Former VCHA member KG's brother dies, mother hints at foul play involving stalkers
Ex-VCHA member KG aka Kiera, has been grieving after the sudden death of her brother. His tragic loss has raised alarm online after their mother posted mysterious messages on social media.
On May 17, KG, posted on Instagram the news with a series of photos of her with her brother. In an emotional message, she mourned her brother, terming him her "best friend" and "everything" in the caption.
"Oh, My sweet brother. I hope you know how much I love you. I don’t know how I will live day by day without you. I wish I could’ve held onto your hand forever. My love, my Joy, my happiness, my best friend. You were absolutely everything to me," she wrote in the caption.
She added:
"Although this pains me, I know God has welcomed you into his beautiful kingdom. your soul will shine brighter than the stars. May you rest in eternal peace. Until we meet again. I love you so so SO much Jakey.~ Kiera."
As fans offered condolences and messages of support, the situation took a more somber turn just a while later. Two now-deleted stories, allegedly posted by Kiera's mother on her personal Instagram account, claimed that her son was killed by stalkers. The screenshots of the same were shared on X by user @lafleurdyves.
"Kg told you they were stalking us. She told you. She told you all. Do you see now," the alleged post of Kiera's mother reads.
The messages appear several weeks after KG had complained about being subjected to a coordinated PR smear campaign. She had reported being stalked and hinted that influential people in the entertainment business could be responsible. Though no names were used, the remarks sent her fans into panic.
KG leaves A2K-formed girl group VCHA
The news of KG's brother's passing comes months after she parted ways with VCHA filing a legal battle against JYP Entertainment's American division. On December 8, 2024, KG, formerly a 17-year-old member of the K-pop girl group VCHA, publicly announced her decision to take legal action against JYP USA, the American subsidiary of JYP Entertainment.
Through her Instagram account, she disclosed that the decision followed months of enduring what she described as abuse and mistreatment. It involved exploitative practices during her time as both a trainee and an active group member.
Filed on December 6 in Los Angeles Superior Court by her mother, Tracey Madder, the suit summarized complaints of child labor exploitation, neglect, and unfair business practices. It claimed a culture of intense schedules, mental health neglect, and extreme physical demands being the standard.
KG claimed how trainees were frequently forced to rehearse in spite of injuries and were denied rest and simple necessities such as water during rehearsals. She also referred to harmful consequences of the company's control, such as eating disorder behaviors and a suicide attempt by another member earlier in 2024.
Some of the allegations included alleged 24/7 monitoring through concealed cameras in the dining room and living spaces. She claimed that these spied on the girls without their consent or awareness.
The suit also asserted that Kiera was saddled with excessive debt of approximately $500,000 related to joint living costs on a $2.5 million home. She alleged that she was pressured into moving in it, contrary to contract provisions implying the move was voluntary.
Financially, the grievance observed that she was occasionally paid less than her contracted base salary of $500 a week. She was also not compensated for overtime, even though she worked over 12 hours a day consistently. This would constitute below-minimum wage payments under California law and was against labor regulations on overtime.
In her testimony, Kiera expressed concern for her past group members and asserted her opinion that conditions at JYP USA were unsafe. She pointed out that her departure was not just a personal choice but also an effort to speak up for healthier, safer working conditions in the K-pop scene.
In spite of the difficulties she mentioned, she showed gratitude toward the friendships established and love for Korean culture and K-pop music, mentioning that she will pursue her singing career on her own.
JYP USA replied to the suit and public accusations on December 9, describing the allegations as false and exaggerated. The company said that they had been in negotiations with KG's legal team since May and that her going public had disrupted the group's current projects. They affirmed that the issue will be taken up through official channels.
VCHA, the group that departed from KG, was created via the reality show A2K, a collaboration between Republic Records and JYP Entertainment. The group initially had six members: Lexi, Camila, Kendall, Savanna, KG, and Kaylee.
