Ahn Sung-il, CEO of The Givers and key figure in the K-pop group controversy Fifty-fiftywill hear the verdict soon in its ₩2.1 billion (~1.6 million USD) damages lawsuit. The 33 Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court concluded all court proceedings on November 20 and is expected to announce its ruling in January 2026.
The case, filed in September 2023 by ATTRAKT CEO Jeon Hong-joon, accuses Ahn and executive Baek Jin-sil of violating their corporate services agreement and committing fraudulent acts that would harm ATTRAKT financially. The complaint outlines claims of contractual violations, misappropriation and sabotage of ATTRAKT’s operations.
In court, ATTRAKT stated this “Ahn Sung-il signed unauthorized contracts and embezzled more than ₩150 million, while Baek Jin-sil engaged in obstructive behavior such as rejecting advertising offers, abruptly leaving fan cafés, and deleting email accounts.” They also alleged that The Givers did not properly fulfill its accounting obligations.
However, Ahn’s legal team argued that the media coverage unfairly favored the plaintiff and pointed out that “the facts remain to be fully clarified through the judicial process”. They argued that the service contract had been terminated by mutual consent and that Ahn had had minimal involvement in the internal disputes between ATTRAKT and members.
The name of Ahn Sung-il became central in the Fifty-fifty controversy, especially after ATTRAKT accused “external forces” of trying to get the group to violate their exclusive contracts. The dispute escalated following disagreements over royalties for the hit song “Cupid.”
Despite the criticism, Ahn is currently working with Saena, Sio and Aran, former members of the Fifty-fiftywho debuted again under the group Ablume. They are now signed to MASSIVE E&C, a label of the IOK Company. MASSIVE E&C released a statement confirming this “In-depth discussions and legal due diligence were conducted with members before signing”adding it “Some of the public information regarding the tampering allegations may have been misrepresented.”
Notably, ATTRAKT also filed a separate ₩13 billion (~$9.6 million) lawsuit in December 2023 against the former members, their parents, and Ahn’s associates, underscoring their ongoing legal pursuit.
The controversy began publicly in June 2023 when members of Fifty-fifty have filed a request for suspension of their exclusivity contracts. ATTRAKT had previously announced the pause for health reasons, but later claimed that “external parties” were attempting to induce breach of contract.
While ATTRAKT expressed a desire to reconcile, the members remained silent for two months and eventually declared their departure. In a handwritten letter, they expressed the hope that “Unfair practices in the industry will be corrected.”
However, the Seoul Central District Court rejected the members’ injunction, ruling that ATTRAKT did not breach key contractual obligations. This decision strengthened ATTRAKT’s claims and weakened the members’ legal position.
As the final ruling in the ₩2.1 billion lawsuit approaches, this case will likely mark a turning point in the ongoing legal saga surrounding the case. Fifty-fifty disruption and its broader implications on management practices in the K-pop industry.
Sources: Daum
