Korean Lawmaker Introduces “FIFTY FIFTY Act” To Protect Small And Medium-Sized Agencies

The ongoing legal battle between K-Pop girl group FIFTY FIFTY and their agency, ATTRAKT, has drawn much attention, dividing the public’s opinion in favor of both sides. The incident has seemingly affected the country’s legal system as well, given that a lawmaker is trying to introduce a bill related to the matter.

The former four-member lineup of FIFTY FIFTY | @we_fiftyfifty/Instagram

According to reports on December 14, KST, Ha Tae Kyung, a member of the People Power Party and a lawmaker, has introduced a revised bill called the “FIFTY FIFTY Act,” aimed to protect small and medium-sized companies in the popular culture and arts sector.

Ha Tae Kyung

The act, officially named the “Partial Amendment to the Pop Culture and Arts Industry Development,” safeguards these agencies’ rights while establishing a fair-trade order in the industry. One of the explicit goals of this act is to ensure equal government support for entertainment companies of all sizes.

The proposed amendment also states that the current laws and systems only focus on protecting artists from potential mistreatment from their agencies, and the new amendment will add legal measures to help agencies in the face of outside threats. It was created in response to a lack of legal avenues for agencies to battle outsider influences like poaching and persuading artists to break their contracts illegally. Lawmaker Ha stated that these new additions to the act aim to provide a more balanced dynamic between artists and their agencies.

As the international reputation of K-Pop is increasing, a balanced development between artists and agencies is necessary to further invigorate the industry. We will pursue sustainable development of the K-Pop industry by protecting not only artists but agencies as well.

— Ha Tae Kyung

ATTRAKT’s CEO Jeon Hong Joon responded to this news, thanking Lawmaker Ha for the bill.

I am grateful to see a bill being proposed to protect agencies from unfair intervention by external forces, such as stealing (scouting) artists or tampering, which are rampant in the entertainment industry. In future, the FIFTY FIFTY Act will help create a fairly competitive environment, ensuring that the blood and sweat efforts of small and medium-size businesses are not wasted.

— Jeon Hong Joon

Meanwhile, FIFTY FIFTY, the fourth-generation girl group that saw astronomical success with their single “Cupid” in 2023 in the global music market, has been embroiled in a lengthy legal battle with ATTRAKT since June. The agency said that external forces had attempted to poach the members, while the members claimed they were mistreated by the agency and filed for a temporary injunction to suspend their exclusive contracts. The court denied the injunction, stating a lack of evidence, and all members except Keena pushed forward with appeals. Keena returned to ATTRAKT and is promoting alone to FIFTY FIFTY. Meanwhile, after the members’ appeals were rejected in the District Court, ATTRAKT terminated their contract with the three members, Sio, Saena, and Aran. According to the latest reports, the agency has sued the three members for damages worth ₩130 billion KRW (about $99.7 million USD).

You can read a more detailed account of the FIFTY FIFTY versus ATTRAKT legal battle here.