EVERGLOW announces short break for Yiren, to continue promotions with five members

EVERGLOW has made a startling announcement. Days after getting embroiled in a controversy, the K-pop group has stated that Yiren would be taking a break from promotional activities. EVERGLOW will continue to do promotions for their third mini-album, although with only five members.

Among the six members in EVERGLOW, five are Korean, while Yiren is from China. The 21-year-old idol joined Yehua Entertainment’s all-girl group after impressing the Korean audience as a participant on the 2018 survival show Produce 48.

The Chinese singer in no time established her place in EVERGLOW, becoming the center and the visual. Now it appears the EVERGLOW maknae is taking a much-needed break from the ongoing promotional activities.

---

EVERGLOW will continue promotions without Yiren

On January 9, Yehua Entertainment released an official statement announcing Yiren's hiatus. The maknae will go back to her home country to take care of her academics, as well as to spend some time with family. Yiren has reportedly not been back to China since EVERGLOW’s debut in 2019.

EVERGLOW’s agency said:

"With gratitude to the fans who love EVERGLOW, we have an announcement to make about member Yiren."

"Yiren has to go to China from mid-January to the end of February due to her academic status, so she will be taking a break there for a while to spend time with her family, whom she hasn’t seen in a long time because of COVID-19."

"During the time stated above, EVERGLOW will continue their domestic activities with five members, and carry out their schedule as planned."

Fans have expressed their dismay at not getting to see Yiren at the promotional activities. Several, however, encouraged the hiatus, wanting some time off to relax for their favorite.

Not long before this announcement, Yiren was embroiled in a controversy where her innocent decision to forgo a Korean style greeting (which would include bowing down) in favor of a Chinese style traditional greeting was not viewed kindly by several Korean netizens.

According to them, it was a sign of her "non-acceptance" of the Korean culture. It was only when other Chinese users explained the significance and rarity of bowing, or kow-towing in Chinese culture that the debate dissipated.

Meanwhile, EVERGLOW made a comeback in early December 2021 with their mini-album Return of the Girl, whose title track “Pirate” was a big hit. This is the band’s third mini-album, after −77.82X−78.29 and Reminiscence in 2020. The group made its debut in 2019 with the album, Arrival of Everglow.