexusonels]

So many people forget Sojin. It breaks my heart when they bring up idols that have passed and always neglect her struggle. I miss her light.

[@thekeytomyheart_]

I think it's because she's not considered an idol but a trainee

[@Esandeech2]

@@thekeytomyheart_ yup

[@Akursedtime]

In a sense, I think Somin is the one who came out alright because she got to debut with Kard and their type of music is her style. She got to get what she wanted and of course, has an international fanbase. It's heartbreaking that Sojin felt so defeated that she did what she did because of being released by DSP and not being able to debut in Kara.

[@Sanas_Shy_Language]

I think Yooji honestly got the best deal. She's avoided controversy and is relatively successful.

[@michellesmirnova4471]

The bullying scandal did taint Somin’s image a lot tho, I’ve been one of her fans for a long time and I remember how much people started going against her after the scandal

[@Pollo.a.la.crema.]

@@michellesmirnova4471 but then the truth came out and so she doesn’t really have scandals against her now.

[@Fergus316]

Somin was perfect as a mini version of Goo Hara in KARA Project in a girl crush concept, but then the company put her into April with a cute girly concept and a bunch of much younger girls, some in middle school. Somin was the oldest and the leader, but she was only age 18. An 18 year old leading a bunch of young teen girls, in a concept that didn't suit her. I think it was a big mistake. I don't know if it was the company or Somin herself who decided to take her out of April and put her in KARD, but it was the right decision. Personally, I think bullying did happen, but I think teenage girls do things that they grow out of later. I wish forgiveness was a real thing among Kpop stans. These girls are facing extreme pressure, and the adults at their company are only interested in money and profits. They know debuting young girls is the way to bigger profits. The problem is that no one is allowed to grow up and move on. Hyunjoo is kept a slave to her contract, unable to take her talents elsewhere. The others are bound forever to their actions as middle schoolers, never allowed to change and become a better person. It is a perverse system that creates a lot of misery in the pursuit of fame and money.

[@thatasiangirl0_039]

@@Pollo.a.la.crema. Whether the truth came out or not, the damage has been done. Also it's not like everyone knows, most people just labelled her as a bully and never came back.

[@Sanas_Shy_Language]

I've always felt bad for Youngji. She finally debuted only to have it taken from her and then she watched all her fellow contestants debut while she got left behind. I hope she's doing ok.

[@horizonkyun7203]

it makes me sad seeing how she tries to keep the kara legacy alive and performs their songs alone, but she doesn’t get invited to the reunion :(

[@pinkeupanda6265]

@@yukijames1321 dont take it as a bad thing. the thing is Kara members the original OT5 have such amazing friendship.

[@izzaghassani7187]

@@yukijames1321 it wouldn't hurt to invite her...

[@kricelle]

Youngji is definitely not left behind. She's doi g great actually. Her sched is always packed. She's now focused on MC jobs, theatre, radio, drama, and of course, variety shows. She's planning to release her solo album soon.

[@ariesmothsong]

@@yukijames1321 so? She was still a member and deserves respect.

[@killuazoldyckhunter]

What happened with Sojin is so tragic. I pray for all the trainees to find the right opportunities and keep going on as their wish.

[@kittenyuuuu]

Wait what happened

[@dany4645]

@@kittenyuuuu Tw// s*icide She took her own life after the agency dropped her, its in the video.

[@sophia7474]

@@dany4645 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@tsuyuasui7297]

@@dany4645 I wonder if the agency felt guilyy

[@IKEMENOsakaman]

I really hope that everyone who went through that is still mentally healthy. Too much unnecessary stress is really unhealthy... :'(

[@rachelcookie321]

The chances are they are more likely not

[@nihoniium]

I still can’t forget about the death of Ahn Sojin.

[@HectorH-M]

Same

[@LovelyLara123]

Yes. May she rest in peace…😢😢😢😢

[@stan_tripleS]

Update: APRIL has disbanded because of the bullying controversy KARA did a 15th anniversary comeback with former members + Youngji 😊 KARD Somin is doing fine now and she has been proved innocent 3YE has basically faded into darkness and no one has heard of them for a while

[@Andres-.-]

It was an extremely poor decision to have a show with that premise to begin with considering they had a perfectly good girl group to debut already. Sojin, Somin, Youngji, and Chaekyung/Chaewon would’ve made a cohesive group on their own…

[@user-nd5lg2rj2j]

The entire 7-member lineup, honestly. I know Yuji seems a lot younger than the rest, but she's 3 years older than April's maknae despite April debuting only a year after this show.

