IZ*ONE’s Sakura Miyawaki to join HYBE, but WIZ*ONE claims it is 'to stir up controversy again'
The K-pop girl group IZ*ONE, composed of nine Korean and three Japanese members was one of the most popular girl groups to come out of a survival show. After reports suggesting that the members would no longer continue their activities as a group due to scheduled disbandment, IZ*ONE disbanded officially on April 29, 2021.
The Korean members of IZ*ONE went on with their respective journeys in South Korea but the three Japanese members of the group, Nako Yabuki, Hitomi Honda and Sakura Miyawaki had to leave for Japan on the same day the news of their disbandment broke out.
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WIZ*ONE tried to keep the group together
Fans were disheartened by the news and themselves tried to help the group from disbanding. When the announcement that IZ*ONE was disbanding came out on March 10, 2021, WIZ*ONE trended a petition called '#IZONEPermanent'. They had also been trending various hashtags related to a permanent IZ*ONE since the past year.
Not only that, these fans came together to raise more than $2 million in funding for the relaunch of IZ*ONE after they disbanded. Unfortunately, despite all of the fans’ efforts, Swing Entertainment and Off the Record Entertainment had already confirmed the group's disbandment.
Sakura joins Chaewon at HYBE
Surprisingly, that was not the end for a few members of the group. HYBE reportedly signed Chaewon from IZ*ONE who is still an artist under Woolim Entertainment but will be joining HYBE’s new girl group. The upcoming girl group is reported to have 5 members, including Chaewon.
On August 19, new reports from Japanese media and Korea Wow suggest that Sakura Miyawaki, another former member of IZ*ONE will sign an exclusive contract with HYBE. She is reported to arrive in South Korea on August 23 and sign the exclusive contract with HYBE's label Source Music. When asked for more details on the contract, HYBE’s representative said, "We cannot confirm the details of the artist's contract."
Fans are not happy with this
WIZ*ONE’s are disappointed with HYBE for not bringing in new faces and continuing on by re-recruiting past members of IZ*ONE as this would cancel out any possibility of the group coming back together. The members of IZ*ONE were winners of the survival audition show ‘Produce 48’, which aired from June to August 2018.
One fan pointed at the fact that this news is very obvious saying, “The only thing that would make it even more obvious that shes in is her being spotted in the building at this point” another was confused with HYBE’s statement and said, “The language is weird. HYBE basically saying yeah we signed her but cannot discuss the detail, meaning maybe not with Source Music.” One fan also said, “When hybe says they are "unable to confirm" -- it means IT IS CONFIRMED.”
One angry fan said, “Source Music, you better manage this group well, I'm telling you. That goes for HYBE too. Don't follow suit like what you did with our GFriend.” Another said, "Chaewon and Sakura is the last friendship tier in Izone. The only thing they have in common is popularity. Hybe will really put them together with former pd48 participants. Damn. Stir up controversy again ."
Chaewon and Sakura is the last friendship tier in Izone. The only thing they have in common is popularity. Hybe will really put them together with former pd48 participants. Damn. Stir up controversy again 🤷♂️ https://t.co/l8biQHgLMZ
— SilverK (@eunbiphobia) August 19, 2021
One fan said, “Y’all hate hybe so much that y’all rather have artists be jobless smh wow. Hybe never mistreated any of their artists and it’s probably the only company right now making it possible/easier for idols to express themselves in music which should be a good thing,” to which another responded, “Truee hybe is a better company unlike yg they never treated blackpino nicely.”
the only thing that would make it even more obvious that shes in is her being spotted in the building at this point
— p⁷ ↯ 🦋 (@OT7yeondan) August 19, 2021
the language is weird. HYBE basically saying yeah we signed her but cannot discuss the detail, meaning maybe not with Source Music 🧐
— SiLiaAdi ³⁹ #LetsBeForeverIZONE (@siliaadi) August 19, 2021
when h*be says they are "unable to confirm" -- it means IT IS CONFIRMED.
— Kaine⨟ 🍀 (@Kellybeans1922) August 19, 2021
Source Music, you better manage this group well, I'm telling you. That goes for HYBE too. Don't follow suit like what you did with our GFriend.
— ◺♢◿ Nasrun Blink Buddy | 💗 LS1 SOLO ON AUGUST 🖤 (@nasrunsj) August 18, 2021
Truee hybe is a better company unlike yg they never treated blackpino nicely🥲
— izzatasnan (@IzzatasnanZat) August 19, 2021