On October 23, ATTRAKT announced, “We have filed a lawsuit seeking damages of 20 billion won (approximately $14.5 million USD) against former CEO Clayton Jin and current executive director Yoon Hyung-geun of Warner Music Korea, who are suspected of tampering (making contact before contract expiration).”
The company further stated, “Warner Music Korea played a crucial role in (the contract dispute with former FIFTY FIFTY members) during the tampering process.” They also added, “These individuals held a tampering meeting with the former members’ parents at Warner Music Korea headquarters on May 17, 2023, and we have secured all key evidence from that time.”
They also emphasized, “The company has suffered enormous damages due to illegal actions that interfered with the normal activities of former FIFTY FIFTY members,” and reiterated that “We will hold former CEO Clayton Jin and current executive director Yoon Hyung-geun of Warner Music Korea, who are accomplices in the tampering, strictly accountable.”
Jeon Hong-jun, CEO of ATTRAKT, who filed the damages lawsuit against Warner Music Korea, particularly stressed, “The attempt by a subsidiary of Warner Music, one of the world’s top three record labels, to forcibly take away precious artists from a small South Korean agency is an utterly unforgivable and shameless act,” and added, “The actual damages amount is higher, and we are initially claiming 20 billion won with plans to increase the compensation amount in the future.”
FIFTY FIFTY, who debuted as a four-member group in November 2022, gained global popularity with their song “Cupid” released in February, 2023, earning them the title “miracle of a small-agency idol group.” However, in June of the same year, the four members filed for an injunction claiming contract termination, arguing that ATTRAKT had failed to fulfill obligations such as providing settlement data and managing members’ health. This injunction was dismissed in August.
In response, ATTRAKT announced the suspension of the group’s activities in June last year due to members’ health deterioration, strongly suggesting that during this period, there were external forces approaching the members and causing them to violate their exclusive contracts with the agency. They specifically pointed to Warner Music Korea as these external forces.
Although the members continued their legal battle by appealing the dismissal, member Keena withdrew her appeal and returned to ATTRAKT alone. The agency then replaced those who left with three new members and finally announced their comeback in September, 2024.
The remaining three members – Saena, Sio, and Aran terminated their exclusive contracts with ATTRAKT and signed new exclusive contracts with MASSIVE E&C, a label under IOK, in September. They have also filed a settlement claim lawsuit against ATTRAKT CEO Jeon Hong-jun for approximately 300 million won (roughly $217,000 USD).
Source: Naver
