Fans of popular K-Pop girl band sensation, GFriend, received the shockingly disturbing news on 18 May that the group have decided not to renew their contracts and will be going their separate ways. The band's agency Source Music delivered the distressing news, saying that after lengthy discussions with the six members of GFriend, they decided to disband on 22 May.
Right after the news emerged, the members - Yerin, Eunha, Yuju, SinB, Sowon and Umji - shared handwritten letters on the app for their fans - Weverse - apologising for the sad and sudden announcement and thanking BUDDYs (the official name for GFriend fans) for their love and support over the past six years. Sowon added that even though the six will no longer exist as Gfriend, fans can expect new activities from the girls in the future.
BUDDYs have been left in despair and have shared posts which reflect the levels of incomprehension, sorrow and rage which have consumed them.
The band debuted in 2015 with EP Season of Glass, immediately gaining attention from K-Pop fans, despite Music Source being a relatively modest company. GFriend managed to remain one of the most popular South Korean girl bands, adored both by domestic fans and those abroad.