A high-profile legal showdown is looming in South Korea’s entertainment industry as indie label ATTRAKT prepares to face Warner Music Korea in court over allegations of artist tampering involving rising K-pop girl group FIFTY FIFTY.
The Seoul Central District Court has scheduled the first hearing for September 11. ATTRAKT is seeking $14.4 million in damages, claiming that Warner Music Korea unlawfully interfered with its contractual relationship with FIFTY FIFTY members during a management dispute in 2023.
According to ATTRAKT, a meeting took place on May 17, 2023, at Warner Music Korea’s headquarters, where discussions allegedly aimed at persuading the members to leave the agency occurred. ATTRAKT says it has secured key evidence from that meeting, which it intends to submit during the trial.
CEO Jeon Hong-jun strongly criticized Warner Music Korea’s alleged actions, stating, “For a global major label to attempt to poach talent from a small independent company is a blatant and unacceptable violation of trust.” He added that the damages could rise as proceedings develop.
The lawsuit comes in the wake of FIFTY FIFTY’s rapid international success with their viral 2023 single “Cupid,” which spent 12 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100—a rare achievement for a girl group from a mid-sized agency.
However, their rise was quickly overshadowed by internal conflict, as ATTRAKT accused outside forces of attempting to “steal” the group.
The situation escalated when the group’s members filed for an injunction to suspend their exclusive contracts, which was rejected by both district and appellate courts.
During the dispute, member Keena returned to ATTRAKT, while Saena, Aran, and Sio remained in conflict with the agency. Their contracts were eventually terminated.
Despite the ongoing legal turmoil, FIFTY FIFTY has pushed forward with new activities. On April 7, the restructured group—now led by Keena and joined by four new members—released their first original single, “Perfect Crime,” signaling a fresh start for the act.
