WJSN's Seola Apologizes Over AI Handwritten Letter Controversy

K-pop group WJSN member Seola has apologized after a letter announcing her departure from Starship Entertainment prompted questions about whether AI had been used to create the handwritten image.

Seola addressed the issue on social media on Sept. 18. "The handwritten letter I wrote was uneven, and I thought it might be difficult to read and fail to convey my message clearly. I wanted to post it in a more legible form, but I think I was thoughtless," she wrote.

"I will be more careful about everything from now on. I am sorry," she added. Seola then deleted the original post and uploaded another image of the letter.

The questions emerged after Seola announced the expiration of her exclusive contract with Starship Entertainment on Sept. 17. "I am leaving Starship Entertainment, where I spent 15 years, to make a new start," she wrote alongside a lengthy letter.

The first image contained several unusual characters and spelling errors. The Korean words for "learning" and "unfamiliar" were among those written incorrectly, leading some online users to speculate that the handwritten image had been generated or altered using AI.

Seola explained that the issue arose while attempting to make her own handwritten letter easier to read. She did not specify whether AI had been used or explain how the original image was converted.

In her farewell letter, Seola looked back on her time with the agency. "Over those 15 long years, I learned so much. There were joyful and overwhelming days, as well as days when things did not go as I had hoped and left me upset. But as I went through all those moments, I was able to learn and grow," she wrote.

She continued, "Most of all, I sincerely thank everyone at Starship Entertainment who spent so much time thinking and working alongside me and helped create countless moments together. I will cherish the time and feelings we shared for a long time."

Seola spent 15 years at Starship Entertainment, including her trainee period. She debuted as a member of WJSN in 2016 and has promoted with songs including "Secret," "I Wish," "Save Me, Save You" and "As You Wish."