FIFTY FIFTY Agency & CEO Face Defamation Lawsuit Over Unanswered Questions PD & CP

On April 16th, the agency Attrakt and CEO Jeon Hong-joon of FIFTY FIFTY filed a complaint against CP Han Jae-shin and PD Cho Sang-yeon of SBS’s program “Unanswered Questions,”which focuses on current affairs and culture.

On the 18th, Kim, the legal representative for Attrakt, accused the defendants of creating biased broadcast content without verifying the facts. Kim also stated that the defendants’ false information has led to a lawsuit against them for defaming Attrakt’s agency and CEO Jeon Hong-joon.

“On August 19th, 2023, the episode of “Unanswered Question”titled “Billboards and Girl Groups – Who Broke The Wings”was broadcasted, which featured FIFTY FIFTY. This was just 10 days before the announcement of the result of the lawsuit filed by three former members of FIFTY FIFTY for the termination of their exclusive contract.”

Despite receiving criticism from many viewers who pointed out its biased content, the program “Unanswered Question”continued to air. The Korea Broadcasting Standards Committee received 1146 complaints about the broadcast, making it the most complained about program. In a meeting held on March 5th, the committee acknowledged the deceptive nature of the broadcast and its negative impact on society, leading them to issue a legal warning.

On the 18th, lawyer Lee argued that “Unanswered Question”had violated both Articles 11 and 14 of the Broadcasting Review Regulations. According to Article 11, broadcasting should be cautious not to violate the right to a fair trial of the parties involved in ongoing trials. Article 14 also states that broadcasting must accurately and objectively present facts and should not confuse viewers by presenting unclear information as if it were true.

CEO Jeon Hong-joon further emphasized, “Despite the tampering incident which posed a survival crisis for our company, we were able to prevail with the unwavering trust and support from everyone. It is our strong conviction that biased broadcasts, which not only tarnish the image of the K-pop industry as a whole, but also create confusion for viewers, should be put to an end.”

He stated, “Despite our efforts, the defendants have not issued a genuine apology. As a result, we have chosen to take legal action. Despite the challenges in defending not just our company’s reputation but also the integrity of the K-pop industry, we remain determined to see this through to the end.”