Former LE SSERAFIM member Kim Garam is officially embarking on a brand-new chapter in the entertainment industry, transitioning from the K-pop stage to the acting world.
On June 16, 2026, prominent acting agency Management KOO formally announced that they have signed an exclusive contract with the budding star, signaling their full commitment to supporting her growth as a professional actress.
The official announcement outlines a calculated, highly dedicated pivot for the young artist, who has spent the last few years quietly preparing behind the scenes to rebuild her public career and fine-tune her performance skills from the ground up.
The Path to Re-Debut: Why Management KOO Bet on Her Potential
Management KOO, an established name known for managing high-profile actors such as Lee Yo Won, Ha Seok Jin, Seo Ji Hun, and Yoo In Soo, expressed immense confidence in Kim Garam’s drive, work ethic, and rapid improvement.
Rather than focusing purely on her past idol roots, the agency highlighted her organic efforts to connect with fans and her tireless daily schedule dedicated entirely to self-improvement.
They noted that her consistent uploads and creative content on her personal YouTube channel- which she launched earlier this year in March to re-establish open communication with the public- served as a crucial factor that caught their eye.
The agency’s official press statements outline the specific artistic and academic reasons that made them certain of her long-term viability in South Korea’s competitive acting landscape:
- Rapid Skill Development: The agency shared that she has been undergoing intensive, structured acting training and performing deep script analysis, showing remarkable growth in an incredibly compressed timeframe.
- Global Preparations: With an eye toward international activities and global projects, she has consistently been allocating substantial portions of her days to mastering both English and Japanese.
- Artistic Versatility: In addition to her formal acting coursework and linguistic studies, she has been expanding her creative boundaries independently, even teaching herself how to play the acoustic guitar to enhance her musicality.
Navigating Past Controversies and Building a Academic Foundation
This professional milestone marks Kim Garam’s first major corporate entertainment signing since her highly publicized departure from the music industry.
She initially debuted under HYBE and Source Music’s flagship girl group LE SSERAFIM in May 2022.
However, her time with the group was cut incredibly short when she became heavily embroiled in school bullying allegations.
Due to the intense public scrutiny and unfolding controversy, she officially suspended all group promotions just two weeks into her debut and ultimately had her exclusive contract terminated, leading to her permanent departure from LE SSERAFIM.
Following her exit from the group, Kim Garam chose to take a step back from the immediate media spotlight to focus heavily on her formal education.
In 2024, she successfully enrolled at the prestigious Konkuk University, securing a spot in their highly competitive Department of Culture & Arts with a major specifically in Media Acting.
By aligning her university studies with professional representation at Management KOO, she has successfully built a firm foundation to transition from a former idol into a serious, classically trained television and film actress.
Industry Statements: Full Support for Sincere, Relentless Effort
Management KOO didn’t hold back their praise regarding her character, highlighting her humility and willingness to acknowledge areas where she needs improvement.
Their internal evaluation team concluded that her relentless attitude toward her craft was too impressive to pass up, leading to deep internal discussions before finalizing the paperwork.
The company’s comprehensive statement outlines exactly what they saw in her during the scouting and negotiation phase.
The Agency’s Vision for Her Future:
“We have consistently followed actress Kim Garam’s YouTube activities and were deeply impressed by her limitless potential for growth as an actress as well as her sincere attitude.
The most important factor behind our decision to sign this exclusive contract was seeing her relentless daily efforts and continuous self-improvement in pursuit of her dream.
She has been steadily undergoing training and conducting in-depth study to enhance her acting skills, and even within a short period of time, she has demonstrated remarkably rapid growth.
In addition to acting, she consistently invests time in studying English and Japanese with an eye toward the global stage.
She is also an artist who never stops challenging herself and learning new things, teaching herself how to play the guitar.
Kim Garam invests most of her day in preparation and self-development to fulfill her earnest dream of becoming an actress, and we highly value her attitude of constantly striving to make up for her shortcomings.
After in-depth internal discussions, we are convinced that she possesses immense potential and limitless room for growth, which led us to sign an exclusive contract with her.”
With an established agency managing her bookings, public relations, and upcoming auditions, the public can expect to see Kim Garam appearing in television dramas, independent films, or commercial modeling campaigns in the near future as she actively works to redefine her legacy in the Korean entertainment industry.