Naeun, former member of now-disbanded girl group April, has signed a contract with Namoo Actors, signaling her return to the entertainment industry as an actor after her hiatus due to an alleged bullying scandal within the group.

The agency confirmed to the local press on Thursday that Naeun, whose full name is Lee Na-eun, has recently signed a contract with Namoo Actors.

Lee became embroiled in a bullying scandal by someone claiming to be ex-member Lee Hyun-joo’s brother who wrote an online post in early 2021 claiming that the other members, including Lee, had bullied Lee Hyun-joo, and that this was what made Lee Hyun-joo leave the group in 2016.

The group’s then-agency DSP Media denied the matter, but the members have halted their activities since then. Lee Na-eun also dropped out of her role that she filmed for SBS television series “Taxi Driver” (2022), which was replaced by actor Pyo Ye-jin.

In January this year, DSP Media reported that the girl group has disbanded.

Lee debuted as part of April in 2015 with its EP “Dreaming” and has been expanding her career as an actor through web drama series “A-teen” (2018) and MBC television series “Extra-ordinary You” (2018).

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]