AOA’s Chanmi Confesses She Believed AOA Would Become A “Universally Successful” Group

She also shares what life has been like during her forced hiatus.

It’s been awhile since we have last heard from AOA‘s Chanmi, but the wait is now officially over. The girl group member recently appeared on MBN‘s Weekly Mountaineering, where she shared what her life has been like during her hiatus.

AOA’s Chanmi | @chanmi_96a/Instagram

Chanmi began by sharing the last time she was able to enjoy a hike and how that’s changed ever since she began her hiatus.

AOA’s Chanmi on “Weekly Mountaineering” | MBN

When I was younger, I would often go on hikes with my mom in a neighboring area. As I got older, I wasn’t able to go as often. However, starting last year, I was able to go back to the mountains I went with my mom due to my sudden break.

— AOA’s Chanmi

The AOA member then dove into the hardships that followed during her time off, as she explained her former desires for the girl group.


I was suddenly forced to take a break. I thought that once I debuted, AOA would become a universally successful group. However, we struggled for about 3 years following our debut.

— AOA’s Chanmi

Chanmi also shared the realities of an idol life and how that changed her perspective regarding her career.


After we became successful, time started flying by. Suddenly, we were looking at the halfway point of our contract. That’s when I realized the saying, ‘the life span of an idol is short’ is really true. I also realized that this was something I wouldn’t be able to continue doing once I became older. I started getting anxious thinking about it.

However, I was suddenly given a lot of free time so I decided to use it by doing something I wanted to do. Which is why I began to take acting lessons. I auditioned for many roles, but I was rejected by a lot of them.

— AOA’s Chanmi

| @chanmi_96a/Instagram

The hiatus that Chanmi continued to refer to throughout her Weekly Mountaineering chat was regarding AOA’s previous bullying controversy. Back in July 2020, former AOA member Kwon Mina shared Instagram posts that detailed the 10 years of alleged bullying she endured at the hands of another former AOA member, Shin Jimin.

While FNC Entertainment and Shin Jimin apologized, Kwon Mina continued to unearth alleged detail after detail of the verbal, physical, and emotional abuse she endured during her time in the girl group.

Former AOA members Shin Jimin (left) and Kwon Mina (right).

This bullying scandal became a huge issue in the K-Pop industry, as the backlash against AOA proved to be unbearable. This forced the girl group into an indefinite hiatus and the departure of Shin Jimin from the group.

While it’s been more than a year since the controversy went public, the remaining AOA members have stayed relatively quiet and out of the spotlight, as they live their lives in privacy.

Chanmi (2nd from left) performing with AOA on “M! Countdown” | Mnet

However, slowly but surely, each member has started to make their way back into the industry—and it looks like Chanmi is ready for a comeback. You can watch Chanmi talk about life during her hiatus down below.

Source: WikiTree