South Korean pop girl group FIFTY FIFTY filed a lawsuit against their former agency ATTRAKT on June 19, 2023. The lawsuit alleges that ATTRAKT mismanaged the group's career, withheld payments, and created a hostile work environment.
The four-member girl K-pop group made their debut in November 2022 with a mini album The Fifty and lead single Higher. The members are Sio, Saena, Aran, and Keena. The group released their single, Cupid, in February 2023. The song was a commercial success, reaching number one on the Gaon Social Chart. However, FIFTY FIFTY claims that ATTRAKT did not properly promote the song or the group, which resulted in missed opportunities and financial losses.
FIFTY FIFTY's lawyer, said in a statement, that the lawsuit is "a necessary step to protect the rights of FIFTY FIFTY and to hold ATTRAKT accountable for its actions." He also said that FIFTY FIFTY is "confident that they will be successful in their lawsuit and that this will send a message to other agencies that they cannot mistreat their artists without consequences."
ATTRAKT’s lawyer denied all of the allegations made by FIFTY FIFTY. The lawyer said that the lawsuit is "baseless and defamatory" and that ATTRAKT will "vigorously defend itself against these claims." The lawyer also said that ATTRAKT has "always treated FIFTY FIFTY with the utmost care and respect" and that the group is "simply trying to take advantage of ATTRAKT's success."
FIFTY FIFTY is not the first K-pop group to sue their agency for mismanagement. In recent years, there have been a number of high-profile cases of K-pop agencies mistreating their artists. In 2019, Lai Kuan-lin, a former member of the boy group Wanna One sued their agency, Cube Entertainment.
The lawsuit filed by FIFTY FIFTY is a sign that K-pop artists are starting to speak out against mistreatment. If FIFTY FIFTY is successful in its lawsuit, it could set a precedent for other K-pop artists who have been mistreated by their agencies. It could also lead to more regulation of the industry and better protection for artists.
