Once hailed as the "Miracle of Mid-tier Idol Groups", FIFTY FIFTY is facing a crisis after seven months, as disputes involving the talent agency, a service provider, and the band members have ignited into a full-scale legal brawl.

The service company, The Givers, which had been in charge of FIFTY FIFTY's projects, declared on June 29th that they would legally respond to false accusations and defamation by Attrakt's CEO Jeon Hong-jun and others.

Previously, on June 27th, Jeon Hong-jun, CEO of Attrakt (FIFTY FIFTY's agency), filed a lawsuit against Producer An Seong-il and three others at the Gangnam Police Station.

An Seong-il, known as Producer Sean, is the CEO of The Givers, a comprehensive content development group that manages debut projects for idols and music IPs. Attract had signed a service contract with The Givers and entrusted them with the management and operations of FIFTY FIFTY's projects.

Attract accused The Givers of delaying the handover of duties, deleting company emails and other project-related materials, thereby causing obstruction of business, destruction of electronic records, fraud, and breach of trust.

However, The Givers denied Attrakt's accusations conveyed through the media and announced their intention to appoint a law firm and fight back.

According to The Givers, they began the FIFTY FIFTY project in June 2021 after receiving a request from CEO Jeon Hong-jun. The Givers explained that they had handed over all planning, production, and operation duties related to Attract on May 31 and only managed global promotion and overseas PR at Attrakt's request.

Amidst Attrakt's claims of an outside force trying to poach FIFTY FIFTY members, with Producer An and others being named as this outside force, The Givers argued that they had no involvement whatsoever.

The Givers stated that they had continued to mediate between Attrakt and the members of FIFTY FIFTY, even after completing their duties, at the request of CEO Jeon Hong-jun. However, despite being aware of this fact, CEO Jeon and Attrakt spread false information and damaged the reputation of the company and its employees, obstructing business operations.

They also refuted Attrakt's claim that they secretly purchased the copyright for the hit song "Cupid". The Givers insisted that all their operations, including copyright acquisition, were legally conducted. In particular, they noted that the song "Cupid" was owned by them before the FIFTY FIFTY project and was later made into a FIFTY FIFTY song.

Previously, Attrakt claimed that there was an incident of an outside force trying to poach FIFTY FIFTY members, and that the external subcontractor was involved. Attrakt identified The Givers as this subcontractor and suggested links between The Givers and Warner Music Korea, issuing a certification of contents on June 26th. Warner Music Korea expressed regret, stating the claims were "groundless".

In the midst of all this, four members of FIFTY FIFTY: Kina (20, main rapper), Saena (19, rhythm and main dancer), Sio (18, main vocal), and Aran (18, lead vocal), also jumped into the lawsuit. Through legal representatives, they filed a request for suspension of exclusive contract effect against Attract at the Seoul Central District Court on the 19th.

The four members claimed that this action was due to Attrakt's breach of contract and destruction of trust. They stated that Attrakt's attempts to manipulate the public opinion through the media were putting their careers in jeopardy, forcing them to take legal action.

They emphasized, "We're not only pursuing this lawsuit because of the financial damage caused by the breach of contract, but also because we can't trust the company that has spread false information and accusations to the media."

Meanwhile, the fifth member, Junnie (19, lead dancer and maknae), has yet to join the lawsuit or make any comment on the situation.

Despite all these ongoing conflicts, the future of FIFTY FIFTY remains uncertain, and the fans are understandably upset and confused. However, it's clear that the resolution will require much more than just a simple settlement between the involved parties.

Furthermore, this case has brought to the fore the issue of power dynamics within the K-pop industry, raising questions about the rights of idols, the responsibilities of agencies, and the opaque practices of some service providers. As such, its resolution could set a new precedent for future disputes in the industry.

The related parties are expected to hold their first hearing soon. Fans and the public are eagerly waiting to see how this case will unfold and impact the future of K-pop.

Until then, FIFTY FIFTY continues to be on hiatus, leaving their fandom 'HALF & HALF' in the dark about the future. For now, the music, performances, and content of FIFTY FIFTY are paused, as everyone involved awaits the final judgement in court.

The Korean Entertainment Management Association (KEMA) has yet to comment on this situation. As the body overseeing the industry, their silence has sparked controversy and raises questions about the role of such organizations in resolving conflicts like these.

As the situation continues to unfold, we will continue to provide updates and further details on this ongoing saga. Stay tuned for the latest on this rapidly evolving case.

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