On the morning of the 14th, IOK’s stock price continued its downward trend for the third consecutive day, falling to the low 8,000 won range. The reaction from shareholders has been predominantly negative, with some even going so far as to label the three members as “traitors”and voicing strong disapproval of IOK’s choice to hire individuals who are perceived to have betrayed their former company, Attract, and Fifty Fifty.
Despite criticism from within the industry and K-pop fans, IOK and the three members continue to face backlash for their actions. Some argue that IOK’s actions are hindering the success of Fifty Fifty’s career and the highly anticipated debut of their second generation, “NEW Fifty Fifty,”scheduled for September.
Despite IOK’s claims that Saena, Aran, and Sio played integral roles in the success of “Cupid”and contributed greatly to the company’s domestic and global achievements, their approach has been heavily criticized for mishandling the situation and appearing to appropriate Fifty Fifty’s accomplishments as their own.
Nevertheless, it is undeniable that “Cupid”was a major success for Fifty Fifty. The current controversy surrounding the departure of the three members and their subsequent career achievements has sparked criticism towards IOK’s press release, which many feel was inappropriate. While it is reasonable for there to have been re-contracts and a resumption of activities, the use of Fifty Fifty’s accomplishments as a means of promotion has been met with disapproval.
Despite the scheduled formal comeback of NEW Fifty Fifty on September 20 and the preparations for a pre-release track in August, there have been speculations about the timing of the contract announcement and activity preview by IOK. Some fans perceive this as a deliberate attempt to undermine NEW Fifty Fifty’s promotion, especially with the introduction of new members Hana, Athena, Moon Chanel, and Yewon.
Despite only recently creating their SNS accounts, Saena, Aran, and Sio have already had to make them private due to the negative public sentiment. This decision was prompted by the numerous criticisms they received within the first three days of opening their accounts.
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