MIA2K: A K-Pop Podcast

Your ticket from Miami to Seoul ✈️

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Episode 45 – Attract & FIFTY FIFTY’s Spiral Timeline, Cube Entertainment’s Management Failures, And Controversies from RBW, KQ, FNC, P Nation, and more! – The Truth About Small K-Pop Companies!

This week we’re coming at you with a very special episode because it’s our season 3 finale! Today is also the fifth and final installment of our company-specific series where we dive deep into South Korea’s entertainment agencies. 

We want to remind you that these company-specific episodes might deal with delicate subjects like child labor, body autonomy, grooming, personal freedom, disorderly eating, body dysmorphia, and a lot of other serious and potentially dark topics, so please be alert to our content warnings to skip a section. 

With all that said, today we’re focusing on some smaller companies that we think are important to cover for many different reasons. Before we begin, please keep in mind that these companies have a lot less information available about them. We always try our best to differentiate between facts and opinion but sometimes this can be hard with less resources available. If we make a mistake or misspeak, let us know!

You can listen to the entire episode here:

Before we investigate these companies we wanted to give you guys a very short update on a few companies that we don’t have the time to get into today:

  • Starship Entertainment/Monsta X:
    They clearly watched our episode and you should too. They got their shit together A LOT to get Monsta X to re-sign with them. They did get them contracts to host shows and they got their own variety content. Unfortunately, they still seem to have too much time on their hands to leave sus comments about NewJeans members… Girl. Bye.
  • Spire Entertainment/Omega X:
    Spire Entertainment changed their name and now they’re called From Entertainment (but don’t hate on any Fromm with 2 Ms including indie singer Fromm, or Fromm the messaging app kinda like Bubble)
  • Brave Entertainment/Brave Girls:
    The way Brave Entertainment dropped the ball with Brave Girls when they had so much momentum and opportunity will live in infamy. Thankfully the now renamed BB Girls are now with Warner Music Korea and getting one more chance to do things well.

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Ok, with that briefing out of the way, let’s get into the tea of the companies we want to talk about today:

  • KQ Entertainment
  • ATTRAKT Creative Group
  • RBW Entertainment
  • P Nation
  • FNC Entertainment
  • Cube Entertainment

You can also watch the entire episode here:

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Is KQ Entertainment a Small K-Pop Company (as they claim to be)?

BRIEF HISTORY 

  • Founded in 2016 as a management company before they debuted their first boy group in 2018. 
  • Private company so they don’t have to provide records or accounts to the public so there is less information about them. 
  • Music from KQ Entertainment distributed by Dreamus Company, which also distributes music for JYP, SM, and P Nation among others. They also have a partnership with Stone Music Entertainment. I’m sure you guys have noticed that ATEEZ MVs are sometimes released on both Stone Music Entertainment’s YouTube as well as ATEEZ’s own YouTube channel. 
  • KQ Entertainment lists the following as partners on the website: CJ ENM, Sony Music, and My Music Taste.
    • CJ ENM is the entertainment and mass media division of CJ. Part of their media content includes tvN (home to k-dramas like Hotel del Luna and Crash Landing on You), their music content includes Mnet Music Channel, MAMA Awards, and KCON, and finally their partnership with entertainment companies like be;Lift Labs, AOMG, and H1ghr among others. Notably, KQ is not mentioned on their site. 
    • Sony Music and KQ started their partnership in 2017 through equity investment. Equity investment is money put into a company for shares (can be public and can be private). KQ are linked in at least the Sony Music UK website. To me, it appears recent since it goes to their app landing page. 
    • MyMusicTaste is “is a fan initiated live event making service that brings fans, artists and promoters from all over the world together in one place to create a valuable and meaningful concert experience for everyone involved.”

ARTISTS

Current: Ateez, Maddox, Xikers 

Former: Block B

CONTROVERSIES & SCANDALS

Since we are pressed on time, I really only want to talk about one of the biggest “controversies” surrounding KQ Entertainment. 

