The Photo That Launched a Thousand Theories
Shuhua from (G)I-DLE recently stirred waves online with what seemed like an innocent photo dump on social media. Captioned simply “Daily life,” the carousel featured casual snaps of her downtime—until the last photo caught fire.
In that final shot, someone is seen grilling samgyeopsal—a popular Korean pork belly BBQ dish. Nothing unusual…except eagle-eyed fans spotted a hand with a distinct tattoo poking out from the grill tongs. Sharp-eyed netizens suspect that hand belongs to Soojin, former (G)I-DLE member, who famously has a matching tattoo in the same spot.
Reunion or Just Dinner?
If true, this unannounced reunion would mark one of the first hints of public contact between the two idols since Soojin’s departure in 2021. Soojin left the group following school bullying allegations, a controversy that led her to halt activities and later terminate her contract. As of late 2023, she’s back in the spotlight as a solo artist.
Fans are reacting…diversely. Some criticized Shuhua for sharing a moment with a controversial figure. “It wasn’t exactly an amicable exit—why bring it back up like this?” wrote one user. Another echoed, “It’d be better to meet privately than to post it online. It feels tone-deaf.”
But others jumped to her defense. “What, are they not allowed to have friends anymore?” questioned a fan. Some stress that the photo didn’t even show Soojin’s face. “It’s just a dinner. Let idols live their lives.”
The Bigger Picture
(G)I-DLE recently celebrated their seventh anniversary with all current members re-signing their contracts. They’re also set to release their Japanese EP “i-dle” and hit the road for their first Japanese arena tour, titled “2025 i-dle first japan tour [逢い-dle]”.
As the group gears up for a new chapter, this small online moment has reminded fans that the past isn’t always buried—and sometimes, a tattooed hand can say more than a press release.
What’s Next?
While Shuhua hasn’t addressed the rumors directly, the jury’s still out on whether this was a casual meet-up or a quiet reconnect between former bandmates. Regardless, it’s clear that the public still holds strong opinions about Soojin’s involvement with (G)I-DLE—past or present.
What do you think—should idols’ private friendships stay private, or is everything fair game once it hits social media?
