K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty: Restructuring after lawsuit controversy

Koreaboo reports that K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty has formed a new lineup of members after three of its original members left in the midst of a lawsuit with their management company, ATTRAKT. The legal dispute between the ex-members has made quite a stir in K-entertainment, with even a legal bill being put forward.

If we’re talking about the original lineup, Fifty Fifty was a four-member K-pop girl group comprised of the members Keena, Saena, Aran, and Sio. The latter three left the group in October 2023 when ATTRAKT decided to terminate their contracts following a lawsuit against the company, according to the Korea Times.

You might recognise Fifty Fifty from these hits of theirs: ‘Lovin Me’, ‘Log In’, ‘Tell Me’, and the most famous of them all, ‘Cupid’.

Image: ATTRAKT

Fifty Fifty started out with their debut in November 2022. According to Naver, the group was created with the intent of becoming a global K-pop group, which started from an idea through a chance meeting between ATTRAKT’s CEO, Jeon Hong-joon, and the then CEO of KAMP.

Image: we_fiftyfifty / Instagram

Initially a joint project between ATTRAKT and KAMP, it evolved into a project primarily managed by ATTRAKT and later joined by ex-KAMP members, who went on to form the company, ‘The Givers’, reports Dispatch.

Image: we_fiftyfifty / Instagram

Despite having achieved the difficult feat of attaining international success with the release of ‘Cupid’ in 2023, all soon turned sour with Fifty Fifty as later in the year in June, The Korea Times reports all members of the group sued ATTRAKT for multiple contract violations.

Image: we_fiftyfifty / Instagram

According to Soompi, the lawsuit against ATTRAKT was raised due to the lack of privacy and for violating contract terms, alongside allegedly defaming the members of Fifty Fifty.

Image: we_fiftyfifty / Instagram

Korea JoongAng Daily too reports that The Givers had involved themselves by adding another lawsuit against ATTRAKT, suing the company’s CEO for defamation after ATTRAKT had told media outlets that The Givers had attempted to poach the Fifty Fifty members and caused this current lawsuit ordeal.

Image: we_fiftyfifty / Instagram

The case progressed with Fifty Fifty member Keena retracted her personal lawsuit and the court later reported to have sided with ATTRAKT in the case’s official ruling, reports the Chosun Ilbo. Despite the ruling, the case is set to have a rehearing later in the year in August.

Image: we_fiftyfifty / Instagram

As Keena was the only member who has withdrawn her lawsuit, ATTRAKT allowed her to remain in the girl group and proceeded to terminate the contacts of the other three members, Saena, Aran, and Sio. The Korea Times reports that Fifty fifty is to become a five member group in their upcoming rebrand due in September, with four new members.

Allkpop reports that the ‘ATTRAKT vs. ex-Fifty Fifty members vs. The Givers’ saga caused a new legal bill to be proposed, meant to protect enterprises from “external threats” such as “poaching and tampering” of K-pop idol groups. Netizens have noted the irony of this progress, where the law has moved in a direction to protect enterprises instead of K-pop artists from abuse and exploitation.

Image: we_fiftyfifty / Instagram