  • The lowdown: If you search “KQ” and “small company” a bunch of reddit and quora articles appear where fans ask the same question over and over. Is KQ a small company? 
  • So what’s the big deal? Why do we care? KQ has this narrative around them that they are a small company battling it out to make in the industry with ATEEZ leading their way. A lot of people are annoyed by ATEEZ’s rapid rise within the K-Pop industry. They use the fact that bigger companies have invested or partnered with KQ (like Sony, CJ ENM, and that they were home to BlockB) to diminish ATEEZ’s trajectory. Both fans and antis write countless articles and blogs trying to tear each other down. Some Antis accused ATEEZ of being favored during Kingdom because of KQ’s ties with CJ ENM.
  • KQ’s Response: KQ said that they “will be filing a defamation lawsuit against posts damaging KQ Entertainment and their artists’ reputation.” Basically KQ states that they partner with many domestic and foreign companies but they operate independently. 
  • Our conclusion: People need to chill. It’s obvious that KQ Entertainment has always tried to bring the best possible environment for ATEEZ and Xikers. From the very beginning by partnering accepting investments from bigger companies, they have tried to set up ATEEZ to succeed. Is KQ Entertainment a small company? When you compare it to BigHit, JYP, and SM, yes, they are. When you compare it to FNC or RBW in terms of number of artists, yes, they seem. However, I would say they’re a mid-sized company due to all the success ATEEZ has brought them. If ATEEZ was trash all the backing in the world wouldn’t matter but since they’re not, they have been able to use the tools provided by KQ to succeed and become an influential group within the 4th gen. 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

  • KQ just debuted their own app called TOQTOK on Monday, 07/17. Its description reads “Get the latest updates from KQ artists like ATEEZ and Xikers.” This app is exactly like the b.stage app, which they joined in about April 2023.
    • B.stage and TOKTOQ created by bemyfriends – co-CEOs are Steve Seo (former Weverse CEO (yes, that Weverse) and Brice Lee (former CEO of Dreamus Company). bemyfriend – About Us page 
    • Interestingly, bemyfriend counts CJ Group as an investor.
    • Dreamus Company is also an investor. Dreamus company is publicly traded and its majority owners are SK Group, SM Entertainment, and JYP. 
    • If you have used Eximbay and even PayPal to pay for anything on a Korean website (users of b.stage and Weverse have reported being affected) check your credit/debit card statements as people have reported a bunch of fraudulent charges for purchases in Walmart, specifically in Arizona and Arkansas.

You can listen to only this section here, or to watch us talk only about KQ, click here:

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What happened between FIFTY FIFTY, ATTRAKT, and SIAHN/The Givers?

BRIEF HISTORY 

  • Founded June 17, 2021 by Jeon Hongjoon 
  • Managed by Co-CEOs Jeon Hongjoon and Choi Seungho & producer (& SIAHN has ATTRAKT Co-CEO on his LinkedIn as well, and in interviews the three are lauded as “3 joint leaders…” SIAHN’s full name is Ahn Sungil)
  • Defined as a “Private Creative Production & Content Development Group”
  • Distributors:
    • Warner Music Korea (current)
    • Interpark (former)

ARTISTS

  • FIFTY FIFTY (members: Saena, Aran, Keena, Sio)

CONTROVERSIES & SCANDALS

Currently one big huge unending scandal. Let’s get to know the key players: 

  • Ahn Sung Il (SIAHN): The CEO and producer for The Givers. He is credited as having produced J-Walk, Eun Ji Won, Rumble Fish, and more. Currently, his agency is also the home to Son Seung Yeon.
  • Jeon Hong Joon: The CEO of Attrakt. He has previously managed artists including Cho Kwan Woo, Yang Soo Kyung, Bobby Kim, Yoon Mirae, and Ha Sungwoon. Some big names here!
  • KAMP: A performance production company based in the United States. They have hosted several K-Pop festivals. Ahn Sung Il worked as an employee here in 2019. And yes, that KAMP.
  • FIFTY FIFTY: Saena, Aran, Keena, Sio 

And here is the backstory on how all of them came together:

Hongjoon, KAMP CEO, and SIAHN (who was working for KAMP at the time) met in 2019 and decided to form and launch a girl group. SIAHN (plus two KAMP employees) would produce, and KAMP would manage global strategy. In 2021, Hongjoon and the KAMP CEO were no longer aligned on strategy, so KAMP pulled out of the project. SIAHN convinced Hongjoon to let him manage the global strategy and the members, and so he left KAMP and formed The Givers with the two other employees who were involved. Hongjoon followed his lead and entrusted him with everything related to the members. From all the text receipts and audio that have been leaked so far, the ATTRAKT CEO *SEEMS* to have had genuine intentions and was fully bamboozled by SIAHN and his partners in crime. 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

