Recently, Dispatch revealed a conversation involving Ahn Sung-il, CEO of “The Givers,” former members of the K-pop group FIFTY FIFTY, and their parents.
The recording of this significant discussion, which took place on May 13, 2023, at “The Givers” office, was obtained by Dispatch.
10 individuals were present during the conversation, including Ahn Sung-il and the parents of the FIFTY FIFTY members: Jung Se-hyun (Saena), Jung Ji-ho (Sio), and Aran, along with Keena’s father.
The key points from the conversation were categorized into 13 distinct terms:
“Warner” (93 mentions), “Jeon Hong-joon” (90 mentions), “contract” (55 mentions), “America” (52 mentions), “Plan B” (40 mentions), “settlement” (37 mentions), “label” (29 mentions), “overseas” (28 mentions), “Plan A” (26 mentions), “lawsuit” (19 mentions), “advance” (18 mentions), “distributor” (17 mentions), and “termination” (11 mentions).
Ahn Sung-il criticized CEO Jeon Hong-joon, raising concerns about settlements and advances. He mentioned both Plan A and Plan B, emphasizing Plan B, which involved accepting the injunction and transitioning to Warner’s label.
Furthermore, Dispatch revealed evidence of Ahn Sung-il’s interference. Involved in this situation were Warner Music Korea, highlighting the internal pressures surrounding the FIFTY FIFTY crisis as rooted in the actions of Ahn Sung-il and Warner.
- Gaslighting
In response to a question from a member’s mother about CEO Jeon’s plans for the children, Ahn Sung-il remarked, “There’s no way he could have plans. He’s never made any,” claiming that after their Billboard chart success, Jeon changed significantly and the company’s direction became problematic.
Ahn alleged that CEO Jeon turned down Warner’s substantial offer of 20 billion won (approximately 15 million USD) in favor of searching for alternative distributors focused on revenue.
“Nobody thought they wouldn’t take Warner Music’s offer. But he tossed the 20 billion buyout and now desires to emulate HYBE,” he asserted, painting a negative image of FIFTY FIFTY’s agency CEO.
- Fear mongering
Ahn allegedly used misinformation to manipulate the members and their families into compliance.
In 2022, CEO Jeon had secured an advance of 9 billion won (about 6.7 million USD) from Interpark for the exclusive distribution of albums from various artists. Yet, Ahn suggested that the artists were liable for this advance, causing misunderstandings regarding artist debt.
As of May 2023, the direct costs incurred by FIFTY FIFTY totaled only 3 billion won (around 2.2 million USD), allowing members to receive payment following sales deductions. Notably, Keena, who opted to return to CEO Jeon, had already reached a positive settlement by the end of the previous year.
- Picking Fights
Ahn claimed he was the visionary for FIFTY FIFTY’s future, supposedly outlining their progress and market approach, justifying his expected payment of 4 billion won, which he never received.
In response, FIFTY FIFTY’s agency, ATTRAKT, dismissed this notion, laughing off the idea of compensating Ahn while clarifying that the funds are intended for the girl group.
Ahn also noted the financial struggles faced during FIFTY FIFTY’s debut, stating, “The funds were constantly getting tangled, requiring me to manage defensive tasks for the artists.” ATTRAKT humorously countered this by stating that the difficulties during their debut were true, but Ahn was the producer for their first album.
- Exaggerating
Ahn claimed that the success of the track “Cupid” was the result of his targeted marketing efforts in Asia, asserting, “People say it’s because of TikTok, but that’s not true. From the beginning, I aimed for Asia.”
However, when approached, ATTRAKT stated that no specific Asian promotion was executed for “Cupid,” casting doubt on Ahn’s claims of connections and projects that lacked verification.
- Conclusion
Ahn Sung-il disparaged CEO Jeon, praised his own efforts, criticized ATTRAKT, and extolled The Givers, all as part of a scheme to move FIFTY FIFTY to Warner Music.
“I arranged a meeting with Warner Music on May 17, 2023. Warner’s condition was that I would continue to manage the group,” Ahn stated, providing clear evidence of manipulative tactics aimed at transitioning FIFTY FIFTY to Warner.
In summary, Dispatch highlighted that former members of FIFTY FIFTY and their parents were misled by Ahn Sung-il for his personal benefit.
Below is the recording released by Dispatch:
Source: Dispatch
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