On January 10, attorney Yang Tae-jung from the law firm Gwangya, representing PocketDol Studio, expressed regret over a statement released by UNCORE regarding alleged breaches of contract by a specific agency. He stated, “JTBC’s Project 7 initially signed a contract permitting simultaneous activities for our group BAE173 and participating trainees, but later changed their stance after the final lineup was selected. We are deeply concerned and disheartened by this sudden shift.”
UNCORE had earlier claimed that all contestants and their agencies were fully aware that, upon being selected for the final lineup of the project group “Close Your Eyes,” they would not be allowed to engage in any external activities without prior approval from UNCORE. They accused a specific agency of violating this agreement by pushing domestic and international events for their artists and insisting on simultaneous activities, causing harm to other group members.
PocketDol Studio’s Response
In response, PocketDol Studio refuted these claims, stating, “Our artists and trainees, including BAE173’s J-Min (Jeon Min-wook) and trainee Sakurada Kenshin, participated in Project 7 at the production team’s request. During this process, we signed a contract with the production team explicitly allowing for simultaneous activities if selected for the final lineup.”
They further explained that the contract specified exceptions for prior agreements, stating:
• Artists must prioritize project group activities during the 36-month active period.
• If pre-existing agreements for other activities were disclosed before signing the contract, simultaneous scheduling could be arranged to prevent conflicts.
PocketDol Studio emphasized that these terms were clearly communicated and agreed upon by all parties, including the production team. They added, “We shared all relevant schedules, including album releases and international tours for BAE173, with the Project 7 team to coordinate activities. However, after the final lineup was selected, UNCORE sent a new management contract prohibiting simultaneous activities. Due to unresolved issues, we were unable to sign this new agreement, yet our artists J-Min and Sakurada Kenshin were sent abroad for Project 7 promotional activities.”
Allegations of Artist Isolation
PocketDol Studio also accused UNCORE of blocking their access to the artists and withholding information about their whereabouts. “Despite repeated attempts to contact our artists, we were ignored. This is particularly concerning as Sakurada Kenshin is a minor, and we have been acting as his guardian in Korea. On January 8, we filed a missing person report with the police to ensure their safety,” they stated.
According to the studio, UNCORE initially misled police by claiming the artists were with their parents. Only after confirmation from the parents did they admit the artists were at the practice room. PocketDol Studio condemned these actions as “trust-breaking behavior.”
Call for Transparency and Legal Action
PocketDol Studio criticized Project 7 for encouraging participation under the promise of simultaneous activities, only to revoke this after the final lineup was formed. “We question which agency is intentionally disrupting activities and will not hesitate to release contracts and email exchanges if this issue is not acknowledged. We strongly denounce the actions of Project 7 and UNCORE and will pursue all legal measures available,” they stated.
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