Where Are Hwayoung & Hyoyoung Now? Status of ‘Ryu Twins’ After T-ara Bullying Scandal

After being involved in the huge bullying scandal with T-ara, here’s the recent status of the “Ryu twins,” Hwayoung and Hyoyoung.

In K-pop, there are a lot of idols that are related to each other, but it is indeed rare to have identical twins debut in the same industry. Among those few twin idols, one of the most popular pairs is the “Ryu twins,” Hwayoung and Hyoyoung. 

Initially, they were extremely loved by K-pop fans, until a bullying scandal changed fans’ perception of them forever.

After stepping out of the music scene, where are they now?

Ryu Hwayoung and Hyoyoung in 2010: Twins Debut as K-pop Idols

Born on April 22, 1993, Ryu Hwayoung and Hyoyoung were identical twins raised in Gwangju, South Korea.

In May 2010, the twins were scouted by Core Contents Media after they made an appearance on SBS’s variety show, “Star King,” launched by the same company.

Originally, they were both set to debut in T-ara, but older sister Hyoyoung gave up the slot and recommended her little sister Hwayoung instead.

In November 2010, Hwayoung officially made her debut as the seventh member and lead rapper of T-ara.

On the other hand, Hyoyoung joined Coed School in September 2010 first, before making her official debut in the girl group Five Dolls in 2011.

‘Ryu Twins’ in 2012: Hwayoung Left T-ara, Bullying Scandal, Hyoyoung Discord With Areum

The twins both enjoyed massive popularity in their respective careers.

Unfortunately, their reign didn’t last long after Hwayoung shockingly left T-ara and Core Content Media in 2012 amid the group being at the peak of its career.

When the news broke, people claimed that Hwayoung was bullied by the members and mistreated by the agency. Past interactions between the members resurfaced and people implied that the photos and videos were enough to prove that the remaining members unfairly treated Hwayoung.

However, both sides repeatedly clarified that the claims weren’t true, and dismissed the bullying as a normal dispute that was happening between members due to differences in opinions.

But things got out of hand and both Hwayoung and T-ara suffered tremendously.

On the other hand, Hyoyoung, the twin of the former T-ara member, parted ways with Five Dolls after they disbanded in 2015. Since then, she focused on her acting career.

But in 2017, Hyoyoung became involved in the T-ara scandal after a former staff of the group accused the twins as the real bullies.

In the report, Hyoyoung allegedly threatened Areum through text, leaving words such as:

• “I’ll scratch up your face so you can’t be on TV”
• “Stupid b**ch. Show up in front of me, we’ll see what happens.”

Now, the table was turned and the sympathy of fans and netizens was given to T-ara. Hyoyoung had to step down from the drama, “Golden Pouch,” at that time, while Hwayoung was also kicked out from her show, “Hello, My Twenties! 2” before deleting her Instagram account.

Where Are the ‘Ryu Twins’ in 2022? Hwayoung and Hyoyoung Status As Actresses

Despite the controversy, Hyoyoung continued to promote as an actress and joined TV Chosun’s “Grand Prince” in 2018.

In 2020, she found her new nest Big Picture Entertainment and decided to promote under the stage name, Jung Woo Yeon.

In 2021, she chose “A Good Supper” as her first project under her new name and received a favorable response for her acting skills.

This 2022, Hyoyoung is continuously communicating with fans through Instagram while waiting for her next drama.

Hwayoung also pursues acting and is currently an actress under Never Die Entertainment since December 2021. Her latest drama appearance was MBC-Wavve’s “Love Scene Number.”

After a break from Instagram in 2017, Hwayoung is also back on the platform and is consistently sharing her lifestyle. 

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Written by Eunice Dawson