Wasted Potential: The tragic downfall of FIFTY FIFTY

[@staciii]

NOT TEMU 😭 I can't escape this company no matter what app I open

[@mōri_-3v3]

If u don't support anything temu does it's best u just live under a rock because pretty much EVERY brand even high fashion are doing the same things as them. So its like whats the point of avoiding them but still buying anything made of plastic from china. Same with shein. if u avoid things like temu and shein then its only fair u avoid EVERYTHING else and walk naked jus saying

[@Ilovethetea]

I feel you 😅

[@Kpop.sweetened]

I got rick rolled by Temu

[@celerycakes]

What’s wrong with temu

[@mōri_-3v3]

@@celerycakes just like shein, Kylie cosmetics and a shit ton of other brands we consume everyday. They use child labor and under pay the employees in a sweat shop setting. I’m not saying it’s right but if ur gonna avoid them, avoid ALL brands and products marked with ‘MADE IN CHINA’

[@ChromeColossus]

I love Fifty Fifty and have watched almost literally everything they've done. This whole situation is so sad to me.

[@EMRll]

right! cupid is my favorite song from them i have that song on repeat hope both them and the label can figure something out

[@gravy9gravy]

Why should the group take any flack for this corporate s__t show? Of course they want out. They just want to make music. God bless them for registering their own names. Cupid was a bigger hit in America than Korea. With how Korea is treating them, they'll just come to America, CEOs over here don't rat out their groups, they just talk to their lawyers and work it out. Settle the issues and get back to promoting the group.

[@varunkandhari4819]

I feel so bad for FiFi that they had to be in such a corrupt company. I hope the CEO rots in jail

[@Chris-qh5tz]

@@gravy9gravy The CEO has never said anything bad about the members. He believes they are innocent and are being gaslight by their producer + parents. Unless 'ratting out their group' means calling out the shady actions of the producer.

[@Jiezhang-mg7gq]

Ok

[@gravityissues5210]

The fact that _Cupid_ was written by a group of Swedes suddenly makes so much sense. It sounds more like Scandinavian pop than K-pop, and that may explain its global success, as it’s a song enjoyed by people who are decidedly not K-pop fans.

[@angiee1603]

Swedish producers and song writers have had a lot of international success over decades.

[@agm631]

To be fair a significant amount of kpop music is written by westerners.

[@Dominicn123]

it sounds exactly like kpop lol wtf are you talking about? you aware how much kpop is done by europeans> its why theyre hired lol....nobody knows what scandenavian pop is.......

[@notnoonenim]

Almost all of SNSDs, Red Velvets and F(x)‘s songs have been written by Swedish producers

[@Squintel7]

Actually no, plenty of Kpop AND western artists songs are written by swedes yet are never recognized. Lyrics are worthless without good composition and talent. Cupid became famous because of the group and Siahn's direction with the song. It is truly a Kpop song that transcends it's own industry with brilliant English pronunciation and translation so it flows perfectly. THAT'S why it was famous, not because of sweden lol.

[@fallfanaticstudent]

From my view, the members seem to have been lied to by the producer, so they would break their contracts. I understand how the general public is against the girls as there is proof that they were treated better than usual, even though a nice living space should be the norm, i feel they are also victims. However, since K-pop is a business, i get why the industry would try to blacklist them, as trying to break your contract when it hadn't been breached makes them a liability for other companies to work with. It's a shame because they are young, and I really feel like the producer took advantage of their trust. I did read the case was sent to a court that deals with making compromises between both parties, so hopefully, that goes well, and their reputation can be saved.

[@varunkandhari4819]

That may or may not be the case, no one knows. But what JHJ(ATTRAKT’s CEO) is currently doing is nasty. He is using all his power to manipulate the media and using marketing firms to spread hate using bot accounts

[@veilen]

My view exactly. The producer seems to be someone I would call a professional fraudster. If he falsely represented the company behind its CEO's back, it seems plausible that he also acted on girls behalf without asking them for permission. I am pretty sure that he was the one registering trademarks not the girls directly. Dealing with those kind of people is very exhausting. If they see any opportunity to extract money from you they will be coming back at you again and again. The only way to deal with them is to put them in jail. Even then you will have to spent a lot of time and effort to clear your name from all misunderstandings that they created.

[@HailToTheMeep]

I think they are done. No matter what they court’s decision will be. They have shown that they are willing to backstab their investors, who would want to invest in them ever again?

