Former Super Junior Member Kim Kibum Reveals Why He Left The Group During A Tipsy Talk With Heechul

The story we have all been waiting for!

Super Junior member Heechul made a guest appearance on former member Kim Kibum‘s YouTube channel and the two began spilling all the tea!

Kibum (left) and Heechul (right) | @kimheenim/Instagram

They reminisced about when they first entered SM Entertainment as trainees back in the early 2000s.

Heechul: As a trainee?

Kibum: 2002?

Heechul: It was winter right? I remember because you came not too long after I joined. It was Yunho, Donghae, you, and me. The four of us would always hang out during that time.

They continued down memory lane, talking about their fondest memories from their trainee years. Heechul then shared with the viewers that Kibum never appeared on TV programs because he wanted to avoid being asked about the group.

I know that you wouldn’t try to gain clout by using Super Junior’s name. That’s why you would decline every program offer you received. You’d be like, ‘What could I possibly say about [Super Junior]? It’s not like I’m a part of the team anymore.’

— Heechul

Finally, Heechul brought up the conversation which K-Pop fans have all been waiting for: The decade-long mystery of why Kim Kibum left the group.

Heechul: But you’re going to have to answer these questions at one point… So Kibum-ssi, what happened to Super Junior? Did the members bully you?

Kibum: Is that the question they want to ask?!

Heechul: Well, for example, but yeah.

Kibum: I should probably be honest, right?

Kim Kibum confirmed:

Heechul: Why did you leave?

Kim Kibum: Um… I voluntarily told them that I wanted to leave the group.

Heechul: Why? Did the members hit you?

Kim Kibum: Did you guys hit me? No, I wanted to focus on my acting career.

Heechul: Okay, I think that’s pretty good.

Looking back to his Super Junior days, he added, “There had been good times and hard times. But none of the memories are bad. There are no bad memories from [his] time with Super Junior.”

His relatively-abrupt departure from the group fueled many speculations back in the day. Super Junior fans are relieved to finally hear the real reason confirmed by Kim Kibum himself!

Check out the full video below:

Super Junior