Boy band Omega X's former agency accuses member of harassment

Another chapter is about to unfold in one of the most, if not the single most, messiest stories in K-pop: Omega X's former agency chief claims that she was the victim of sexual harassment by the boy band member, not the other way around.

Member of boy band Omega X explains that the band had been abused by its then-agency Spire Entertainment's CEO in a press conference held on Nov. 16, 2022. [NEWS1]

Another chapter is about to unfold in one of the most, if not the single most, messiest stories in K-pop: Omega X's former agency chief claims that she was the victim of sexual harassment by the boy band member, not the other way around, and that there's video to prove herself.

Omega X's former agency Spire Entertainment said on Monday that it will hold a press conference Tuesday afternoon "to announce that Spire Entertainment's former CEO Kang is not a criminal but a victim of sexual harassment and also expose the truths and lies that have been told regarding the situation."

The press release did not fully spell out the name of Kang Seong-hee, the former CEO of Spire Entertainment who has been reported to the police for sexually harassing and assaulting boy band Omega X members in 2022.

On Oct. 22, 2022, one fan uploaded an audio recording on Twitter, now known as X, claiming that it was of member Jaehan being yelled at and pushed over by Spire’s Kang during the band’s stay in Los Angeles as a part of its U.S. tour.

On Nov. 16, members held a press conference stating that they had been subject to verbal, physical and sexual violence since November 2021 and that Kang threatened them, saying “there will be no next album” when they refused to abide by her wishes.

"Kang, despite being the victim, has been reluctant to press charges or disclose evidence because she did not want to be the one making the young Omega X member into a sex offender," read the agency's press release.

"But the assumptions toward Kang have escalated to a point where it cannot be overlooked anymore, so she decided to reveal the surveillance camera footage."

The press conference will be attended by Hwang Seong-woo, Kang's husband and current CEO of Spire Entertainment, and attorney Kim Tae-woo of Jeha Law Firm.

Find out more at Celeb Confirmed

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]