Girl group FIFTY FIFTY, currently in a contract dispute with their agency Attrakt, has made it clear they have no intention of returning, revealing their deep emotional distress.
On August 19, during an interview with SBS's "Unanswered Questions", a family member of one of the FIFTY FIFTY members said, "Money and other issues aside, to put it precisely, they've said 'We wish we hadn't become singers, we never want to go back'."
"Unanswered Questions" shined a spotlight on the FIFTY FIFTY situation, interviewing Attrakt, the third-party service provider, The Givers, and representatives of the members.
A family member disclosed, "The members suffered several panic attacks. One of them even passed out in the hospital and woke up on an oxygen machine." They added that "There were CCTV cameras in the agency, and the surveillance and control at the residence were excessive, along with significant pressure."
Furthermore, they claimed, "The agency didn't provide proper meals. When the members' parents brought food, the agency would throw all the side dishes into the living room, humiliating the members by telling them 'pick it up and throw it in the trash immediately.'"
Through a handwritten letter to the producers of "Unanswered Questions", FIFTY FIFTY members stated, "It's true that we are exhausted from the rumors, but we are holding on with resilience, hoping to repay those who support us."
The episode also revealed that the profit distribution ratio between the members and the agency was 3:7.
Attrakt claimed they had invested around 80 billion won in the FIFTY FIFTY project, including 30 billion in direct costs, 33 billion in indirect costs, and 16 billion in new investments. The members would only get a payout after repaying the 30 billion won from their singer activities.
The members reiterated their previous claim that the settlements were not transparent.
Moreover, the broadcast unveiled that third-party provider, The Givers, purchased a "Cupid" demo song from a Swedish composer and released it with minimal changes. The Givers' representative and producer of "Cupid", An Seong-il, declined the interview with the production team, stating he had a toothache.
On June 19th, FIFTY FIFTY claimed that Attrakt had failed to provide financial records and neglected their physical and mental health obligations, applying to suspend the exclusive contract.
The court called for a settlement to resolve the conflict, holding a mediation session on August 9. However, an agreement couldn't be reached, and the session concluded without resolution.