And here is the backstory on how all of them came together:

Hongjoon, KAMP CEO, and SIAHN (who was working for KAMP at the time) met in 2019 and decided to form and launch a girl group. SIAHN (plus two KAMP employees) would produce, and KAMP would manage global strategy. In 2021, Hongjoon and the KAMP CEO were no longer aligned on strategy, so KAMP pulled out of the project. SIAHN convinced Hongjoon to let him manage the global strategy and the members, and so he left KAMP and formed The Givers with the two other employees who were involved. Hongjoon followed his lead and entrusted him with everything related to the members. From all the text receipts and audio that have been leaked so far, the ATTRAKT CEO *SEEMS* to have had genuine intentions and was fully bamboozled by SIAHN and his partners in crime. 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

From June of 2023, there has been at least one report on FIFTY FIFTY’s scandals almost daily, with some days having multiple pieces hitting the wire. The easiest way to consume this is timeline style, so enjoy.

2022

  • November 18: FIFTY FIFTY debuts with EP ‘The Fifty’

2023

Our take:

Everyone here has some level of guilt or responsibility, including the members. Not putting hands in the fire for anyone, but given that SIAHN himself reduced Keena’s writing credits from 6.5% to 0.5%, he doesn’t have anyone’s best interests at heart but himself.

To watch us cover the FIFTY FIFTY and ATTRAKT story in detail, check the video here:

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RBW’s limited but powerful scandals and the loss of MAMAMOO piece by piece

BRIEF HISTORY 

  • Founded in 2010 as Rainbow Bridge Agency by Kim Joo Hoo. WA Entertainment was founded in 2012 with CEO Kim Doo Hoon. Kim Doo Hoon is a korean composer and producer who aside from MAMAMOO has worked with BTOB, SF9, KARD, and BTS on hits like Blood, Sweat, and Tears, among others. 
  • RBW stands for Rainbow Bridge World. 
  • In 2015, the RBW we know came to be when WA Entertainment and Rainbow Bridge Agency merged. Rainbow Bridge Agency (Kim Joo Hoo) specialized in K-Pop content production and WA Entertainment (Kim Doo Hoon) was home to MAMAMOO. 
  • Publicly traded as of November 2021.
    • Dreamus owns 2% of RBW. 

ARTISTS

Current: MAMAMOO (Solar & Moonbyul), Oneus, Purple Kiss, KARA, KARD, and Mirae

Former: Wheein and Hwasa (from MAMAMOO)

CONTROVERSIES & SCANDALS

Most of the tea is regarding questionable behavior by their artists (looking at you Blackface MAMAMOO performance). The most interesting tea is regarding Oneus. In October 2022, Ravn “voluntarily” left Oneus according to a post made by RBW to the Oneus official fancafe.

The lowdown: An ex-girlfriend of Ravn alleged through a series of tweets that the idol was a serial cheater, SA’d her on the first night they met, and made her pay for everything. 

RBW Response: Initially, RBW responded by saying they were looking into the matter. On October 17, they said Ravn was going on hiatus while the case continued to be investigated. RBW also said they would prosecute the alleged ex-girlfriend if the claims were proven to be false. Just 10 days later RBW announced Ravn’s “voluntary” departure from the group, while claiming that they “discovered false information and malicious editing included in the posts circulating regarding Ravn” and that it would “unveil the accurate truths on this through a lawsuit”.

Our Conclusion: Honestly, we don’t know here. Nobody has been convicted yet. Ravn posted recently to Instagram, under his birth name, giving an update on his life. Apparently, he’s making music on YouTube and SoundCloud.

Real talk: if you or a loved one are struggling with trauma or mental illness, reach out to the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or by calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1800 656 HOPE.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

  • RBW has steadily been trying to cement their stance in the K-Pop world through a series of acquisitions. 

P Nation’s triumphant debut, an obstacle-filled 2022, and its rebuilding in 2023

BRIEF HISTORY 

  • South Korean entertainment company, record label, entertainment agency, and concert production company. 
  • Founded in 2018 by Psy, after he left YG Entertainment.

