Where Is Shin Jimin Now? Status of Ex-AOA Leader After Bullying Controversy
Shin Jimin's rising collapsed following the altercation with former co-member Kwon Mina. Two years after she retired from the entertainment industry, where is the former AOA leader now?
2012 - 2016: Shin Jimin's Debut, 'Unpretty Rapstar,' Fame, More
Shin Jimin, better known as Jimin, was first introduced to the K-pop scene in 2012 as the leader and main rapper of the girl group Ace of Angels (AOA) under FNC Entertainment.
At that time, the group enjoyed immense popularity as a third-gen representative of K-pop, notable for their songs "Miniskirt," "Heartattack," "Like a Cat" and more.
In late 2014, Jimin established her solo career by joining Mnet's "Unpretty Rapstar," a spin-off of "Show Me the Money" featuring rappers. In the show, she was lauded for her incredible rapping abilities that her rap song, "Puss," even topped the Gaon Singles Chart.
In 2016, she cemented her status as a soloist with her debut single, "Call You Bae," featuring EXO Xiumin.
2020: AOA vs Kwon Mina Bullying Controversy, Shin Jimin Accused as Perpetrator
ALSO READ: Dispatch Releases Transcript and Text Messages of Former AOA Members Kwon Mina and Shin Jimin
Unfortunately, her heyday as a soloist and K-pop idol didn't last when Kwon Mina, a former AOA member, accused Jimin of bullying in 2020.
According to the Kwon Mina's Instagram post, the "Bingle Bangle" singer physically and verbally abused her for about 10 years since their trainee days. Eventually, the trauma and harassment led her to withdraw from the group and even after leaving AOA, she revealed that she was in too much pain that Mina attempted to make an extreme decision a couple of times.
Kwon also claimed the other members including Seolhyun were bystanders, which affected the group's activities.
When the controversy broke, Jimin apologized for her past actions and claimed to reflect by leaving AOA and announcing retirement from the entertainment industry.
She also deleted her social media accounts, which became the target of hate comments after the controversy.
Where is Shin Jimin Now? Status of Former Idol in 2022 After Leaving AOA
In January 2022, FNC Entertainment announced the contract expiration of Jimin from the company, the official start of her independent activities and freedom from the K-pop scene.
In the same month, it was revealed that some of Kwon Mina's claims were skewed to a large degree, which gradually cooled down the issue. Although the truth is yet to be revealed, Jimin opened her Instagram back and since then began sharing her daily life with fans who still support her.
She is also pursuing her passion for music and singing by releasing her own songs through Soundcloud under the alias, DODO.
In January, she dropped a new song, "Suddenly," which received positive feedback from music fans.
Her latest update was on June 2, when she posted her photos on Instagram watching Korea and Brazil's national soccer team evaluation match held in Sangam-dong, Seoul on the same day.
She particularly gained attention for her current appearance who showed off her unique charm by wearing a red horned headband and a red cropped tee while drinking a beer.
Fans expressed that they are happy that the idol is living comfortably after leaving K-pop.
READ MORE: Missing AOA? Here are the Current Activities of the Members
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Written by Eunice Dawson
