CEO Cha Ga-won, Photo courtesy of | Onehundred.
The group The Boyz has filed a criminal complaint against Onehundred Label (Onehundred) CEO Cha Ga-won on suspicion of embezzlement.
According to Sports Kyunghyang reporting on the 21st, the legal representative for The Boyz recently filed a complaint against CEO Cha for violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (embezzlement).
Previously, on February 10, nine members, excluding New, also filed a request for a preliminary injunction seeking nullification of the exclusive contract against Onehundred. Arguing that trust had been broken because Onehundred did not properly pay settlement amounts, they notified Onehundred of termination of the exclusive contract for reasons including ‘non-payment of settlements, refusal to allow inspection of settlement data, and breach of management duties’.
The group The Boyz, Photo courtesy of | Yonhap News
This comes only one year and three months after The Boyz signed with Onehundred, and the first hearing on the application filed by The Boyz for a preliminary injunction to suspend the effect of the exclusive contract was held on the 20th.
In addition, CEO Cha has been sued in a series of separate cases. The Financial Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency stated on the 8th that it conducted a search and seizure of the company of Cha on the 3rd and secured related materials. He is suspected of proposing joint ventures in the industry by fronting artists affiliated with the entertainment company he runs, taking advance payments, and then not proceeding with the projects. Police have received three complaints against Cha and have consolidated them into a single investigation. Reported alleged damages are in the range of about 30 billion won.
In addition, departures by affiliated artists have continued, including The Boyz, Lee Moo-jin, VIVIZ, and Lee Seung-gi. Taemin of SHINee announced the termination of his exclusive contract with Big Planet at the start of this year, and Lee Moo-jin also notified termination on the 19th of last month, citing a material breach of the exclusive contract. The group VIVIZ likewise requested termination around the same time.
On the 6th, Lee Seung-gi officially notified termination of his exclusive contract. The legal representative for Lee Seung-gi stated, “Lee Seung-gi notified termination at the end of March for violation of the exclusive contract by Big Planet, and as a result the exclusive contract was lawfully terminated.” His side also added that non-payment of settlements began in September of last year.
EXO members Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin (CBX) under INB100 also sent a content-certified notice to CEO Cha at the end of March seeking termination of their exclusive contract, citing issues such as unpaid settlements.
CEO Cha Ga-won co-founded Onehundred with MC Mong in 2023. Afterward, MC Mong left Onehundred, and CEO Cha has been running it.
