FIFTY FIFTY’s agency ATTRAKT will pursue legal action against Warner Music Korea.
On September 11, Dispatch released exclusive audio recordings involving Ahn Sung Il, CEO of The Givers, and Jin Seung Young, CFO of Warner Music Korea, from their past secret meetings with FIFTY FIFTY’s former members and their parents. The recordings included disparaging comments about ATTRAKT’s CEO Jeon Hong Joon, as well as unsubstantiated claims, such as assertions that HYBE and Min Hee Jin had made offers to Ahn Sung Il to manage their new group (both HYBE and Min Hee Jin have denied these claims, with Min Hee Jin stating she does not even know Ahn Sung Il). The recordings also revealed discussions about strategies for the members to invalidate their exclusive contracts with ATTRAKT, file lawsuits, and sign with Warner Music Korea.
In response, ATTRAKT issued a statement on September 13 announcing their intention to pursue legal action against Warner Music Korea for engaging in tampering activities with The Givers and former FIFTY FIFTY members—Aran, Saena, and Sio—and their families, in an effort to breach their exclusive contracts with ATTRAKT.
Below is ATTRAKT’s official statement in English:
Greetings from ATTRAKT, a leading entertainment agency in South Korea.
We have obtained comprehensive legal evidence proving that Warner Music Korea, The Givers, and former FIFTY FIFTY members Aran, Saena, and Sio colluded to breach their exclusive contracts and engaged in tampering activities.
We have secured audio recordings from their meetings held on May 13, May 17, and June 6, 2023, along with other related materials. These facts were also highlighted in the Dispatch article published on September 11, 2024. According to the plans discussed in their recorded meetings, these tampering parties filed a provisional injunction to suspend the effectiveness of their exclusive contracts with ATTRAKT on June 19, 2023.
The claims made by the former FIFTY FIFTY members concerning health management issues, lack of support, and settlement disputes were all proven false in court. These former members committed illegal acts with the sole aim of terminating their contracts, distorting the truth, and deceiving the public.
Warner Music Korea, the principal force behind this tampering, has attempted to unlawfully seize our valuable artists through the use of financial and coercive power. We will not succumb to the might of such corporate giants and are prepared to stand resolutely against these actions.
For the sustained growth of K-Pop, partnerships with global label companies are of utmost importance. It is truly disheartening to see a company that should be contributing to the advancement of K-Pop implicated as the driving force behind such a malicious incident.
From today, we will be rigorously reviewing all legal options against Warner Music Korea. We reaffirm our commitment to holding all parties involved in this tampering scheme fully accountable.
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