On July 3, FIFTY FIFTY’s agency ATTRAKT released an audio recording between ATTRAKT’s CEO Jun Hong Joon and Warner Music Korea’s Executive Director Yoon.
In the recording, Executive Director Yoon mentions discussing with CEO Ahn Sung Il of the creative content development group The Givers regarding a “buyout” (term referring to recruitment that occurs when even though a contract period remains, the contract is arbitrarily terminated if a certain amount of money is paid) with the FIFTY FIFTY members.
Below is the audio recording from May 9:
Warner Music Korea Executive Director Yoon: “I have one thing I want to check.”
ATTRAKT CEO Jun Hong Joon: “Yes, yes.”
Executive Director Yoon: “I previously offered CEO Ahn Sung Il a 20 billion won (approximately $15.3 million) buyout.”
CEO Jun Hong Joon: “I haven’t heard of that.”
Executive Director Yoon: “You haven’t heard of that?”
CEO Jun Hong Joon: “Yes.”
CEO Jun Hong Joon: “What is a buyout?”
Executive Director Yoon: “No, that label.”
CEO Jun Hong Joon: “What about the label?”
Executive Director Yoon: “That is, we normally express it as we take over the kids. [That is] what we talked about.”
CEO Jun Hong Joon: “No, no.”
Previously, ATTRAKT announced that it would be taking legal action against Warner Music Korea for allegedly approached FIFTY FIFTY with the intention of persuading them to violate their exclusive contracts with their current agency. However, Warner Music Korea denied the claims, and on June 27, ATTRAKT released an additional official statement announcing that it had filed criminal charges against Ahn Sung Il, the CEO of creative content development group The Givers, as well as three other individuals. FIFTY FIFTY also announced that they would be filing to suspend their exclusive contracts with ATTRAKT.
Source: Soompi