In a surprising turn of events, three former members of the K-pop girl group FIFTY FIFTY have filed a civil lawsuit against ATTRAKT’s CEO Jeon Hong Joon, seeking 300 million KRW (approximately $300,000) in settlement. Saena, Sio, and Aran, who left the group last year after a protracted legal battle, submitted their complaint to the Seoul Central District Court on August 23, 2024.
This latest legal action comes as a counteroffensive to ATTRAKT’s ongoing 13 billion KRW damages lawsuit against the trio, their parents, and other parties, including The Givers CEO Ahn Sung-il, filed in December 2023. Both lawsuits have been assigned to the 31st civil division and will be combined for proceedings.
The former members’ lawsuit centers around settlement disputes, echoing concerns they raised in June 2023 when filing for an injunction to terminate their exclusive contracts. At that time, they cited “failure to provide settlement statements” as one of the reasons, arguing that there were missing revenue items.
Industry insiders speculate that Saena, Aran, and Sio may use their former groupmate Keena’s case as an example in the proceedings. Keena, who reconciled with ATTRAKT in October 2023, received her settlement in November of that year.
This legal battle has cast a shadow over the K-pop industry, with fans and observers closely watching its developments. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for artist-agency relationships in the future.
Meanwhile, ATTRAKT has announced plans to relaunch FIFTY FIFTY as a five-member group, with Keena at its center, scheduled for a comeback in September. As the legal proceedings unfold, the K-pop community remains divided, with some supporting the former members’ pursuit of fair treatment and others questioning the wisdom of their continued legal actions
FIFTY FIFTY ‘Starry Night’ Official MV Teaser #1https://t.co/MfSGaRDqTN
🌌Pre-Release Single ‘Starry Night’
➫ 2024.08.30 1PM (KST) l 12AM (EST)#FIFTYFIFTY #피프티피프티#FIFTYFIFTY_StarryNight #StarryNight pic.twitter.com/Y0jOcnKLc4— FIFTY FIFTY Official (@we_fiftyfifty) August 26, 2024
