The Dark Side Of K-Pop: FIFTY FIFTY Vs ATTRAKT, How The Cupid Girls Went From Rising Stars To 'Backstabbing Idols'

FIFTY FIFTY were on their way to becoming superstars! Their success was expected to match that of popular groups such as BTS and Blackpink. However, even before people could learn the members' names, the group was involved in a huge legal dispute with their label.

FIFTY FIFTY's rise to fameIn November 2022, Keena, Saena, Aran and Sio debuted as FIFTY FIFTY under ATTRAKT. The girl group enjoyed considerable success with their debut album, The Fifty. Not only was the album critically acclaimed worldwide, but it also debuted on the Circle Album Chart, which records the 100 most popular albums based on physical sales.

Though FIFTY FIFTY started off well, it was their first comeback that shot them to global fame. On February 23, 2034, they released the now-smash hit Cupid. So, how did a song by a 'nugu' group suddenly take over the internet? Well, soon after Cupid’s release a fan made a sped-up rendition of the song's English version. Thanks to its relatable lyrics, catchy beat, and cute choreography, the song instantly went viral on social media. Consequently, Cupid entered the Billboard Hot 100, making FIFTY FIFTY the fastest K-pop group in history to do so.

Soon after, ATTRAKT's CEO Jeon Hong-joon issued a statement in which he accused their external partner Ahn Sung-Il, who is the CEO of creative content development group The Givers, and Warner Music Korea of poaching the group. ATTRAKT claimed that they had tried to convince the members to break their exclusive contracts and shut down the group's official fan community. "We have already obtained material evidence of a clear attempt to illegally poach FIFTY FIFTY. We request that Warner Music Korea make a precise explanation and statement of their official position,” ATTRAKT stated, to which Warner Music Korea responded, “ATTRAKT’s claims are groundless, and we are regretful that they have sent us a certification of contents.” ATTRAKT and FIFTY FIFTY file police complaintsOn June 27, ATTRAKT filed a criminal complaint against The Givers' CEO Ahn Sung-Il as well as three other individuals for fraud, breach of duty and obstruction of business. Likewise, in August 2023, FIFTY FIFTY filed a criminal complaint against ATTRAKT's CEO Jeon Hong-joon, accusing him of breach of trust. The former members ultimately lost the claim after the police dismissed the investigation in March 2024, as there was no evidence of criminal activity suspected in the case. Court sides with ATTRAKTOn August 28, the Seoul Central District Court sided with ATTRAKT, dismissing FIFTY FIFTY’s injunction that had been filed in June 2023. The court ruled that ATTRAKT’s actions did not constitute enough grounds for terminating the exclusive contracts of the members. While the girls appealed against the dismissal of the injunction, it was rejected by the court in October 2023. ALSO READ: Keena returns to ATTRAKT, lawsuits filedAfter the court’s ruling, on October 17, Keena withdrew her lawsuit against ATTRAKT and returned to the label. Just days later, ATTRAKT announced the termination of the exclusive contracts of Saena, Aran and Sio.

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Soon after, in December 2023, ATTRAKT filed a lawsuit seeking compensation from the three former members, their parents and The Givers' Ahn Sung-il and Baek Jin-sil on the grounds that they were involved in an unjust breach of the trio's contracts. Additionally, a 20 billion won lawsuit was filed by ATTRAKT against Warner Music Korea for alleged attempts to poach FIFTY FIFTY and The Givers' Ahn Seong-Il and Baek Jin-sil were sued for 1 billion won for violation of business service contract, deception and breach of trust. Return as FIFTY FIFTY 2.0 and ablumeAmid the ongoing legal battle with the former members, ATTRAKT confirmed that they would be continuing with a "second generation" of FIFTY FIFTY, with four newcomers joining Keena. Throughout the first half of 2024, auditions took place across Asia to recruit the new members. Chanelle, Yewon, Hana and Athena joined Keena to form the new FIFTY FIFTY. The quintet released Starry Night on August 30, 2024, as their first song.

Meanwhile, Sio, Aran and Saena signed an exclusive contract with Massive E&C, a label under IOK Company. The trio are set to return as ablume. However, the Korea Management Federation and ATTRAKT opposed their re-debut. “It is regrettable that the three former members of FIFTY FIFTY, who partook in tempering attempts, are now making moves to resume their entertainment activities after signing with a new agency, when they have failed to assume full responsibility for their past wrongdoings," they stated.

안녕하세요, ablume(어블룸)입니다.

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많은 응원 부탁드립니다!#ablume #어블룸#ARAN #아란 #SAENA #새나 #SIO #시오 pic.twitter.com/hr0v4ETgbQ

— ablume official (@ablume_official) October 15, 2024

FIFTY FIFTY is not the first K-pop group to be potentially bought out after rising to stardom. Groups like B.A.P and EXO-CBX were also once at the center of poaching suspicions. So, why are the former members of FIFTY FIFTY being branded as 'traitors' and 'backstabbing idols?' For starters, B.A.P and EXO-CBX were known to be in labels that were not very supportive, unlike ATTRAKT. Additionally, both the groups were already established and profitable when they were allegedly incited to leave their labels. With FIFTY FIFTY, they were a group with a career of less than a year. Their only claim to fame was Cupid. The group had yet to earn profits through concerts, music festivals and advertisements since ATTRAKT had invested millions for their debut. With FIFTY FIFTY seemingly planning to leave a 'supportive label' like ATTRAKT without 'paying back' the investment, the now-former members ended up leaving a negative impression on the public, especially South Korean netizens.