[@ubergamer2010]

Sojin was a star. I wanted her to debut so bad and she 110% deserved to, especially considering the original expectation was that 2 girls would debut. The judging criteria for the finale also originally said that KARA would be present for the finale and have a say in the final member choices, but they weren't there. Nothing against Youngji but there was obviously some voting manipulation going on especially considering the criteria for the finale was changed last minute. Plus, only debuting 1 instead of the promised 2 feels very crooked and wrong.

[@pjama6859]

I thought I was the only one who thinking like this, omg. I don't mean any malicious things to Youngji, but mostly to the agency / producer / or who it was who designed this survival show. But I can clearly feel that they slightly push Youngji from the very start of the show. The other members were seems aware that she's the favorite of their agency and the staffs (they would voluntarily let Youngji lead the song/dance, but ofc she's so charming, I've been liking her ever since she trained together with Ahreum T-ARA). If DSP let the show to be 50 vote:50 agency's pick, I think it doesn't hurt to pick Sojin and Youngji since they're 91s and 94s line, just the same as Nicole and Jiyoung. Maybe this would help more on balancing the group chemistry and age gap, because honestly some moments feels so awkward toward GyuriSeungyeonHara and Youngji. If Sojin was choosen, maybe that will helping Youngji too to get closer with the unnis line. Somin, Chaewon, and Chaekyung would safely debut in their current group (hopefully the bullying scandal would finished cleanly for Hyunju and April and Somin). But reality is real, right in front of us. I pray for Sojin, she would happily walk in heaven now, no more sorrow life, no more feeling depressed. She's an angel who just coming back to the heaven, but with a hurtful way, but she's still an angel, a very beautiful and kind angel to me, and to us. As for Yuji, I really hope her group would also do pretty well too, because she's almost an all rounder members to me (nowadays, I'm mesmerized by her vocal tone too, and she's glowing up so well omg I'm so happy to see her! Her dance is also more shaped). Lastly for Shiyun, being an actress is not an easy part, same as idol. I really wish her a happy life and anything she will pursue are going to pay someday. In Baby Kara, I really love to see ChaekyungSomin friendship, but ever since in PD101, I love her chemistry with Chaekyung too.

[@MusicallyObsessedBoi]

They totally used KARA. Remember the episode preview of the contestants meeting KARA but then it never made it to the episode? Didn’t the KARA members themselves say they didn’t what the show to happen? And then they had the 6 who didn’t win perform during KARA’s concert in Japan and even uploaded it online, they were soooo teasing them as a group, idk why they didn’t debut them together

[@otavianiluciano7397]

In the 4th episode, they made a show in Japan and Youngji was considered the most popular of the group after their show there. That was what made her victory. Aside from this, this show was a great sham.

[@tsuyuasui7297]

@@MusicallyObsessedBoi yeah seems like a missed opportunity for them tbh

[@imbabey]

My heart breaks for Sojin... she must've felt like she had no other option... i hope her parents don't feel guilty

[@BestAbsoluteBabyMoMo]

Definitely tough...imagine being 23 and thinking your life is over smh

[@Octobris]

I hope they absolutely do.

[@tsuyuasui7297]

@@Octobris uhm why¿¿¿ that's messed up to say

[@LovelyLara123]

@@OctobrisWtf……..that’s a horrible thing to say……Imagine having a daughter who k!113d herself bc she felt she had nothing to live for….and then people online to say that they hope you feel guilty…….

[@jurikvillaseran5886]

It's so sad that people tends to limit the age when it comes to debuting. Hopefully we can normalize debuting at least 20-23. I mean, talent is still talent no matter what age.

[@sufiasabahath]

👏

[@yuki97kira]

My favourite band ONEWE and ONEUS have 27/28 yr old member.... Theyre the best still, doing music and looking young. I think they debut about 2 or 3 years ago

[@askformore9293]

I doubt that will happen. Idols are debuting really young just as they always have, probably a little younger too.

[@triorantauxodiac]

Secret number has 27 years old Lea. And she debuted in her 26. And look at Secret Number now. Although the album sells not quite well total kinda 30 k ish copy but they have lots of jobs. Including Tokopedia.

[@harleyqueeen]

I don't think that's possible. Have you heard of Gangkiz? Well, someone taught it'd be a good idea to experiment with debuting a group of older members. Their music and concepts were very good. The members were pretty. The group flopped.

[@Gatekeeper201]

RIP Ahn Sojin May 25, 1992 - February 24, 2015 You are dearly missed. ❤️😭

[@cgilbert210]

Poor SoJin. 22 is so so young. It's ridiculous how they make it seem like you can't debut as a pop singer if you're over the age of 20. I really hope that changes. They should have debuted the "losers" of the contest in a group. That would've been interesting. I never heard of April but I love their concept. The outfits look like something my Animal Crossing character would wear.