[@Squintel7]

​@@HailToTheMeepWhat if they can prove they were lied to and manipulated?

[@hecatia8326]

⁠@@Squintel7Attrakt’s CEO has openly stated that he wants to continue working with the girls again, so it’s definitely possible for them to return to Attrakt and state that they were manipulated in order to gain sympathy from the public. Of course it won’t be so easy and without a doubt would still be an uphill battle to regain the public’s favor

[@margaesperanza]

Their image in Korea has hit the gutter. I really doubt the girls could make a comeback since they’re viewed as untrustworthy and selfish. Even if they were manipulated by the producer, we know how these stories go. I hope the girls have peaceful lives after Kpop.

[@ireneicals]

The dumb idea2 file a lawsuit toward their ceo ruined their music career & I hope they understood the consequence, they’re viewed as “greedy, selfish & untrustworthy,, in korea so they aren’t gonna get hired

[@DUNGSTA]

Maybe YG can save them

[@ireneicals]

@@DUNGSTA yg aren’t that foolish

[@DUNGSTA]

@@ireneicals they're their only hope

[@KenSicX]

​​​@@DUNGSTAthe big 3 (yeah, it basically big 4 now but I'm talking about the og big 3, SM YG JYP) NEVER recruit already established idols. They preferred in-house idols to fit their trademarks. They've perfected the training programs in K-Pop for that purpose, so why would they accept an "used products"?

[@marissa7085]

Oh god not temu 🤢 girl you gotta do your research before accepting sponsors

[@mōri_-3v3]

If u don't support anything temu does it's best u just live under a rock because pretty much EVERY brand even high fashion are doing the same things as them. So its like whats the point of avoiding them but still buying anything made of plastic from china. Same with shein. if u avoid things like temu and shein then its only fair u avoid EVERYTHING else and walk naked jus saying

[@kpopluver0494]

You realize that you're typing this comment on a phone or laptop which is also manufactured using slave labor right? Don't come at someone if you're doing the exact same thing, hypocrite.

[@celerycakes]

Literally every company uses child labour

[@carrieheartsmusic6797]

Says u while u type this on Ur phone - also created by slave labor

[@celerycakes]

@@carrieheartsmusic6797 fr

[@rainbowow5060]

This story is so unfortunate. It seems the girls were manipulated by the pd, but also they should just retract their lawsuit by now considering everything that has come out

[@DUNGSTA]

Sorry not sorry?

[@fullmoon4373]

Dont try to defend them just because they are beautiful and cute, event though maybe they are manipulated in the end they really file lawsuit to ceo.... So u okay with ceo lose the lawsuit and lose all those money he invest after that forgive them? If i were the ceo i will start have trust issue and wont trust people easily from that moment

[@ShoTzVlogz]

@@fullmoon4373 the ceo & pd are both bad people. He was given the money to invest by Interpark, his lawyer even stated this.

[@OpossumOnTheMoon]

Just for future reference you may not want to partner with Temu in the future. They use slave labor and are essentially Shein 2.0. If you have a long standing contract for a few more promotions I recommend not renewing it just so you aren’t giving support to a terrible company.

[@Eurobeat_fan]

Google also uses slave labor let's just stop supporting Google too now I guess

[@dollie.luv333]

They also give you malware/spyware

[@_StrayKidsForever_]

They copy stuff?

[@moonlighteevee777]

Girl you did not just promote Temu 😭 they're just as unethical as Shein, have been stealing ppl's credit card info, and also don't send all their packages

[@bradzeringue6778]

Also child labor and shipping costs passed on to taxpayers. TEMU is awful

[@335ofre]

Whatttttt the fudgeeeeeeeyyyyyy

[@Kenny_D6665]

Update: Keena apologized, withdrew her lawsuit, and returned to Attrakt while the other three members’ contracts were terminated.

[@curiousbunny2573]

I was in love with Temu until I found out that they are working with companies using legit slave labor (not low wages but NO WAGES). There are many reports on this, even the US congress putting a report out on Temu and a few other companies affiliations with forced labor factories.