ARTISTS 

  • 2019/Jan: Jessi (until July 2022)
  • 2019/Jan: Hyuna and Dawn, after they left Cube Entertainment (until August 2022)
  • 2019/June: Crush
  • 2020/September: Heize 
  • 2020/December: D.Ark (until November 2021)
  • 2021/April: Penomeco and Swings
  • 2022/May: TNX (from survival show Loud which aired in 2021)
  • 2023/June: Hwasa (from MAMAMOO)

CONTROVERSIES & SCANDALS

  • June 2022: Psy’s ‘Summer Swag’ concerts came under fire before even starting due to his declarations on a radio show that “the audience can rest assured if they accidentally consumed some of the 300 tons of water used during the show because it will all be drinkable.” Which he shared while South Korea was going through a severe drought. 
  • July 2022: Psy’s ‘Summer Swag’ concerts throughout South Korea were under investigation for COVID-19 transmission cases. South Korea’s Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters received multiple reports from people who claimed to have contracted COVID-19 after attending a music concert that ‘sprays water.’ The concerns for this had been brought up before the concert, to which P Nation replied that ‘each audience will be provided with three KF94 masks in addition to the complete disinfection and waterproof mask given before the concert.’ Clearly not enough measures…
  • August 2022: South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor investigated the death of a construction worker (Mongolian man in his 20s) who was dismantling a Psy ‘Summer Swag’ concert set. P Nation said they would take measures to prevent this from happening again and paid for the deceased’s funeral. The investigation revealed that his death was reportedly due to the lack of proper safety equipment “despite the inclement and rainy weather.”
  • October 2022: soPSYety NFT fan community, knowing that K-Pop fans are pretty against NFTs. Perks of joining the community: NFT owners will get priority selling for future Psy events and concerts. Comments: At least the PSYger looks cute and the description says it uses the Luniverse blockchain which supposedly is zero carbon.
  • June 2023: Hwasa’s dating scandal: literally the same day that Hwasa signed with P Nation (June 30th) the rumor mill started running wild with reports that Hwasa has been in a relationship for five years with a man 12 years her senior. Fans speculated that RBW leaked her dating story as payback for leaving the agency and to hopefully thwart her rise at P Nation. In turn, P Nation’s statement read: “It is difficult to confirm details regarding the artist’s personal life. We ask for your understanding.” AS 👏 THEY 👏 SHOULD 👏 #letidolslive.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

These will be mostly focused arount TNX due to the concerning health situation of member Junhyeok.

  • May 2022: TNX debuted with the EP “Way Up” and the single Move. 
  • January 2023: P Nation announced through their official fancafe that member Junhyeok would be temporarily halting activities due to health concerns.
  • February 2023: TNX released second EP Love Never Dies with the lead single Love or Die
  • April/May 2023: Junhyeok came back on social media/Weverse/fancafe and filmed content for their next comeback.
  • June 2023: P Nation announced that Junhyeok would once again sit out of “Boyhood” comeback activities due to continued anxiety treatment.
  • June 2023: third EP “Boyhood” with the lead single Kick It 4 Now

Mental health is such a critical condition, we hope P Nation provides the right care for Junhyeok and the rest of the members so they can remain as The New Six for a long time!

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FNC’s questionable management of AoA, CNBLUE, SF9, and more…

BRIEF HISTORY 

  • Founded in 2006 by Han Seong-ho as FNC Music. For the first 6 years of existence, FNC only managed musicians. In 2012, it changed its name to FNC Entertainment and began broadening its business. 
  • In 2021, FNC established new labels for girl groups (FNC W) and trot (FNC B). 