[@dakshinapaudel9768]

my heart goes out to all the people who went on this show. The KARA project was a horrible and unfortunate situation. Rest in peace Ahn Sojin, our angel ♡

[@CharmfulCarlie]

I also watched this show. The truth is, Kara did not need new members given how establish the group was and their seniority. Skill wise, everything was covered. Seungyeon and Gyuri would've been the vocalist and Hara would've been the rapper and dancer. Unfortunately, DSP and their mismanagement forced the project and ended up having a backlash. Most Kamilias weren't on board on the project and left the fandom. The show should've been to build a sister group for Kara. P.s. Soojin and Youngji would've been a good addition to Kara but I believe they would work better as a member of a new group.

[@Gatekeeper201]

Yes, DSP was notorious for mismanaging their their groups. They tried fixing a problem they caused with KARA after they essentially forced Nicole out of the group. I love Youngji and she fit in well with the remaining KARA members, but she really did get the short stick. I also question why DSP felt the need to add more members when there really wasn’t a need. They created the problem and in trying to “fix” it, they only made it worse.

[@pjama6859]

Agree with you. Honestly, I can see it implicitly that most Kamilia only adore OT5 members (well, there are some of them who only cherished OT4 2nd - GyuriSeungyeonHaraJiyoung since Nicole main cause of left DSP because she and her family were filing a lawsuit on KARA and DSP for making a "slave contract" for her; as for Jiyoung left the group because she want to established her career in Japan). Most of Kamilia (implicitly) don't really pay attention to Seunghee (the 1st member who left KARA, and the 1st OT4 member) and Youngji simply because they don't feel much chemistry with both of them since their time with the fans and the group were so short. But not that Kamilia ignoring them, it's just like "yeah, you were part of the group too, so we will support you, but maybe not with a wholeheartedly supporting you guys," kinda like that.

[@hana.kamilia]

I agree. As a Kamilia who has been with them since 2010, i was upset that they decided to make the show to find new members for KARA. The group was already so well established and had a solid fanbase. They were doing showcases or performances with only 3 members as well, and it was totally ok. My top picks out of baby KARA were Sojin and Somin. Since Youngji missed one mission during the show due to a leg injury, i thought everyone started voting for her out of pity, and i thought that was unfair for the other girls. Anyway i ended up supporting her out of “obligation” at first cuz she became a part of KARA, but she did actually grow on me quite a bit. KARA went on as 4 members just to then separate a year later. The whole baby KARA was so unnecessary but im glad Youngji gained a large fanbase especially after Roommate with Jackson. She could have just debuted with the other girls in April tbh

[@tsuyuasui7297]

@@hana.kamilia what is this thing called "roommate with jackson" ?

[@hana.kamilia]

@@tsuyuasui7297 they were both on a variety show called Roommate with other entertainers

[@clariealenko]

Sometimes I wonder if someone at DPS ever tought about debuting Baby Kara as a 7 member group. Maybe things would have gone different for everyone, especially Sojin

[@deanab-se5op]

My thoughts. Kara eventually disbanded + April debuted with cute concept. Yooji, Somin & Sojin suit girl crush concept.

[@Simsirens]

I have to slightly disagree about youngji fading out. yes, she may not be in the spotlight idol-wise but I see her all the time when it comes to being on variety shows or dramas. and often times she’s a host/mc that plays an important role. so she may not be active as a singer anymore but I think she’s still doing what she loves and that’s all that matters. (no hate btw I’ve just kept up with her so I wanted to share my two cents 😭)

[@zahara5472]

^

[@kricelle]

Thank you for saying this. It's so sad to see comments about youngji and accusing her of not having anything after kara. She's still with work (probably the busiest among all of them) but international fans only watch mainstream shows. Youngji always have a full sched. Youngji stans barely keep up with her schedule.

[@lifeexperience9262]

Hi 🌹

[@lifeexperience9262]

@@zahara5472 🌹

[@Makiyavel]

Before I became a Buddy, I was a Kamilia. When GFRIEND just debuted with Glass Bead in January 2015, I felt good. I could see their passion and this would make me feel better about the stress of being a Kamilia in the year before (because BABY KARA... a mess). But Sojin committed suicide shortly after GFRIEND's debut and I felt really heartbroken, she was one of my favorite contestants from Baby KARA. Little did I know that in 2016, when LOL album was released, Sowon would mention Sojin in her "Thanks to" message... I knew that maybe Sojin wouldn't fit GFRIEND's concept so well but... At the time, I would rather have Sowon convince Sojin (somehow, yeah, because her situation was hard) to join Source Music than Sojin end her idol career and then her life like that ):

[@kazuhasgloves]

This is gonna be a heartbreaking yet informative video. I can't imagine what I'll be hearing but I'll brace myself.

