[Pann] The story behind the split between EXID and Bestie

At the time, JYP was training for the release of a new four member vocal girl group that was comprised of members Song Jieun, Yooji, Hyorin, and Hani. 

Unfortunately, the debut was canceled and all four of them left the company. Jieun and Hyorin went on to debut under SISTAR and SECRET, leaving...

Yooji, who was contacted by another agency. The company was new but promised the support of Shinsadong Tiger for their new girl group and asked her to join. 

Asked to find more members for the group, Yooji contacted former traineemate Hani who was in China studying abroad,

and Haeryung and Junghwa, both of whom were fellow JYP traineemates as well. Both were accepted by the company.

The group was then joined by rapper LE, cast by Shinsadong Tiger,

and trainee Dami, who was already training under the new company. 

Thus a six member EXID debuted. 

Unfortunately, they debuted at a time with an influx of girl group debuts, and Shinsadong Tiger got swept into plagiarism controversies, leading to a lackluster debut. The new company and Shinsadong Tiger eventually decided to part ways, leaving the group in a 3:3 split:

Yooji, Haeryung, and Dami under the new company, since they were contracted under the new company,

and

Hani, Junghwa, and LE with Shinsadong Tiger, since they were contracted under Shinsadong Tiger.

The group was split against their will in accordance to their contracts and who they were signed under.

The new company added trainee Dahye to their half of the group and re-debuted the girls as four member girl group Bestie. 

The other half of EXID was then joined by Hyerin, a trainee who previously made it to their pre-debut process but was cut out at the end, 

and EXID's original vocal trainer Solji, rounding out EXID as the current five member girl group.

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Source: Pann

1. [+109, -0] Wow, EXID earned a vocal trainer ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

2. [+101, -6] JYP always loses out on talents... just because people aren't their style. Choa was rejected from JYP's auditions too... jeez..

3. [+81, -7] Yeah, so I hope people will stop calling Bestie traitors ㅠㅠ

4. [+53, -1] JYP always loses out on gems ㅋㅋㅋ IU, Doojoon, Yoseob, CL, Hyorin, Goo Hara, Song Jieun... I bet they're the most upset about IU right now ㅋㅋㅋ

5. [+38, -0] More people need to know this. Bestie aren't bad girls...

6. [+37, -2] JYP is so dumb. They can't even get into a top 3 agency right now. They lost out on Hyorin, Sunggyu, IU, and Soyu.. all of the top vocalists among idols right now. I guess they caught Suzy which is the only good thing they've done.

7. [+37, -0] JYP would be on SM's level right now if they never let go of any of their trainees

8. [+36, -0] Man, if that original four debuted with Jieun, Yooji, Hani, and Hyorin, that group would be no joke by now.

9. [+33, -1] Must'v been hard for Yooji and Hani to see Hyorin and Jieun do so well ㅠㅠㅠ JYP should've kept the original line-up, it would've been daebak

10. [+22, -2] I'm starting to feel bad for JYP at this point... they seriously lose out on every trainee.. they're so dumb.

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