IVE member Jang Wonyoung was cleared of the unfair "tardiness controversy."
Jang Wonyoung attended a photo event for a fashion brand held in Seongdong District, Seoul, on the morning of Jan. 29. That day Jang Wonyoung appeared on the photo wall slightly later than the originally announced time, and then a video showing her surprised after hearing the comment "please try to be earlier" spread widely on online communities and social media, raising suspicions of tardiness.
However, it was confirmed that this was not Jang Wonyoung's tardiness but an operational error at the event. Jang Wonyoung had already arrived on site and was waiting before the event began, but her appearance was delayed due to an on-site management issue.
The agency Taxi, which handled the event, said in an official statement, "The arrival time the brand informed Jang Wonyoung of was 11:30 a.m.," and added, "Jang Wonyoung had arrived and was waiting right in front of the venue by 11:25 a.m."
They went on, "Because the operating team determined that parking near the venue was impossible, we asked her to wait, and Jang Wonyoung waited for a call sign for about 10 minutes," and "Due to a delay in the operating team's call sign, Jang Wonyoung appeared later than the instructed time, at 11:35 a.m."
The agency added, "We apologize to the reporters who waited in the cold weather," and "We sincerely apologize for causing harm to Jang Wonyoung with incorrect information."
Meanwhile, IVE, the group to which Jang Wonyoung belongs, will make a comeback by releasing the pre-release track "BANG BANG" from their second full-length album on Feb. 9. Having neatly resolved the controversy, Jang Wonyoung will focus on her scheduled activities.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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