[@eltonmoy6074]

Jesus Christ, this is like one of those horror movie curses where something horrible befalls the entire cast

[@jackdegraafdesigns6532]

I'm reminded of the Korean horror "White: Melody of Death"

[@anishaidarali6659]

I think you are talking about "Final Destination".

[@Marte0107]

God, Sojin would have only been 16 starting her trainee years at DSP and I imagine the stress was immense- un-supportive family, having trained 6 years, getting her trainee contract terminated, the thought of trying to find somewhere else to debut at an age where agencies would start dismiss taking you on (only in kpop 22 is 'old'). Rest in peace Sojin.

[@DanceObsessed8]

To think that 21 is old in some industries is just horrible to think about. That’s so so young. 😞😞

[@jeanneann3545]

Stuffs like this make me uncomfortable to stan younger groups. Currently iam 20 and i never realise how YOUNG nowadays idols are until i see 4 Gen Kpop idols. The only one I stan is TXT since theyre all around my age. Tried to stan younger groups but when i see theyre being viewed as sexy it just... Disturbing? Theyre minors, I couldnt bring myself to watch that kind of thing and I often wonder if they realise what are they doing.

[@carojm9451]

Came here after KARA's comeback in 2022 and I'm glad that YoungJi was able to comeback with all the other members. She seems so happy, I'm so proud of her 🤍

[@svftannies4113]

I believe somin has the best outcome out of all the baby Kara members,sure she went through various obstacles later (from puretty to April) but perhaps debuting with kard was the best decision for her and that's becuase kard has a stable and a quiet large international fanbase And somin really caught my attention from her charisma and aura when I first got to know about kard,I was immediately able to recognize jeon somin from when the names of baby Kara members were mentioned becuase I got to know about somin through kard,I believe she is pretty successful

[@hugskitten6100]

Agreed. I was so shocked to see her here, I love watching her on stage.

[@absolutelynotellen]

I've once heard about this show, thank you for bringing it up again. Rest in peace to Ahn Sojin.

[@rainbowtrash3428]

I have su*cidal tendencies and that really made me hurt for her, I know how much it hurts before a su*cide attempt and how lonely you feel. I am blessed that I have a mom and brother who love me so much, and friends and family in general.

[@klicclak]

Somin and KARD's international following don't care about the scandals as much as the Korean public. Most of KARD's success is international based anyways... so I definitely think she will be fine when KARD resumes activity after JSeph returns from the military. Matthew's english fluency (1st language) is a strong connection to the international fans as well.. and he only ever says nice things about Somin. BM is a perfect PR promotional tool for Somin and KARD!

[@hannathatsme9086]

No,there are a lot fans and kpopers now hate her for that scandal.They believe the news.There are a lot hate comment to her.For your info,koreans now don't believe on hyunjoo anymore like i-fans does.

[@gracelee5504]

Yeah it seems everyone forgot about the scandal and Kard is doing well and going on a tour soon

[@toyland12]

I'm glad you covered this in your usual thorough style. I watched several of the early episodes at the time and was pulling for Sojin. I was shocked that Youngji won when she missed so much of the show. Not hating on Youngji as she was a lot of fun on Roommate in 2014. I was especially shocked that they only took 1 member when KARA had always been 5 before. I felt really bad about what happened to Sojin, but in the end, there really were NO winners. The tragedy only continued with the loss of Goo Hara a few years later.

[@andredrw289]

I just find it so strange that DSP terminated Sojin cause if they did debut her in April she wouldn’t “fit the concept” I’m just like and Somin did?? Like 22 is a good age to debut in my opinion, hell Irene debuted around that age with Red Velvet and no one batted an eye. It just goes with the misogyny of the industry that once a female idol (and some male idols too but not as much” hits mid to late 20s they’re basically dried up and done and on to the next shiny thing. Heck, people call BoA an old woman when she’s only in her 30s. Like y’all have a very skewed vision of idols of you think 22 is too old

[@tokyoyoongi5538]

Irene is an exception because of her visuals. Pretty privilege exists, and her being a rare beauty definitely made SM (and Korea) look past her age. But, even then, some people STILL call her old, and they say that she needs to retire.

[@andredrw289]

@@tokyoyoongi5538 I’ve barely seen people say she needs to retire

[@trashcansexual]

I can relate to Sojins feelings of pressure so much.. feeling like because of her age , and her friends already having stable jobs etc, like she’s falling behind. I’m 25, turning 26, all my old friends work and have a career, and I still don’t know what to do in live.. like I don’t work , I’m trying to figure out what I wanna work as etc.. but because of my age, even finding a job with no experience at all is hard, and I feel so pressured..

