A K-pop girl group struggling with unpaid wages after 7 years in the industry

During a livestream on May 17, the members of fromis_9 shared surprising stories, but all the fan accounts that shared the members’ statements were removed.

Despite being active for 7 years, fromis_9 has not received any salary, as revealed by one of their members. A fan summarized the situation by saying there were many shocking details shared, including Saerom expressing her lack of hope and Nakyung wishing to receive her first salary. Jisun also mentioned her desire to have new clothes. Although the members shared a lot, it is unfortunate that fans are unable to change the situation and this is disheartening.

Despite netizens expressing sympathy for fromis_9, there are some who speculate that the members may have been referring to not receiving payment in 2024, which aligns with their previous statement about using their salaries to purchase gifts for their parents.

The most recent comeback for fromis_9 was in 2023, and they have not had any promotions in 2024, possibly leading to the company not paying them. Other idols have shared that they receive payments every few months instead of monthly. The company covers various living expenses such as food, clothing, and housing.

The comments left by netizens:

“She said she wants to receive her first salary, meaning they haven’t received any salary in 7 years?”
“I think they are only referring to this year. There’s no way they haven’t been paid for 7 years. I don’t know how Pledis works, but usually, idols are paid 1 to 2 times a year.”
“If they mean they haven’t been paid this year, it’s still terrible. It’s already May. Does that mean they’ve had zero income since the start of the year?”
“If they haven’t been paid, how have they been living?”

HYBE’s girl groups are often a topic of discussion, with NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, or the new girl group ILLIT being commonly mentioned. However, what many may not know is that fromis_9 is also under HYBE’s management. This “younger sister group”of SEVENTEEN, which debuted in 2017, is actually managed by Pledis Entertainment.

After Pledis merged into HYBE, fromis_9’s success was impacted by a vote manipulation scandal, causing the group to face difficulties. As a result of their underwhelming performance, fromis_9 is not widely recognized as a HYBE group.

During a recent live session, Chaeyoung, a member of the group, expressed her frustration, saying, “Why do we have to wait such a long time to be active? Why is it only fromis_9? It’s truly disheartening.”

Following Chaeyoung’s complaint, Pledis Entertainment revealed the schedule and comeback plans for fromis_9 on May 13. The company acknowledged the numerous requests for the group to perform at university festivals.

In response to fans’ requests, fromis_9 has announced that they will be performing at university festivals throughout the month of May. They will also be participating in the Weverse Con Festival in September and the Waterbomb Tour in July. Furthermore, their stage activities have been extended until the beginning of August.

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