First hearing for lawsuit involving Fifty Fifty scheduled for August

Fifty Fifty (Attrakt)

The first hearing in a suit seeking 13 billion won ($9.4 million) in damages filed by Attrakt against three former members of K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty – Saena, Sio and Aran – as well as The Givers CEO Ahn Sung-il has been set for Aug. 29, the agency said Thursday.

According to Fifty Fifty's agency Attrakt, the lawsuit also includes the parents of the three former bandmates and an executive of The Givers surnamed Baek.

The legal action stems from conflicts that arose after Fifty Fifty’s rapid success.

Fifty Fifty debuted in November 2022 and achieved a milestone by entering the Billboard Hot 100 chart with the single "Cupid" just 130 days after its release -- the fastest for any K-pop group. The song peaked at No. 17 and stayed on the chart for 25 weeks, also setting a mark as the longest-charting K-pop girl group song.

In June 2023, the band filed for an injunction to suspend their exclusive contracts, citing issues such as opaque accounting and forced activities that disregarded their health. Attrakt accused The Givers of attempting to poach the band while they were still signed with Attrakt.

The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of Attrakt, determining no breach in the agency's duties regarding transparent accounting and health management. On Aug. 28, the court dismissed the application for an injunction, leading to the bandmates remaining with Attrakt. The members immediately appealed the court's decision.

In October, Keena changed her legal representation and withdrew her appeal, mending fences with Attrakt. However, Saena, Aran and Sio continued their fight with the agency. Two weeks later, Attrakt announced the termination of the contracts with the three, excluding Keena.

Meanwhile, Attrakt plans to reintroduce Fifty Fifty with Keena at its center. The group will be reorganized with a five-member lineup that is scheduled to return in September.

By Kim Jae-heun(jaaykim@heraldcorp.com)