[@editorija5675]

I'm proud of Somin joining KARD. They're pretty popular these days!

[@tokyoyoongi5538]

I had no idea that she was associated with Kara!

[@inthemiddleofnowhere3277]

@@tokyoyoongi5538 me neither but i first heard their song oh nana and instantly fell in love with their music the group is great

[@tokyoyoongi5538]

@@inthemiddleofnowhere3277 Oh yeah! Kard deserves their success.

[@inthemiddleofnowhere3277]

@@tokyoyoongi5538 absolutely they're super talented

[@fayebae4005]

KARA project was a bad idea from day one. Adding members after with such far apart contract deadlines was never going to work. Edit: I think bad things happen to lots of people in survival shows but because other survival shows have so many more contestants it doesn't look as condensed. Produce has a 100 people, The UNIT had 126, Mixnine had like 400 people try out. In my opinion it actually looks like Somin might get out of this relatively unscathed which feels kinda squiggly. Entertainment associate uncertain future but I guess everything is.

[@lauren9740]

OMG i completely forgot this was a thing and I remember when I watched this all when it was airing. How everything fell apart pretty much for all the girls that were in this show is so tragic I still think that they should have just debuted those 7 girls in a group instead of this show for a new KARA member when they were on the verge of disbandment

[@Sanas_Shy_Language]

ya know, that would've been a lot smarter.

[@jyodee_3159]

agree, I think the group had great chemistry together in the show. Though in hindsight, maybe their images would have clashed? With Sojin and Somin having a more mature image and Chaekyung, Chaewon and Yujin being somewhat younger.

[@izzaghassani7187]

@@jyodee_3159 the things is, many groups that have members with clashing images are able to make it work. i believe if they had debuted these 7 girls, they could've made it work somehow...

[@p.j.7143]

Wow, that... just really glazed over Sojin. I was honestly expecting a little more of an active voice in respecting her and others mental health struggles, but it was only mentioned for a brief moment before moving on? Does anyone else feel a little taken aback by how fast she moved past Sojin's final struggle?

[@damianjake6534]

well, it WAS a sensitive topic and the video revolved around ALL kara project contestants, not only sojin. ploopy only needed to shed some light about the issue regarding sojin, not rekindle and spread it over agin.

[@Alex-wx6he]

Yeah, it felt insensitive. The tone of it is also really weird, it's like a strange attempt at humor just after announcing a tragic suicide. The cut and the words right after are said in such a flippant way it's just such a strange choice.

[@imorca1994]

I have loved all 3YE's music, and I think they have a fairly bright future as a trio. I hope that might be a trajectory that gives at least one member a longer career of possibilities than the others have had.

[@ancientmingyu0604]

It really seems that Somin came out the best. KARD was just on tour in the US, they are very successful internationally and Somin has a huge following in the Hidden Kards fandom. She's beloved by so many people, KARD is one of my ult groups and I love them so much ❤️ She has an incredible voice, she fits the concepts to a tee, her dancing is fantastic and her beauty unmatched. I'm so happy for her and hope that KARD will gain more success in Korea too because they definitely deserve every crumb of it.

[@bisheen]

The mention of Sojin's death shook me up, I wasn't expecting that and she seemed like such an angel, life is too hard on people. May her beautiful soul rest in peace 🕊️

[@JuanitaAristizabal]

Im a older kpop fan and I watched this survival show. My favorite contestant was SoJin. She was such a talented bright spirited girl. I was at a loss when I heard what she did. I wish the best to all of the girls. Hopefully they wont feel taking their lifes is the answer. The kpop world is just too harsh at times

[@Dervis128]

I knew that the winner wouldn't do well because the Kara members didn't even want a new member. In an online post, one of the members implied that it was DSP's decision to add more members and not theirs, and that they wanted to continue as a trio. The message was deleted quickly, but it was still reported on.

[@zoomzoom103]

The whole show was a bad idea. Kara didn't need a new member, especially so late in their career. The company could've easily just rode the wave of Kara's popularity as a trio and disbanded when the remaining girls were ready to move on. What would've been more productive is to form a new girl group from the 7 contestants, instead of getting their hopes up and then shattering them for a plan that was doomed from the start.

[@missbrauchbar]

I watched Baby Kara Project since I'm a Kamilia and they were all amazing. I followed everyone of them on their path. Sadly Sojins was so short. I wished they debuted Youngji and Sojin with the remaining Kara members. I love Kard and 3YE and April and hope they all will get successful and happy in their life!

[@francescodallavilla5875]

i’m sorry but you talked about Sojin in such an insensitive way:/ it was really hard to hear

[@yananismybaby7541]

This is what I thought too, she should be more careful when talking about those kinds of things.

