FIFTY FIFTY loses legal battle against their label over financial discrepancy claim

K-pop group FIFTY FIFTY filed a lawsuit against their company ATTRAKT earlier this June. The girl band accused the CEO of the company, Jeon Hong-joon, of breaching their trust and financial discrepancies and pleaded for suspension of their contract with the label. However, in recent developments, the group has lost the legal battle against ATTRAKT. 

3 things you need to know 

• FIFTY FIFTY is a four-member group comprising of Aran, Sio, Saena and Keena. 
• The band debuted in 2022 with their extended play The Fifty.  
• They experienced a commercial breakthrough with their viral hit single Cupid.

Court rejects FIFTY FIFTY contract suspension plea 

The Seoul Central District Court dismissed FIFTY FIFTY's argument due to lack of evidence. The group had accused ATTRAKT of failing to uphold settlement agreements, providing insufficient support and failing to protect the group's health. They insisted that their label had missed their music sales in April, which is why there was no income reported for that month.

(FIFTY FIFTY comprises Aran, Sio, Saena and Keena | Image: ATTRAKT)

The court articulated that the accounting employees of an outsourcing company, The Givers, made the error which was later corrected by ATTRAKT. The statement read, “It is difficult to conclude that Attrakt violated the obligation to settle or provide settlement data to the extent of destroying the relationship of trust.”

FIFTY FIFTY to appeal against the judgement 

FIFTY FIFTY's legal counsel is currently considering the potential of filing an appeal against the "unfavourable judgment". In the court's ruling, the lack of essential financial data and thorough medical records were highlighted as key considerations in not establishing a contract breach. Previously, the court had attempted to arbitrate the dispute between the parties, but members of FIFTY FIFTY stated they had no intentions of doing so.