ARTISTS

Current: SF9, Cherry Bullet, P1Harmony, CNBLUE, FTIsland 

Former: AOA, Joo Jae-Suk 

CONTROVERSIES & SCANDALS

  • Involvement with Religious Sects 
    • The lowdown: Rumors started spreading in the internet about FNC artists being part of a christian sect that was reported as largely responsible for the outbreak of COVID in Daegu. 
    • FNC’s Response: FNC denied that any of their artists were involved and advised that legal action would be taken against anyone that was caught continuing to spread these rumors. 
    • Our conclusion: 2020 was crazy y’all. 
  • Unfair Contracts 
    • The lowdown: In March 2017, the Korean Fair Trade Commission inspected 8 agencies (aside from FNC, it also inspected JYP, YG, SM, DSP, Loen, Jellyfish, and Cube) and looked to correct 6 types of unfair contractual terms. 
    • FNC’s Response: FNC voluntarily corrected their practices. FNC were asked to stop imposing excessive penalties on contract cancellations (2x, 3x the amount invested in the trainee), canceling contracts for ambiguous reasons (morality clauses, etc.). 
    • Our conclusion: I hope my son is safe. 
  • AOA Members – Jimin and Mina (trigger warning: self-harm)
    • The lowdown: on July 3, 2020, former AOA member Mina posted a lengthy instagram post under a screenshot of a text message she got from someone telling her to get lost. In her post (and subsequent follow up posts), Mina detailed years of bullying by AOA leader, Jimin. Why say something then? Mina decided to speak out because in 2020, Jimin’s dad passed away which triggered Mina because when her own dad passed away a few years back, she was bullied into working normally and was told time and time again that she was lowering everyone’s mood. In one of her instagram posts, Mina asked why she had to suffer not seeing her dad before he passed while Jimin was given time off and her dad a VIP hospital room. Mina goes on to detail how her wrists have had to go through scar removal procedures due to her cutting caused by the bullying. She also says that she attempted suicide multiple times because of it. Mina left AOA due to the bullying and not “to pursue her acting career”. 
    • FNC’s Response: FNC’s response to Mina’s statements came almost a month later on August 9. They basically apologized to Mina for not managing AOA better and wished her a speedy recovery. FNC said that they didn’t respond immediately so as not to create more sensation regarding this story. They said Mina’s health is more important than publicly stating what’s right and what’s wrong about the events and situations. They also said that Jimin had decided to leave on her own accord and retired from the entertainment industry. 
    • The twist: Dispatch released a series of texts and recorded conversations between Mina and the rest of the members as well as between Mina and FNC managers. Mina continued to harass Jimin for “messing with the wrong person.” Mina’s statements came into question and a lot of people were not sure Mina was the victim anymore. The Dispatch article says that Mina’s manager claimed that Mina was often unprofessional and bratty and netizens speculated that because of this Jimin had to be the one to step up and talk to her. 
    • Our conclusion: It’s actually insane that this all happened. Idols are managed by companies that literally don’t let them breathe without them knowing so I’m not quite sure how FNC was oblivious to this crazy amount of bullying from one member to the other. Truly, I think this showed the super gross side of K-Pop and we hope that this made not only FNC but other companies pay more close attention to their groups. In case anyone is wondering, Jimin is fully back on the entertainment beat and people are loving her for it. 
  • CNBLUE Lee Jong-hyun
    • The lowdown: Jong-hyun was caught up in the Burning Sun scandal due to allegations of viewing illicit videos and having inappropriate conversations degrading women. Jong-hyun admitted his participation in the chats and watching the videos a couple of days after the allegations surfaced. Jong-hyun left CNBLUE in August, a whopping 6 months after his confession. 
    • FNC Response: FNC responded to the allegations and then subsequent confession by saying that Jong-hyun was in a period of reflection, while fulfilling his enlistment. 
    • Our conclusion: Jong-hyun only left CNBLUE because a YouTuber released messages where he made some questionable comments to them which brought back the fact that wait! He’s still in CNBLUE and nothing has happened. Jong-hyun says it took him so long to leave the band because he was enlisted but I DON’T KNOW GUYS. 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

  • FNC artists joined Weverse in 2021. Currently, you can find P1Harmony, Cherry Bullet, CNBLUE on Weverse. We would like to note that SF9 has yet to be included in the roster. Is it because they’re enlisted? It feels like P1Harmony has taken priority over SF9, which… sure, understandable. But also we hope they get the attention they need once they are whole again. 
  • Yoo Jae-suk (arguably SK’s biggest entertainer) left FNC in 2021 and joined Antenna.

