Due to the idol absence from AOA activities many fans have been speculating her leaving the group!

Back then FNC said that the idol is only taking a hiatus but not leaving the group.

Sadly, today on the 22^nd of June, the former AOA member Chao wrote a sincere heartfelt letter to fans announcing her departure from the group.

. 안녕하세요 초아입니다 저의 갑작스런 활동중단에 많은분들이 관심 가져주시고 걱정해주셔서 정말 감사했고 죄송했습니다 조금 늦었지만 제가 쉴수밖에 없었던 이유와 고민해서 내린 결정에 대해서 말씀드리고 싶어요. AOA라는 팀으로 데뷔하자마자 많은 사랑을받았던것이 아니기때문에 그만큼 사랑 받는다는것을 소중하게 느끼고 항상 감사하고 있었습니다. 팀에서 맏언니 였지만 아직 한참 어린 저는 활동을 해오면서 울고싶을때가 많았습니다. 하지만 저를 찾아주시는 이유는 밝은 저의 모습이라는것을 잘알고있었어요 마음은 울고있었지만 밝게만 보여야 하는 일이 반복되었고 스스로를 채찍질 할수록 점점 병들고있는 스스로를 발견 했었습니다. 불면증과 우울증을 치료하고자 약도 먹어보고 2년전부터 스케줄을 점점 줄여왔지만 피곤에서 오는 문제가 아니였기에 결국 모든활동을 중단하게 되었습니다 기다려주시는 분들을 떠올리며 복귀할수있도록 노력했지만 마냥 쉬고있는 상태로 부정적인 관심들이 지속되면 팀원들에게 더 많은 피해가 가게 될수 있다고 생각이들었습니다. 소속사와 협의 하에 저는 오늘 부로 aoa라는 팀에서 탈퇴하여 함께했던 멤버들의 활동을 응원하고자합니다. 연예인을 준비하고 활동했던 8년동안 많은것들을 배울수 있었다고 생각하고 힘들다고 생각하는 지금 이순간 조차 저를 성장시키는 과정이라고 생각이듭니다. 저는 올해 28살로 앞으로 혼란스러운 스스로를 차근차근 돌아보고 지난 8년간의 방송활동 이외에 남은 20대는 제 나이만큼의 넓은 경험들로 채워보고싶어요. 지금은 예정되어있던 개인활동 외에 활동은 생각하지 않고있는 상태로 언젠가 더이상 두렵지않고 지금보다 더 나아진 제 모습을 보여드릴 수 있을 때 그때에도 저를 응원해주시나면 분들이 계신다면 다시 돌아오고싶습니다. 많이 부족한사람인지라 그 와중에서도 끝까지 응원해주시고 걱정해주신많은 분들께 진심으로 애정어린 감사를 드립니다. 오랜시간 함께해온 멤버들 그리고 사랑받을수 있도록 부족한 점을 매꿔 주셨던 많은분들 , 그동안 저를 포함한 AOA를 사랑해주신 많은분들께 진심으로 감사드립니다.

A post shared by 초아 (@queenchoa_) on Jun 22, 2017 at 5:17am PDT

What she wrote translates to:

Hello is Choa,

To my abrupt termination

Many of you are interested.

Thank you for your concern and I’m sorry.

It’s a little late.

I would like to tell about the decision I made when choosing to rest.

As soon as I made my debut as a team called AOA, we’ve received lots of love and attention and I appreciated the love we received.

I was the oldest in my group, but I still consider myself young.

While doing activities, I often wanted to cry. But I had to hold it in because many fans saw me as a bright figure.

I thus only cried to myself and had to still appear happy.

The more I tried to hide it, the sicker I got.

To treat Insomnia and Depression, I took medications, and even have been scaling down my work schedule two years ago.

It was not a problem of tiredness and thus I eventually stopped all activities.

Remembering those who waited for me, I tried to get it back to work.

But because of my hiatus I thought that if all the negative attention persisted it would damage my team members even more.

After consultation with my agency (FNC), I am leaving AOA today, but I will always cheer the members’ activities.

During the eight years of preparing and becoming an entertainer, I had learned a lot

Even this moment which is hard for me, I think it’s still a growing process.

I am 28 years old, I am looking forward to the confusing oneself, In addition to the past eight years of being an idol I would like to fill the remaining of my twenties with experiences appropriate to my age.

Apart from the personal activities that are currently scheduled, I do not think about doing activities for now. Someday I will not be afraid anymore, and I will look better than now, then I would like to come back if there are still people cheering me on.

I am a lacking person in many way, but I am deeply grateful to those who are concerned.

To the members who have been together for a long time, and to those who helped me overcome what I lack so I can be loved, and to those who loved me and AOA.

I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

How do you feel about Choa for leaving the group?

Will you continue to support her?

My Reaction

Wow! That was one long heartfelt letter to fans…

Mental health is a huge issue in the idol world, many think that money can solve everything, but it really doesn’t, it creates problems that money can’t solve.

I was almost certain she was leaving back when we covered the news last month, back then FNC told everyone that she’s only on a hiatus, but something was clearly off.

I just wish the best for the idol, I hope the she right now can take her depression more seriously; it’s a serious issue that can lead to bigger problems if it goes untreated.

I understand why she chose to leave because all the bad attention she’s been receiving is not good for her group, its better to be precise and cut ties immediately than keep hanging by a thread.

I wish unnie the best with her road to recovery, and I hope that one day we’ll see her back on stage!