WG Wonderland

WONDER GIRLS’s SunMi withdraws from group; Hong Kong newcomer is added

2010-01-25, 07:54 Sina Entertainment

Sina Entertainment wire. Beijing time January 25 morning news. According to Korean media reports, South Korean girl group WONDER GIRLS’s ‘Nobody’ was a hit throughout Asia & also achieved pretty good results in America. But at the height of their popularity, team member SunMi announced she is withdrawing from the group to continue with her studies. After SunMi’s departure, JYP China will arrange for the Hong Kong-originating, longtime-groomed Hui Lin (pinyin name) to replace her position.

A WONDER GIRLS manager revealed that SunMi expressed her wish to live like a normal person, as well as to pass the college entrance exams, before re-considering her entertainment career. JYP Entertainment, after discussing with SunMi & her family, decided to respect SunMi’s decision.

The manager also said that, even though WONDERGIRLS’s profile continues to rise globally, SunMi has been constantly uncomfortable about the future. She was constantly worried about having the radiant prospects in front of her abruptly ending. To prepare for it, she decided to temporarily cease all entertainment activities & resume her studies.

A JYP Entertainment manager said that, although SunMi is leaving WONDER GIRLS for now, it doesn’t mean a permanent exit from the group, nor is she terminating her contract with the company. When SunMi feels time is ripe for a comeback, JYP Entertainment will assist her as extensively as before. To these, SunMi indicated that during the period of preparing for the college entrance examinations, she will take time out to continue rehearsing her singing & dancing at the company.

“In early March, she will return to South Korea, to focus on her studies.” — part of JYP statement, mentioned in Huanqiu.com

“Hui Lin was a trainee preparing for the Chinese version of WONDER GIRLS. When SunMi abruptly [intends to] break off her activities, we selected her to replace SunMi. Hui Lin knows several languages, so there is absolutely no worries about any language barrieraffecting her development in Korea. Moreover, having undergone a long period of training, her singing & dancing strengths are excellent. Also, [she's] very agreeable with WONDER GIRLS’s cute-sexy image.”

“Hui Lin will officially join WONDER GIRLS to begin its activities at the start of March. At the appointed time, WONDER GIRLS shall then release its first album in America.”

English Korean news portal:

Sunmi to Quit Wonder Girls

Sunmi of Korea’s top girl band Wonder Girls is to take a break from show business in March and go back to school. The 18-year old will be seamlessly replaced by Hyelim, who has been trained up in the JYP Entertainment stable for the past three years. She is reportedly fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.

“After long deliberation and discussion among Sunmi and her family, the members of the Wonder Girls, and the company, we finally concluded that Sunmi will quit as a member of the Wonder Girls and return to Korea and to school,” JYP said in a press release. “The company will support her return to show business if she wishes to do so after going to university.”

It quoted Sunmi as saying, “I’m coming home after wrapping up a year of activities in the United States in February. I would like to resume my career in show business after becoming a university student. Being on stage and touring 50 cities in the U.S. in the past year was a happy and valuable experience, but I’m not sure I can continue to live like this in the future.” She reportedly told the agency that she would like to take dancing and singing lessons with the company to prepare her comeback.