On January 23, 2026, Seoul Yongsan Police Station reported 2NE1 member CL to prosecutors for operating his entertainment agency Very Cherry without proper registration for approximately five years.
CL, whose real name is Lee Chae-rin, founded the one-man agency Very Cherry in 2020 after her contract with YG Entertainment expired. The agency operated without registering as a folk culture and arts planning business, as required by South Korea’s Folk Culture and Arts Industry Development Law.
According to the police, CL and the company she managed were referred without detention to the Seoul Western District Prosecutor’s Office on charges of violating the law.
The investigation began in September 2025 when a complaint was filed against unregistered entertainment agencies operating in South Korea, according to allkpop.
Very Cherry acknowledged the oversight at the time, stating that they had recently confirmed the unregistered status and were taking the matter seriously as they expedited the registration process.
However, authorities took legal action after finding that the agency had been carrying out activities illegally for five years and seven months.
Under the Popular Culture and Arts Industry Development Law, entertainment agencies in South Korea must register with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism through local administrative authorities.
The registration requirement was fully implemented in July 2014 to protect the rights of performing artists, ensure industry transparency and prevent the proliferation of unregistered agencies. Operating an entertainment agency without registration can result in up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won, about $14,000. chosun reported.
CL is not alone in facing legal consequences for running an unregistered agency. On the same day, the CEO of AA Group, the agency representing actor Kang Dong-won, was also reported to the prosecutor’s office for operating without registration for two years and nine months.
However, Kang Dong-won himself was acquitted of the charges after police determined that he was not directly involved in the agency’s operations or management decisions.
The controversy over unregistered entertainment agencies gained widespread attention in September 2025, when several celebrities, including singers Sung Si-kyung, Ok Joo-hyun, and Song Ga-in, were found to have been operating agencies without proper registration, in some cases for over a decade.
In response, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced a mass registration orientation period lasting until December 31, 2025, to encourage voluntary membership.
The Korea Entertainment Management Association called for severe punishment for celebrities who violate the law, saying such behavior disrupts industry order regardless of whether they subsequently complete registration.
The Prosecutor’s Office will now evaluate whether to formally charge CL and what sanctions may be imposed for the violation, as expected mk.