To watch us cover the FNC section exclusively, watch here:

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Cube Entertainment’s proven track record of not standing by their artists, disposing of people, and even selling them off

BRIEF HISTORY 

  • South Korean entertainment company, record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production company, and music publishing house
  • Founded on August 29, 2006 originally as as Playcube Inc.
  • Founders: Hong Seung-sung (aka Simon Hong), former president of JYP Entertainment, and Shin Jung-hwa (Monica Shin).
  • Simon Hong left in April of 2020 over ownership disputes

ARTISTS

Former

  • 2009/June: 4Minute (girl group, disbanded in 2016) 
  • 2009/October: Beast (boy group, now Highlight. Left Cube in 2016 while allegedly being 45% of Cube’s total sales)
  • 2010, G.NA (first solo artist)
  • Roh Ji-hoon
  • Hyuna (Wonder Girls in JYP, then 4Minute in Cube)
  • Rain
  • E’Dawn
  • A Train To Autumn
  • Lai Kuan-lin
  • Jang Hyun-seung
  • Elkie (CLC)
  • Sorn (CLC)
  • Soojin [(G)I-DLE
  • Yeeun
  • CLC
  • Triple H: Hyuna + Pentagon members Hui and E’Dawn

Current

  • 2012 BtoB
  • 2015 Choi Yu-jin (from CLC, now leader of Kep1er)
  • 2016/October:Pentagon
  • 2017 Jo Kwon (signed in 2017 after 16 years with JYP)
  • 2018 Yoo Seon-ho
  • 2018/May (G)I-DLE
  • 2021/June Lightsum (girl group)

Cube also manages several entertainers and actors, including Lee Hwi-jae, Heo Kyung-hwan, Park Mi-sun, Na In-woo, Kim Jin-woo and Park Sun-young.

