In late July 2012, T-ara held a concert in Japan. Hwayoung only performed one song due to a leg injury. Afterwards, one member of T-ara tweeted a message about showing determination. Later four of the other members agreed with her. After this Hwayoung and her twin sister (Hyoyoung) tweeted about a "bad person". This lead to rumors of conflict within the group. Some assumed that Hwayoung was being bullied. Soon after, Core Contents Media ended Hwayoung's contract and she left T-ara. The stated reason was that Hwayoung's actions were harming teamwork. The record label claimed that the bullying rumors were not a factor in the decision. The group stated that the rumors were not true but did confirm a conflict between Hwayoung and the others. Due to the rumors, the group put all activity on hold for a time. Their scheduled performances were postponed without a new date planned.