▲ Fifty Fifty ⓒ AttraktThe first hearing for a lawsuit seeking 13 billion won ($9.4 million) in damages filed by Attrakt against three former members of K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty – Saena, Sio, and Aran – along with The Givers CEO Ahn Sung-il, has been scheduled for August 29, as announced by the agency on Thursday.

Attrakt claims the lawsuit also involves the parents of the three former bandmates and an executive of The Givers surnamed Baek, citing conflicts that ensued following Fifty Fifty’s rapid rise to fame.

Fifty Fifty made headlines in November 2022 by debuting and quickly achieving a milestone with their single "Cupid," which entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart just 130 days after release – the fastest for any K-pop group. The song peaked at No. 17 and maintained a chart presence for 25 weeks, setting a record as the longest-charting K-pop girl group song.

In June 2023, the band sought an injunction to suspend their exclusive contracts, citing issues like opaque accounting practices and strenuous activities impacting their health. Attrakt accused The Givers of attempting to recruit the band while they were under contract with Attrakt.

The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of Attrakt, finding no breach of the agency's obligations regarding transparent accounting and health management. On August 28, the court denied the injunction request, resulting in the band members remaining under Attrakt. They promptly appealed the decision.

In October, Keena changed her legal representation and withdrew her appeal, reconciling with Attrakt. However, Saena, Aran, and Sio continued their legal battle against the agency. Two weeks later, Attrakt announced the termination of contracts with the three members, excluding Keena.

Meanwhile, Attrakt plans to relaunch Fifty Fifty with Keena as the centerpiece, restructuring the group into a five-member lineup set to make a comeback in September.

Sayart / Nao Yim, yimnao@naver.com