Singer Yoo Jun-won. Provided by Pocketdol Studio

As singer Yoo Jun-won joined a new agency and began full-fledged activities, Funky Studio and Pocketdol Studio issued official statements on the matter.

On the 4th, Funky Studio said, “During the proceedings, the court, considering the future activities and prospects of Yoo Jun-won, twice recommended a return to the agency and an amicable settlement; however, without expressing any intention to return, Yoo Jun-won requested a determination on the compensation amount and maintained his existing position,” and, “With the final ruling due in July, we express deep regret that he unilaterally disclosed the signing of a contract with a new agency and his activity plans and distributed related press materials, and we will respond firmly.”

It also stated, “Deciding on a new agency and proceeding with related activities before a final ruling is a thorough disregard for industry ethics and contractual order,” and, “Given the ongoing legal procedures and contractual order within the industry, this was a matter that required great prudence.”

Funky Studio explained, “Due to the unilateral departure of Yoo Jun-won, significant disruptions occurred across the activities and overall business plans of Fantasy Boys,” and, “Not only the members who had been preparing together for debut and activities, but also the production staff and personnel who had long worked on the project were seriously affected. We take very seriously the tangible and intangible damages incurred in this process.”

It continued, “After the program ended, Fantasy Boys held a fan meeting in Japan with about 10,000 attendees, demonstrating high marketability and growth potential,” and, “However, after the departure of Yoo Jun-won, there were serious disruptions to the group activities and related business plans, and accordingly the scale of the originally planned projects was markedly reduced.”

It further said, “Separate from the ongoing damages lawsuit of about 3 billion won, we will consider legal action for any additional damages confirmed in the future,” and, “As the side of Yoo Jun-won has shown no intention to reach a settlement or to return, we ask the court to render a final judgment as soon as possible.”

Finally, it emphasized, “The K-POP industry has grown based on trust and responsibility regarding contracts,” and, “Conduct that disregards contractual relationships must not be repeated, and an environment should be established in which industry order and principles are respected.”

Earlier that morning, the new agency Conti stated, “In March, we signed an exclusive contract with Yoo Jun-won. Yoo Jun-won is scheduled to debut as a member of its boy group that is preparing to launch.”