SBS coverage on Fifty Fifty’s legal dispute draws backlash

Fifty Fifty (Attrakt)

Entertainment industry heavyweights have demanded an apology from the production crew of the SBS program “Unanswered Questions” for what they claim was biased coverage of Fifty Fifty’s ongoing legal dispute with its agency Attrakt.

The Korea Management Federation, which represents at least 350 Korean entertainment agencies and labels, described the episode that aired Saturday, as "poor content" and "biased reporting."

“We want to pinpoint two problems and request rectification and an apology,” the federation said in a statement Tuesday.

“The production crew left the viewers with a distorted perception of an ongoing legal battle by only reporting Fifty Fifty’s claims, emotional appeals and unconfirmed revelations without accurate facts to back them up. With an anonymous report with no clear basis and a combination of subjective opinions, the program has lost fairness and objectivity,” it added.

The federation also criticized the program for likening the business cycle of the popular culture industry to gambling, which they said undermines the hard work and dignity of industry workers.

The SBS investigative TV show "Unanswered Questions" is a weekly show that seeks to delve into unsolved mysteries and controversial current events. Saturday's hourlong episode featured interviews with family members of the K-pop quartet and the Givers, the production company, on allegations of contract violations and poaching.

The Korea Entertainment Producer’s Association also released a similar statement the same day.

“The program encouraged a public dispute through its distorted, biased and false reporting. Reenacting the agency’s financing and profit-sharing process as a gambling board, denigrated corporate activities of good producers and seriously defamed them,” the association said.

The association has also requested the Korea Communications Standards Commission to penalize the person in charge of the program.

The episode drew ire from the public who lambasted the "lopsided claims," lack of credible sources and a lack of understanding of the K-pop industry.

The episode's trailer posted on the program’s YouTube channel saw more than 10,000 comments, most of which were negative. The video has since been made private.

The explosive rise of Fifty Fifty, consisting of four members — Aran, Saena, Sio and Keena -- has been described as a miracle story of a rookie K-pop group from a small-sized agency. A series of controversies, however, has clouded the group's prospects.

The group on June 19 applied for an injunction to suspend their exclusive contract with their agency Attrakt. The members claimed a breach of contract by Attrakt including improper compensation and forcing a member to participate in scheduled activities despite poor health.

Attrakt, on the other hand, has claimed that its subcontracted outsourcing company, the Givers, approached Warner Music Korea to attempt to persuade them to sell off the girl group, as well as enticed the members to terminate its contract with Attrakt.

The Givers is led by producer Siahn, who took part in producing the hit single “Cupid" that catapulted the four-piece to stardom.

Fifty Fifty made the quickest debut on Billboard’s Hot 100 for a K-pop act with the single from its first EP, “The Fifty,” just within four months of debut.

Amid the turmoil, “Cupid” has remained on the chart for 21 consecutive weeks at No. 25.

By Hong Yoo(yoohong@heraldcorp.com)