Written by a Woojung fan about Eunjung and the recent T-ara controversy:

Right now, it is as if we are in the centre of a vortex, in the midst of a temporary peace, unsure as to whether we are situated in the darkness before dawn, or whether we are about to face a greater storm.
I’ve followed the recent news silently, watching as things turned for the worse, and watching as Eunjung lost, one by one, all her work…losing the things that are the most important to her, things that she has worked for all her life. The hard work that this girl has put in for the past 3 years, all her sweat, determination, painful and sleepless nights, in exchange, she has received the label of “evil.” It’s unfair, really unfair. Too unfair.

But things in life are always as such. Because she is the most hardworking, because her work has had the most exposure, she was hurt the most. Had she been out of the spotlight, the harm to her right now would not be as great. But what did she? What did she actually do? These past few days, people have been trying to find blemishes on Eunjung’s profile, and what did they find? An edited video of her feeding rice cake. I cannot help but not say this, but Ham Eun Jung, your blemishes are so small and little that it pains my heart. But just like that, this one example was used to determine a person’s character and to deny her of everything. For a small act of horseplay. Is it fair? No it’s not.

But the world does not care about fairness, and it is likely that only the people who love her will care whether this is fair. I am a Woojung fan, but I hae always focused and praised Jangwoo and rarely Eunjung. But today, I want to talk about Eunjung.

A lot of people may not know it, but the thing about Eunjung that touched me the most was not her appearance, not her cuteness, not her aegyo. It was something unrelated to appearance, it was what she said: “I’m T-ara’s Eunjung.” It was the “T-ara” that she talked about all the time that made me look at her seriously. This girl, though participating in an individual programme, never forgot to mention and bring up her group. She came to participate in a solo programme that shows off a person’s individual charisma, but it seems as if she also carried the task of getting her group noticed. What impressed me was that she did not treat this as a burden. She really put in all her effort. She asked ahjummas, “Do you know T-ara? T-ara...” When she Roly Poly started playing in the car, she said, “Everybody quiet, listen to this!”

Girl group idols who participate in We Got Married are many, but comparatively, T-ara really has been mentioned the most. Roly Poly, Bo Peep Bo Peep, Lovey Dovey…each title song has followed along in We Got Married. Adding to that was the scene in MBC Gayo when Woojung Couple MC-ed together, where Eunjung fought for a chance for T-ara to have screen time. Eunjung weaved through the crowd just to bring her group to the front [T/N: this was seen in a fancam taken just before the countdown]. She was not the only female-idol MC there at the time, but she was the only one who, while participating in a solo activity, thought not of how to get more screen-time for herself, but of how to get more screen-time for T-ara.

At the MBC Gayo, Eunjung hurt her ankle…and the result? In less than a week, without rest, Eunjung went on stage to perform after receiving painkillers. This was not some large concert performance, but only a small stage on Music Bank. But for T-ara’s first comeback of the year, she pushed through. Compared to this, filming her drama [Queen Insoo] with a cast is nothing. Such professionalism, pain and determination, her achievements gained in exchange for her blood, sweat, and her own health. In return, she gained this label of “wicked” and “bully”. Is it fair? No it isn’t.

Some people say, she came in last at the Idol Olympics, so what does she know about determination? But those people do not know, or pretend not to know, that the day before Idol Olympics, she filmed Running Man until 3am. For a 25 year old girl who has injured her left leg three times – having torn her ligaments, received surgery, received multiple doses of painkillers to perform on stage, having appeared on shows on crutches, having filmed running and jumping the night before until 3am only to wake up early in the morning with a smile on her face to participate in the Idol Olympics, for a girl like this, does coming in last place really mean she has no determination? … Really?

Her leg... it can no longer withstand such intense sports anymore. She is only a bird with clipped wings and can no longer fly around easily anymore... This is why I have always looked at this girl with fondness. If she was wicked, lazy, black-hearted, went around lecturing people while not working hard herself, then I would not have nothing to say. But the truth is not like that. Even if only from We Got Married, I can see the effort she puts in to maintain and safeguard T-ara. Even if only from We Got Married, I can still see her professionalism and perserverance for her work. Even the Korean press has reported before that she has the busiest schedule. Let’s look at what the press have said before:

“Schedules that even popular SNSD members, IU, and even male idols have found difficult to complete, even when she has completed such busy and hectic schedules, which is by itself not an easy task, there has been never any news her fainting or falling unconscious. Even when she is tired, she has never been called out for attitude problems. This is the ‘woman of steel’, T-ara’s Eunjung.”

Enduring the craziest schedules, always undertaking superhuman amounts of work, yet never complaining or slacking off. Always the optimistic and bubbly one, the one who would step in for other members if anything happens to them. This is the Eunjung that makes my heart ache. The achievements that she has gained using everything she had in her life, all destroyed just like that… Rumours and insults, just like that, destroyed a girl. But, what exactly did she do wrong? What did she do wrong to ever have to suffer such accusations?

She was clearly the last to tweet, and yet it was reported that she was the first one to do so. Why did people have to photoshop those screencaps like that? I don’t know. But let’s look closely at her tweet:

"A person's status is created by people; determination as well can also be created... Aigoo, it's upsetting. Should be considerate to those beside you"

What I want to say is, regardless of whom this tweet is directed to, I first have to say that coming from Ham Eun Jung, there is nothing wrong with it. Because her status was indeed created from her own struggles, from her own hard work all these years. Indeed, she was not given this status, but created it herself. Because she used her determination to complete the busiest schedules. Because she is clearly not a selfish person. If she were one, she would not have performed on stage while injured. So what she said, she did. She was not being scornful or taunting. As one of the longest T-ara members, the first leader, and the member with the greatest responsibility, she has the qualifications to say these words.

Discussions always tend to support the weak, but what is right and wrong is not measured by a person’s strength or weakness or pity for the weak. Behind those who are strong, are also blood, sweat, and tears.

Ever since I have slowly come to understand this girl, I wished for her to go solo and to find her own path and success. But I also realize that she is the one least likely to leave T-ara even if she has the most potential to succeed in doing so. I have always thought that she has a sense of stubbornness and determination towards T-ara. In Star Life Theatre, when thinking about T-ara 10 years from now, she cried. There will come a day when all their current glory will eventually fade away, and what brilliance she can hold onto and make into reality now is only temporary. Yet knowing this, she is like a moth to a flame, and will continue to try her best. Because, for this, she has already put in too much effort for too long. Eunjung has said before self-deprecatingly: she is destined to work forever. I agree, she is. Her stubbornness and determination: to get T-ara to the top.

But when hope is near, it is completely destroyed. I feel saddened and heartbroken for how cruel fate is to this girl. She should not be treated in this manner. Did she do anything wrong? I would not say that she is a flawless goddess. She isn’t. Everyone is responsible to an extent for T-ara’s current situation, but the blame and criticism she is getting is too much. She has become a figurehead for netizens to express their anger on.

Yesterday, I told my friend, let this be an once-in-a-lifetime life lesson then. But I know this is only something said in optimism, something that is easily said. I worry for Eunjung, but I also believe that she will grow stronger and learn from this experience. This girl, who hides her weakness in an outer appearance of strength, will either collapse or get back up stronger. I believe it is the latter. I too am looking forward to the return of a stronger and more determined Ham Eunjung. And more importantly, I know that she is not alone: she has her family and people who admire and believe in her.

Written by 梅花肚 of 鯨魚夫婦吧 (Baidu WooJung Couple Bar) http://tieba.baidu.com/p/1764520968

English translation by @Citrus_Angels and @kckclalala
NB. Parts about Jangwoo omitted.

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