Agency Accused Of Using Over 100,000 Accounts To Vote In “Produce 101” Season 1

“Produce 101” allows one account per individual for voting, and identity verification is required to create an account.
According to sources who previously worked at “A,” an executive of the agency gathered office employees, managers, and trainees in March 2016 and handed out documents with over 100,000 usernames and passwords for online voting. The agency reportedly used borrowed-name accounts and installed computer programs to make IP tracking difficult.
They were told to focus on voting for two of the trainees, with office employees voting during the day and managers and trainees voting during the night. Former trainee “B” said, “We were not allowed to go home until we completed our assigned number of votes. We voted everyday from 12 a.m. to 7 a.m.” The trainee added, “The executive who instructed the voting forced us by saying, ‘You will receive this benefit next season.'”
Each person was assigned about 1,400 accounts per day to vote with. Former trainee “C” shared, “The executive just handed out tens of thousands at first, but maybe they thought it was not enough because they brought more IDs a few days later, adding up to over 100,000.”
“C” said that when trainees spoke out against the situation, their cell phones were confiscated, and they were locked up in the office.
One of the agency’s three trainees who participated in the first season of “Produce 101” was reportedly chosen for the final lineup.
In response to the reports, “A” commented, “That did not happen.”
The name of “Produce X 101,” the most recent installment in Mnet’s TV talent show franchise pitting K-pop trainees against each other, is likely to go down in infamy, as fans are suing the program’s producers for allegedly fixing the competition.
“Produce X 101,” which aired from May 3 to July 19 on Mnet, was a program where K-pop trainees from various talent agencies across the country were competing for a spot on new boy band X1, slated to debut immediately after the show. Fans of the program were to vote to determine who would emerge as winners and form the group.
But a controversy emerged when fans of the show noticed a repeating pattern in the number of votes each contestants received. While the top contestant got 29,978 more votes that the runner-up, the exact same disparity was present between Nos. 3 and 4, Nos. 6 and 7, Nos. 7 and 8 and Nos. 10 and 11.
It was also determined by fans who raised suspicions that 19 of the top 20 finishers’ vote totals could be divided by the same constant variable of 7,494.442, rounded to the nearest whole number.
Mnet charged 100 won (8 cents) for viewers to vote.
This is not the first time the “Produce 101” series has been embroiled in such a scandal. The same issue -- a certain number that each vote total could be divided by and the same disparity between votes -- surfaced in last year’s “Produce 48,” but the case never was never formally investigated.
This time, however, a lawmaker has commented on the issue.
Police are still investigating vote rigging and manipulation allegations against 'Produce x 101', which produced the project group X1', and have already conducted search and seizures to obtain evidence. They're currently investigating whether producers manipulated the votes in exchange for bribes.
The Seoul Police District said, "We are currently investigating the 4th season of 'Produce 101' ('Produce X 101'), and we are now also looking to see if there were fraudulent parts during the previous seasons of 1-3."
The police said, "We have confiscated the data from season 4. However, a lot of suspicions rose, so we are gathering further data. As for if the data changes the final rankings, we will let you know once the investigations are over." However, they revealed, "'Idol School' is not being investigated."
On October 17, the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) revealed fines may be imposed on Mnet for vote manipulation on the show. The KCSC stated, "We're considering the issue of a show claiming to be a national voting audition program deceiving viewers as a grave issue. We may be able to impose a heavy sanction or a penalty based on Clause 1 of Article 1 of the Broadcast Act. We have decided to hear opinions regarding the issue, and we'll make a decision after the results of the ongoing police investigation."
As a network, Mnet can be fined anywhere from 10 million Won ($8,490.30 USD) to 30 million Won ($25,470.89 USD) according to the Enforcement Decree of the Broadcast Act. The network can also receive a "heavy sanction," which is "a correction, rectification, or suspension of the relevant broadcast program or commercial" or "disciplinary action against the person in charge of the programming or the person related to the relevant broadcast program or commercial."
#produce101riggedvotes? #producex101rigged?

[@anuarharun1882]

pd48 was suspicious... how come Lee Chaeyeon only got at 12th when she is famous and talented...n only 3 Japanese members were to be on final ranking when logically it sould be more... while Starship n Woollim have 2 trainees each to be on final ranking that was suspicious also...

[@lukelook3930]

Miyu Kaeun Miru Miu Miho deserve it 😭😭😭

[@anuarharun1882]

@@lukelook3930 miru won at every evaluation and suddenly she did not make it🤔

[@lukelook3930]

@@anuarharun1882 agree! they rigged her VOTES & manipulated, I'm so pissed that she didn't debut

[@anuarharun1882]

@@lukelook3930 yeahhh I was surprised at final episode😨

[@Sixdery]

Thats only your perspective. And you're act support chaeyeon without actually doing anything. So stfu

[@madiemaelou]

One of 3 made it season 1... That’s either Starship or MBK but MBK didn’t compete this season.....

[@loui4871]

Disgusting....

[@yawntownsmultistan579]

Duh that just what everyone would do just like a fandom create multiple account to vote. nothing wrong it's just dont get caught

[@JeweLinHisHans]

Lol my first thought was that the vote rigger who worked the numbers must be OCD

[@princessgonzales6680]

Some fans criticize Izone and X1 for the manipulated votes also some called I.O.I and Wannaone as rigid but admit or not without all the members in each group it will not be the same group as we loved As you love ...how come before this issue whenever you heard there songs it makes you smile and happy but now this comes out some of you are criticising them I mean yes I really feel sorry for the ones that should make it but they didn't. But it's the agency's fault. Not the members even if they're consider as idols they are still humans as a human do you think they deserve this? We only See's there smiles on cam but how about off cam do you think they are not tired ? Everyone of them lacks sleep but still going in there schedule event for the sake of there million fans but now some of you are spouting nonsense behind there back. Before some of you doubts them always put yourself in there shoes what do you think ?and what will you feel? Funny how in just one snap nor controversy your saying some "shits" about them (sorry for the bad word) but they didn't deserve the hate . Hate the Agency for they've done bad but how about them I don't know if they are innocent or not but I just hate it when somebody said that they didn't deserve it .when we just watched some videos of them. Just please respect them as they had feelings too don't let your emotions dictate you to type some nonsense about them .

[@myyenabellaisthebest8986]

wow I agreed with you I mean they work hard for this debut I just feel really sorry for them

[@soul_reaper1611]

This is how a kpop fan should act

[@fridayrobot3923]

Just kicked out Hyewon from IZONE and I will apologise MNET

[@myyenabellaisthebest8986]

and I will forgive Mnet if they Kill you :) plz Don't hate her just because if this 🙇🏻🙏🙏

[@soul_reaper1611]

Produce x 101 is definitely rigged min kyu is the 2nd in ranking then he didn't debut