FIFTY FIFTY's agency, ATTRAKT, has filed a massive damages lawsuit against Warner Music Korea over "tampering" allegations.


On October 23, ATTRAKT announced that it had filed a 20 billion won (approx. $150 million) damages lawsuit against Warner Music Korea's former CEO Clayton Jin and current executive vice president Hyung-geun Yoon, accusing them of playing a key role in the tampering (illegal pre-contractual contact) with FIFTY FIFTY’s former members. ATTRAKT claims that the two held a tampering meeting with the members' parents at Warner Music Korea's headquarters on May 17, 2023, and asserts that it has secured key evidence of the meeting.


ATTRAKT also stated that illegal actions by Warner Music Korea severely disrupted FIFTY FIFTY's activities, causing significant financial harm to the company. ATTRAKT’s CEO, Jeon Hong-jun, condemned Warner Music’s actions, calling them "an unforgivable and shameless attempt by a subsidiary of one of the world's top three record labels to steal a valuable artist from a small Korean agency." He added that the actual damages were likely higher than the 200 billion won initially claimed and indicated plans to increase the amount sought in the lawsuit.


In June 2023, ATTRAKT announced a halt in FIFTY FIFTY’s activities due to the members' health issues. During this period, the agency alleged that outside forces had approached the members and encouraged them to violate their exclusive contracts, later identifying Warner Music Korea as the external party involved.


ATTRAKT emphasized that this lawsuit raises significant awareness of the issue of illegal tampering within the K-pop industry and could have a major impact on entertainment contract practices in the future.


Written by Yoon Seong Yeol
Translated by Lee So Yun