[@Sunny-xq3ul]

Wait I don't get it. why was it disrespectful? I don't think she make fun of Sojin or say she should die

[@yananismybaby7541]

@@Sunny-xq3ul that whole "at least they have a future to worry about" was a really insensitive way to introduce a topic as serious as s*icide.

[@9xprincess]

Sojin's story is exactly why the idol trainee system shouldn't even exist or be majorly reformed. People should not spend so many years of their lives slaving away to become a part of a group that they aren't guaranteed to even join. Its so unpredictable, cold, and honestly a unneeded process. Just do auditions to find the set members, go through artistic development, plan the first album, and then debut.

[@kelvinl1547]

I remember watching KARA Project when I was a little kid. Back then, Youngji was my favorite. After Mamma Mia MV and the reality show Roommate 2 aired, I haven't seen her since, and worse, I totally forgot about her. I heard Sojin was also a great contestant as well but she lost in the end. I can't believe her death was this tragic and I kinda feel sorry for her and all other contestants. The music industry is a competitive phase and it adds a lot of pressure to the idols who aren't able to reach out well to the audiences.

[@loverose3964]

Youngji has been active on variety shows since forever, you're not following her on ig I guess, like I was randomly watching korean variety show and she would appear as guest and I didn even know she appeared like 2 or 3 on running man

[@Donghae4myvalentine]

Not forgetting that people started to attacked Youngji because of Sojin’s passing, etc.

[@wattswo]

Hey y'all KARA came back! It's amazing! 😍 They actually released an album, performed at this year's MAMA and even at performed at Music Bank. RBW ate DSP so KARA is now managed by RBW instead.

[@iluvsoob304]

when you said sojin jumped.. my heart sunk. though i was never with her or got to experience what she was really like it stills hurts. it’s so sad her life ended when she was so young. 🙁

[@YedLee]

I feel so bad for Sojin, because as someone who's in a similar age range, the want to catch up with everyone and be successful in your life is what you want. If that opportunity was suddenly taken away from me, idk what I'd do either. It's pretty scary and sad that ageism in the kpop industry has affected someone like this.

[@marisolsdiary3974]

I had to pause and take that in for a second with what happened to So Jin. Me at 23 and trying to go for my dreams but also feeling left behind by my peers hit way to close to home. 😔

[@Esandeech2]

Kara still did well in Japan, and Youngji thoroughly enjoyed that succes. So it’s not like she joined a failing group. Kara their popularity in Japan was still crazy, even during the releases of Mamma Mia and Cupid.

[@dany4645]

Poor soojin oh my god, this is so fucking tragic I'm gonna cry.

[@Raphael-2]

I was surprised that you mentioned Sojin committed suicide so quickly as if you said she was fired or something.

[@danceon7141]

This Kara Project shows Hyunjoo's accusation against APRIL has a lot of discrepancy, bc she said 2014 she was bullied by them when Chaewon and Somin was here and they never live together in dorm, APRIL wasnt even formed that yet 😬

[@serenatsukino5252]

I feel so sorry for Sojin. May she rest in peace.

[@light_bit]

Actually. Shiyoon and chaekyung also on original line up of APRIL. But they left before even debuted and compete in Produce 101. Hyunjoo also leave and Naeun came because she not even make into sixteen line up. And hyunjoo came in again . And, APRIL debuted.

[@meepz9399]

I don't understand why DSP changed their plans of debuting two new members to just one, knowing very well that Gyuri, Seungyeon, and Hara may not renew. At least if the three left (which they did), DSP could have marketed the remaining two members as a subunit and kept the KARA brand alive somehow. It's terrible that many of these girls' careers didn't work out the way they dreamt it would, especially Sojin.

[@Peachiebun]

Yes! I remember this show and the aftermath for each contestant because of an old kpop channel I used to watch called MisterPoPo. He was a huge Kara fan. Also this reminded me of bland survival shows back then, for example MYDOL (that made VIXX) was just like this, it was boring lol but afterwards some of the contestants did debut in other groups.

[@toyland12]

Ya, Mr. PoPo! Meet him once at KCON. Big Nari fan too!

[@chaeyoung2114]

also apparently hyunju lied about april ( specifically naeun ) bullying her

[@tamiamurphy7820]

RIP to Ahn So-jin and Goo Hara I pray they’re resting beautifully ❤️

[@showmustgowon]

i’m happy you talk about this… rest in peace ahn sojin

[@MiahMiahpogi]

That's so dumb honestly 😭 they could just debut all baby kara together rather than debuting one member to add on a group that is in the process on disbanding

[@jmac356]

At least add 6 of them, or 9, to coete better with Girl's Generation, who had 9. KARA is back, BTW.

