The dispute over the exclusive contract between the four-member girl group FIFTY FIFTY and their agency Attrakt has taken a new turn due to internal member conflicts.
On October 16th, FIFTY FIFTY member Keena submitted an appeal to the Seoul High Court for the suspension of the effect of the exclusive contract filed against Attrakt. According to Attrakt's representative Jeon Hong-jun, Keena began to doubt various corruptions, including changes in the copyright share of 'Cupid' produced by An Seong-il and academic background falsifications. An Seong-il is recognized as a contractor for Attrakt and a hidden force behind this incident.
Indeed, in an interview with a media outlet on the 20th, Keena revealed that the decision to file against the company came after a proposal by PD An Seong-il. This interview confirmed suspicions about An Seong-il being the orchestrator. On the same day, Attrakt released a recorded conversation between Keena's father and PD An, where An hinted at the possibility of arresting the former head of Attrakt and confidently stated that the lawsuit for the suspension of the contract would most likely win.
Will Attrakt, Warner Music, and Three Members Sue? Possibility of Three Members Surrendering
With Keena and the other three members showing different stances, there is rising speculation on the next developments in the FIFTY FIFTY situation. The evolving 'FIFTY FIFTY situation' presents three major issues:
First, there's speculation about Attrakt potentially suing Warner Music Korea. In the aforementioned recording, An Seong-il mentioned a "deal proposed by Warner Music Korea", thereby raising suspicions against both him and Warner Music Korea. He explained to Keena's father about a third party potentially funding Attrakt in the lawsuit, with rights to the team's copyrights and trademarks. He claimed that Warner Music Korea was considering such an arrangement.
The second issue concerns the possibility of Attrakt suing the three other members. Currently, the three members of FIFTY FIFTY (Sae-na, Aran, Si-o) are revealing more through their Instagram. They claimed that FIFTY FIFTY's music and album revenue were being used to pay off advances from Company S. They revealed that there were no recorded earnings from music or album sales for five months before filing the lawsuit. Despite making similar claims during the injunction application, these were not acknowledged by the court. Thus, they are believed to be using social media to rally public opinion. The representative of Attrakt expressed hopes for the members to return but might resort to legal actions if the three members continue their exposé.
The third issue is whether, following Keena, the remaining three members will appeal and potentially 'wave the white flag' of surrender. If, as Keena claims, PD An Seong-il influenced the filing of the lawsuit, it is challenging to see this merely as a trust breakdown between the artists and the agency.
Considering that Keena and Attrakt are expected to continue their revelations related to PD An Seong-il, the industry is keenly focusing on the outcomes of this situation.
