South Korean music label Attrakt has announced its intention to pursue legal action against Warner Music Korea for allegedly attempting to poach the then-members of K-pop girl group FIFTY FIFTY.
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The company announced on September 13 that it had “obtained comprehensive legal evidence” of Warner Music Korea, content development company The Givers and former FIFTY FIFTY members Aran, Saena and Sio “collud[ing] to breach their exclusive contracts and engag[ing] in tampering activities”, per Korea JoongAng Daily.
“We have secured audio recordings from their meetings held on May 13 and 17, and June 6, 2023, along with other related materials,” the agency said. “According to the plans discussed in their recorded meetings, these tampering parties filed a provisional injunction to suspend the effectiveness of their exclusive contracts with Attrakt on June 19, 2023.”
In the same statement, Attrakt also described Warner Music Korea as “the principal force behind this tampering”, after it “attempted to unlawfully seize our valuable artists through the use of financial and coercive power”.
“We will not succumb to the might of such corporate giants and are prepared to stand resolutely against these actions,” it continued, before re-emphasising its “commitment to holding all parties involved in this tampering scheme fully accountable”.
Attrakt’s statement was released several days after local media outlet Dispatch reported that The Givers CEO Ahn Sung-il told the parents of the original FIFTY FIFTY line-up that he had a connection at Warner Music Korea who “agreed to sign with FIFTY FIFTY”, per Korea JoongAng Daily.
Although Warner Music Korea has denied any involvement in FIFTY FIFTY’s alleged attempt to leave Attrakt, Dispatch claimed that unidentified executives of the company had met with the members’ parents.
Attrakt’s new statement regarding its ongoing feud with former FIFTY FIFTY singers Aran, Sio, Saena and Warner Music Korea comes a week before the girl group are set to make their highly anticipated re-debut with original member Keena and four new members on September 20.
Meanwhile, former members Sio, Saena and Aran signed with a new label, MASSIVE E&C, just last month, with plans to re-debut as a trio sometime this year. The company also teased that the “team behind the success of ‘Cupid’” will be behind the trio’s forthcoming return to music.
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