BABYMONSTER is down one member. The upcoming K-pop band, which was formed earlier this year through a reality show, is the first girl group to come out of YG Entertainment since BLACKPINK in 2016. Now, the South Korean label has announced Ahyeon‘s departure from the group, just weeks before their official debut. Keep reading for everything we know.
Is Ahyeon Leaving BABYMONSTER?
YG Entertainment just announced that Ahyeon has left the ensemble in order to focus on her well-being during a press conference on Wednesday, November 15. The news comes just weeks before BABYMONSTER’s official debut on November 27, 2023.
“Although we are saddened to be unable to introduce Ahyeon as a member of BabyMonster, we made this decision for the sake of the artist’s health,” the label stated. “We will spare no support so that Ahyeon can recover fully and return in good health.”
“BABYMONSTER will be debuting as a six-member group with Ruka, Pharita, Asa, Haram, Rora and Chiquita. After careful discussion, it was decided that Ahyeon, who prepared together [with BABYMONSTER], will be focusing on getting rest for the time being due to health reasons,” the statement read, as translated by Soompi.
Ahyeon was the first member to be selected for BABYMONSTER, and served as the group’s vocalist, rapper and dancer. There was speculation that Ahyeon, 16, was leaving the group for months prior to the official news, but YG had remained silent on her status up until now.
Who Is BABYMONSTER?
BABYMONSTER consists of now-six members, and released a pre-debut single in May 2023 titled “Dream.” The group will make their highly anticipated official debut on Monday, November 27.
The group’s selection process was chronicled by a 2023 reality show titled Last Evaluation, showcasing seven potential members. YG Entertainment founder, Yang Hyun-suk, AKMU’s Lee Su-hyun and WINNER’s Kang Seung-yoon and Lee Seung-hoon helped to judge, rank and determine which girls would debut in YG’s next girl group — with all the members ultimately making the cut.
BABYMONSTER is promoted as an “all-rounder” group or “monster rookies,” hence their name. All members excel in either vocals, rap or dance. The ensemble is also proficient in multiple languages, such as Korean, English, Japanese, Thai, and Chinese.
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