T-ara’s youngest member, Areum, will be leaving the team

According to a July 10 announcement by T-ara’s agency, Core Entertainment, the youngest member of the group, Areum, will be leaving and will most likely reappear at a later date as a solo artist. A new member, known as Dani, will join the group. The agency announced that “Areum has always wanted to pursue hip-hop music and has made it clear that she would like to show off a new side of herself by going solo. The other members of the group respect her decision. “In the future, Areum will be involved in a variety of activities ranging from singing to acting.”

Areum also announced her departure and plans to go solo thorough T-ara’s official fan board, Queens.

The group will therefore be going back to their original six-member composition, comprising Hyomin, Boram, Eun Jung, Ji Yeon, Qri, and So Yeon. The new member, Dani, will join Eun Jung, Ji Yeon, and Hyomin for T-ara N4 activities both in the U.S. and in Korea. The agency says that Dani grew up in the U.S, and speaks fluent English.

The remaining six members of T-ara will leave for Japan on July 11 for a concert at the Budokan.