CONTROVERSIES & SCANDALS

  • (2016) G.Na’s Prostitution Scandal: She was accused of giving sexual favors to an unidentified businessman in exchange for ₩35.0 million KRW (roughly $28,200 USD). She denied the accusation, explaining that she was under the impression that she was meeting the man for a date. The person who had set them up was a friend who had lent her the money to help out with her financial situation. G.NA pleaded that she had no idea about this friend actually being a broker for high-end prostitution. She was ultimately charged with prostitution and had to pay a fine of ₩2.00 million KRW (roughly $1,610 USD). Following the scandal, G.NA halted all her entertainment activities and went on a hiatus that she never returned from. In early 2023 she posted to her Instagram that she is #stillalive.
  • (2018) HyunA, Dawn: On August 2, 2018, photos of HyunA with Pentagon’s E’Dawn at their birthday party on June 4 were released. Cube Entertainment initially denied rumors the two were dating; however, HyunA and Dawn gave an interview later that day, admitting to their relationship and happily sharing they were in love and had been dating since May of 2016. Cube responded to HyunA & Dawn’s confirmation of the dating rumors by canceling all previously planned performances, on-air appearances, and fan events for Triple H, including a fan meeting scheduled for the next day. On September 13, Cube Entertainment said that “After much deliberation, we’ve concluded that the trust between the company and the artists had been damaged to a degree that it cannot be restored, leading us to believe expulsion is necessary.” But contrary to the statement, the contracts were not actually terminated at that point, and the CEO released his own official statement confirming that no final decision had been made. This prompted HyunA to post a letter with an ultimatum and asking for a final decision to be made by September 15th. On October 5th it was finally revealed that HyunA and Dawn had been released from Cube.
  • (2019-2021) Lai Guanlin: A former Produce 101 contestant, former member of Wanna One, and current member of the duo Wooseok x Kuanlin, was involved in a lengthy legal battle against Cube Entertainment. It began in 2019 when Lai Guanlin requested that his exclusive contract with the agency be canceled. His lawyer stated:
    “On July 27, 2017, Lai Guanlin signed an exclusive contract with Cube Entertainment. Within just a few months, in January 2018, Cube sold Lai Guanlin’s management rights in China to a third-party agency. Through the transaction, Cube was given a sum that was dozens of times larger than the contract fee given to Lai Guanlin. Lai Guanlin and his parents were not consulted about this at all, so they weren’t able to agree or disagree with the transaction.”
    Lai Guanlin’s lawyer also shared that Cube Entertainment agreed to conflicting schedules without Lai Guanlin’s consent that caused his image to become “damaged” in the Chinese broadcast industry. Although at first the Seoul Central District Court dismissed Lai Guanlin’s request, he then filed for an appellate trial in May 2020, which was also dismissed by the Seoul High Court. This prompted his legal team to file a lawsuit on merits for the invalidity of his contract with Cube Entertainment, and four trials were held in total. He finally won the trial, and the court ruled that Cube had to pay the legal fees of the case. They *literally* sold him out. WTACTUALF.
  • (2020) Elkie (CLC): suffered both mistreatment and mismanagement. She shared the following statements about the nightmare she lived at Cube:
    • About her health: “The most extreme incident was when I couldn’t sleep for several days and wasn’t even able to remove my makeup. The longest time I’ve had dance practice was for 16 hours straight, from noon to late at night. I was so tired that I walked like a zombie.” 
    • About a song that was meant for them but went to IZ*ONE: “The song and opportunity that originally belonged to us were given to someone else and the situation felt so helpless. The 7 of us worked really hard, but the agency took away our opportunities. I think the agency was way too out of line. I feel so disappointed.”
    • About her leaving CLC: “CLC did not have releases frequently… sometimes it took a year to have a new song or album. When the agency said they will not give CLC any more resources, I thought there was no point for me to stay. As an artist I just wanted to meet with fans through my works. If nothing can be done, there’s nothing I can do to repay the fans, and I can’t accept that.”
  • (2021) BtoB Ilhoon’s marihuana charges: On December 31, 2020, Cube announced that Ilhoon would leave the group BTOB after being investigated for using marijuana. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency stated that he was under investigation for purchasing and using marijuana over 4–5 years, and was also charged for violating the Narcotics Control Act. Ilhoon was accused of using cryptocurrency to buy 133 million KRW (roughly $100,000 USD) worth of cannabis on 161 separate occasions between 2016 and 2019, together with seven other people. In June, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced him to two years in jail and ordered him to forfeit 133 million KRW. Ilhoon lodged an appeal and submitted more than 80 letters of apology. He was released from prison in late 2021 on account of him not being a dealer and voluntarily quitting drugs.
  • (2021) Soojin leaving (G)I-DLE: Soojin left (G)I-DLE after a five-month break following bullying allegations. Shortly after the announcement, her image had been taken down from (G)I-DLE’s site. The accusations included:
    • Soojin’s accuser posted that her younger sibling was violently bullied by the K-pop star 
    • Soojin’s “bad girl” behavior in school
      • She defaced a classmate’s coat with a marker 
      • Scolded a peer in gym class
      • Forced a friend to memorize a choreography for their graduation
      • Smoked
      • Drank a lot of alcohol
      • Rode a motorcycle
      • High Kick Through The Roof actress Seo Shin Ae claimed that she was also a victim of bullying and was ostracized throughout her school years. She didn’t name Soojin but fans put 2+2 together. 
    • While Soojin admits to smoking and drinking alcohol, she denies everything else and maintains that she’s never ridden a motorcycle nor perpetrated any violence — mental, physical or emotional — against her classmates. Soojin’s agency Cube Entertainment also initially provided a statement that refuted all accusations after an investigation was done. And then out of nowhere it was announced that Soojin was to leave (G)I-DLE. Fans were disappointed and blamed Cube Entertainment for mishandling the situation and not taking care of their talent. A petition called “Justice For Soojin” has amassed over 200,000 signatures to date.
  • Profit distribution: Although it’s difficult to know with certainty whether the profit distribution margins that are publicized are legitimate, Cube’s alleged rates are pretty disheartening to know. Artists tend to make much more on overseas promotions at other companies, and the splits are as close as 50/50 in other areas, while Cube is seemingly keeping most of the money.
    • Contract years: 7 years
    • Physical sales: Agency (80%), Artist (20%)
    • Physical sales renewed: Agency (70%), Artist (30%)
    • Events: Agency (60%), Artist (40%)
    • Overseas promotions: Agency (40%), Artist (60%)
  • Our take: our perpetual hatred of Cube is rooted in the very real fact that they don’t have their artists’ back. This is purely business to them, everyone has a $ assigned to them, and they can be disposed of at any time regardless of track record or loyalty. Cube does not know what it means to stand by the artists who made them.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Basically, still trash.

To watch us talk through all of these scandals in detail, watch here

And that brings our final episode of season 3 to a close. Which company do you want us to cover next?

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