Kang Daniel reports agency shareholder to police for forgery, embezzlement

Singer Kang Daniel filed a police report on the majority shareholder of his agency, Konnect Entertainment, for allegedly forging his signature to sign a 10 billion won ($7.3 million) deal without his knowledge, his attorney said Monday.

Singer Kang Daniel at the Blue Dragon Series Awards on July 19, 2022, in Incheon [NEWS1]

Singer Kang Daniel filed a police report on the majority shareholder of his agency, Konnect Entertainment, for allegedly forging his signature to sign a 10 billion won ($7.3 million) deal without his knowledge, his attorney said Monday.

Kang made the report on the 70-percent owner of Konnect Entertainment on Monday at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on charges of embezzlement, breach of trust, forging official documents and more.

The shareholder, whose name was not revealed by Kang's attorney or the press, forged Kang's signature to sign a music distribution deal worth 10 billion won in December 2022. Kang only found out the following month, and did not receive an answer from the shareholder as to why, despite the "numerous requests" made by the singer.

The shareholder allegedly sent over 2 billion won to overseas bank accounts without Kang's consent or approval from the company's board members. The shareholder additionally spent tens of millions of won through the company's corporate card and forged Kang's name to use money. Kang also found that 1.7 billion won went missing from his own bank account, according to attorney Park.

Singer Kang Daniel on Dec. 23, 2023, at the KBS building in western Seoul [NEWS1]

"My client tried his best to minimize the damage during the last year, taking into account everyone at the company he had been working with as CEO and as an artist over the last five years," the attorney said in a press release.

"It was with the heaviest heart that he went ahead with the police report, as there remained no other choice or solution."

Kang debuted in 2017 after winning first place on Mnet’s hit K-pop audition show “Produce 101.”

He and 10 other finalists formed the project boy band Wanna One, which disbanded in early 2019. He debuted as a solo artist in July that year after founding his own agency Konnect Entertainment and has released songs like “Touchin’” (2019), “2U” (2020) and “Paranoia” (2021).

Konnect Entertainment is currently home to Kang, CL, Yuju, Chancellor and We Dem Boyz.

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