[@blobaloo]

I watched the show years ago and I remember being upset that Sojin got second place when she was (imo) the best candidate and she seemed like she would fit with the other members the best. I had no idea what happened to her after the show!!! She was so talented, it breaks my heart....

[@JLTGFan]

This video just proves how crappy Kara Project was. It just hurts me that most companies don’t care about their idols’ health, and treat them like items. This is just heartbreaking Edit: I know it’s a sad story BUT 19 LIKES OH MY GOODNESS MOOOOM IM FAMOUS. New record

[@weeabooper]

Revisiting this after seeing Youngji in the comeback!! 🥹💕

[@commercialfree]

Given all what happened to all participants in the show I think Somin is the most successful of them all. She debuted in April but withdraw and later on re-debuted in Kard, which was more successful compared to her previous group. Kard has had international tours and is pretty popular internationally which can't be said of April.

[@otavianiluciano7397]

KARD is very popular here in Brazil.

[@Rjc2k2]

I'm so happy somin had the courage to speak up about her displeasure or KARD would've been very different today 😔

[@maro_vela_22]

Who's here after Kara came back with When I Move?

[@unwishfulthink]

Winning the KARA project turned out to be merely the start of Youngji's very long, very arduous journey. I am so glad it works out at the end for Youngji with KARA's come back in 2022, but Youngji had to persevere through a lot.

[@evediby2183]

Wow I love KARD but I had no idea the Somin or even the hidden KARD was a part of KARA project!

[@mena1954]

Bm and Jseph were Somin's backdancers when she covered Problem by Ariana grande on that show. You should check it out.

[@Jjangbunbun]

That is so tragic to hear about Sojin. These poor girls put so much pressure on themselves and thinking that they’re too ‘old’ at 22… that’s insanity everyone around her failed her.

[@DanasGoneCrazy]

I'm the same age as Sojin was when her life tragically ended, so hearing her story really hit me hard. I cried quite a bit. I hope we can do as much as we can to prevent such a tragic fate from befalling any more young women in her position.

[@fancypapercutz]

I had no idea about any of this, it’s so tragic, thank you for sharing these girls stories ❤️

[@rahafkamilia8717]

I remember strongly opposing the survival show back then as a Kamilia. It didn't make sense to add one member when the group has already been promoting successfully for 7 years. Kara was BIG so it was a huge risk. Nonetheless, Youngi was loved and she did pretty well. She is very talented and I feel bad for her. She did a fan meeting singing Kara songs all by her own and wow she was great. It's the company's fault. You could see it coming tbh. Youngji is doing well in Korea actually. She recently won an award.

[@OustoL]

I remember watching Baby Kara at the time and Sojin was my favorite...I was so devastated when the news of her suicide came out. I haven't watched a survival show since. :/ Even all these years later my heart breaks for her and I wish she would have been able to debut. Maybe things would have ended differently. I hope at least now she is at peace.

[@Kokola-qh9wp]

Somin was the luckiest imo, she still gets a lot of love from hidden Kards and her group members are amazing.... Sojin had a tragic ending, she was lost before she was even given a chance :( I feel so terrible for her, I can relate to the pain she must have been in, I hope she's in a better place now :(

[@ezrairene5503]

Btw, the group Puretty is featured on an anime called Pretty Rhythm: Dear My Future! It's worth checking out if you like idol singer type of anime

[@BleachBlue04]

Sorry, the vid moved away from Sojin too fast after talking about her death. I was stuck on it the rest of the video. Also, no. The company should not have dropped her. They were cruel for dropping her last second after wasting 6 of her years. Twice has members doing a cute (now a bit more mature) concept for years and they’re all well into their mid 20s now. DSP is stupid and they suffered the consequences for it. The contestants deserved so much better. Rest in peace, Sojin. I’m extremely sad I couldn’t hear your voice more.

[@petsandthingsilike]

And it's so unfair considering they promised 2 to debut, and usually the a solid and well rounded leader always debuts.. (Jihyo/Sojin) especially since she was with them so long. Very unfair and cruel.

[@BleachBlue04]

@@petsandthingsilike 👏🏻

[@johannaisolde]

Agree. Age doesn't determine skill

[@Godongo]

It's very unfair, but I understand where they are coming from. Especially if they were a small company that didn't have money to promote another group. We also don't know anything that went down. Also, they may have had to cut back a lot of trainees and she was just one of them. I'm sure JYP and every company has dropped trainees after training for many many years. It's really unfair and sad, but it's the best decision business wise. Rest in peace Sojin. 💔 I feel so bad for her

[@SailorSaturn1994]

So KARA was my absolute favorite group back in the day and I was devastated when they disbanded, and I remember KARA Project very well. Youngji and Sojin were my favorites throughout the show (I couldn't watch it but I kept myself updated) and I cried when the news about Sojin came out. what made the whole thing worse was that there were people who legitimately blamed Youngji for Sojin's suicide, I remember there were people demanding that Youngji resign from KARA and whatnot. It was awful.

[@abcxyz9852]

Thank you for covering this! I have never heard of the show. Now I have some context for the Young Ji feature in Oh Nana, it only had seemed random to me.

[@zia2328]

your topics are so interesting , love the effort you put on each of your videos

[@KyreeHarris]

How is Ploopy in my head!!! I literally have been thinking about Baby Kara for the past two days and even found myself looking at performances!

[@katiekrazie]

I’m SO glad you’re talking about this. I watched this show when it aired and I still think about how messed up it was.

[@Pain-yx1ri]

Finalllllyyy you released something!! I missed you girl!

[@itsmefm]

Hello Ploopy! I've watched a few of your videos recently and I am really impressed. Keep up the good work!

[@yari139]

No controversies while it aired?!?!? Are you serious?! People were constantly losing their mind how someone that was seemingly not in the show was the front runner. Youngji was literally in like 2 episodes because she was injured and somehow won. Somin was one of the favorites to win, but they literally said she looked too much like Goo Hara so it would be confusing to fans. That whole show was so scripted.

[@baezforever1988]

I'm so happy to see a new video only after a week !!

[@nekograce7914]

I will always love KARD. I have no doubt Somin did not bully anyone. And we’ve already learned there’s always more going on than we, the public, know. But I do feel bad for the remaining April members that had nothing to do with the alleged situation. Sojin’s story should be more widely known. Fame is difficult

[@killjoy8372]

Omg!!! I love 3ye and had no idea yuji was in this or unit 9! I was so surprised when I heard the name "apple b" and was like "??? Isn't that the group 3ye was before??" And lo and behold it was Also I knew somin was in pristin but also had no idea she was in this show! I can't believe two of my fave female idols were in this and I had no idea lol

[@PND-ye3hq]

Wow, you always release these videos at the most coincidental times. I was just searching for KARA MVs and thinking about that whole project...

[@seraphica6539]

I honestly didn't expect Sojin to end her life. I always felt like crying despite not knowing about her until this video

[@KpopLife-ob8rb]

You look so pretty ploopy and I love your hair💕

[@persephone2706]

I really love that you cover topics that I've never heard of. It might just be me and my ignorance towards Kpop history since I'm relatively new to whole "fandom" thing. I don't feel inclined to be a part of one, I just listen to whatever music I enjoy from any group or artist. Anyways _(I got off track there, almost went on a huge tangent lol)_ I almost always learn something new from your channel when it comes to Kpop, whether it be the idols themselves, choreography, the companies, sasaengs... Anything. Thank you so much for all the hard work it takes creating these videos for us, and for _free!_

[@lifeexperience9262]

Love you

[@antikpop43]

DSP should not have added a new member to Kara at all or even make a survival show about it. Kara debuted in 2007 and made a name for themselves in the industry. Adding a new member(s) is always never a good idea. Best case scenario, a new member is added, and but he or she somewhat carries the group if they were already successful, leaving the other members in his or her shadow. The next outcome, the most likely one, is the new member being seen as part of the group but is usually the least popular/successful and many people even believe that they should not be part of the group. Yeri from Red Velvet, Somyi from DIA, or any of the most of the new members from 9muses are examples of this. The worst case scenario is what happened to T-ara, adding a new member for seemingly no reason but most likely to get trainees to benefit from the group without debuting another group but the new member damages the reputation and/or popularity of the group. And if they stay in the group, they are never seen as a part of it and is considered the “other member” that not many people Stan or like. All in all, adding members is never a good idea and mostly hurts the group and members. The Kara members spent about 7 to 10 years together, and knew how to work in the industry (even in Japan). Youngji felt so out of place. Adding a new member to a popular group for no reason or to fill in spots is terrible. Imagine if HYPE did that to BTS. When Kara has reunions as friends they never invite Younji. Kara might had more success(after 2014) if they did not add a new member because they had a long hiatus and had to introduce a new member to an established group. Long hiatuses and line-up changes are the ultimate reasons why most groups decline. The only time adding new member(s) works out if the group has yet to be successful or popular. Kara’s debut flopped and got popular after adding new members, who were seen as a part of the group because not many people knew about them until that point. The only subversion of this is AKB48 but that is mostly different because the dynamics of the group and Japan’s culture somehow made it very successful and profitable.

[@rainbowsubs2]

Kara had a comeback actually!