[@tickleman127]

Sadly

[@macaronisex]

Yeah I actually found out about temu because of their unethical practices. So disappointed

[@catastrophecrew8726]

Like shein

[@yeonwooshusband6086]

it's a Chinese company so expect that

[@izzz222]

I feel like that was obvious, they have so many similarities to companies like shien and wish

[@chrism869]

This tragedy for fifty fifty needs to be sorted, I hope it does, it sucks it has to be like this

[@DUNGSTA]

Everyone dropping new music but fiftyfifty

[@brandon8910]

Thank you as always for putting this type of content together, to be honest I gave up trying to follow what was going on with them but I knew it was bad.

[@56879rufjvdw]

very surface level research wait until she makes a part 2 exposing jeon i guess…..

[@HailToTheMeep]

@@56879rufjvdw No

[@brunetteartist24]

Considering the fact the given has done this multiple times, i won't be suprised if the members got influenced to make a decision they shouldn't have made I don't think they are 100% innocent, but i also don't understand calling them backstabbers and raking them over the coals for their actions. They're a rookie girl group whose song suddenly went super viral and a hit. During this time, they are slowly being forced to cut off contact with their own ceo by the producer of their very viral hit. How is one supposed to know what would be the best path to choose? Go with the hit song producer or your reliable ceo?? Ofc legal issues etc will arise but its so obvious their miscommunication issues where being increased bcs another company was essentially trying to poach them. I genuinely hope these girls aren't backlisted bcs they are still really young and only at the start of the career.

[@vyae5874]

Completely agree with you.

[@joungpark2101]

젊다고 다 용서되는건 아니죠 일단 현제까지 상황은 본 소속사에서는 어떤 문제점이 보이지 않고 있으며 멤버들은 소통을 하지 않는다는 것입니다.

[@ireneicals]

They’re not getting another musical career, in Korea if ur cancelled once ur cancelled forever. The dumb decision to file a lawsuit lit ruined their career, no company will take idols who sued their last trusted, helpful CEO.

[@biazacha]

If you were part of the industry would you hire them? Put all that money into someone that had a history of screwing contracts? Talent or not, the risk isn’t worth it, there are literally hundreds of hardworking and talented trainees in SK waiting for their chance to debut rn, of course they’ll be blacklisted, everyone’s livelihood in that company depended of them since the subsidiary was made for FF and they didn’t give a damn.

[@omfgstrid]

What do you mean “best path to choose”? If you’re in a contract all of a sudden you want to break the contract and file a lawsuit? It’s not like the contract was ending and they were choosing whether to remain with the label or move on. This was a choice that literally did not have to be made. And then trying to register the name before you even complete contract termination? No girl that’s shady asf and the word “backstabber” is accurate. I can’t imagine at my workplace if I hired staff and then shortly they decided to leave AND try to trademark my recipe names, I would be absolutely furious and I would feel betrayed asf

[@ishathakor]

god i hadn't even heart of this this is so sad. i was so excited for them. they're such a promising group imo

[@DUNGSTA]

They had a good run

[@xThePinkApple]

I was really confused about why people were suddenly turning their backs on the members, so thank you for covering the case so in-depth! But considering everything, especially the members' ages and how manipulative Ahn seems, I lean more towards him very much influencing them to file the injunction and what to give as reasons than them just being "ungrateful backstabbers". I hope things end up okay for them :(

[@varunkandhari4819]

It’s not like this. Most of these accounts are not accounts especially on KZbin. And most of Korean netizens are swayed by the media manipulation tactic orchestrated by JHJ(ATTRAKT’s CEO). FiFi have remained silent and are only planning to show their evidence to the court.

[@ireneicals]

They aren’t ungrateful backstabbers, they were just greedy idols who got gaslighted by their producer.

[@glowrillaz]

But that doesn’t explain why the parents sided with him tho like they’re grown ups. I think the parents should be blamed more tbh ._.

[@Vor567tez]

@@glowrillaz Why would parents get the blame? Were they were the idols ?

[@Vor567tez]

The Giver CEO manipulated them all. He is the bad apple.

[@ellasglcw5792]

It’s really sad, this whole situation. They’re really talented so I hope everything works out for them

[@varunkandhari4819]

I hope they win the lawsuit ❤

[@ilikeu12]

​@@varunkandhari4819if they win the lawsuit the CEO who put his everything on line for them would lose do you think this is fair?

[@LueKim]

@@ilikeu12 yes

[@gabyrivasu.u]

@@ilikeu12yes😊 he’s known for being a shitty person so i don’t understand why people are siding with someone like that

[@LueKim]

@@sarahjyun2044 ew not u siding with an abuser . i hope ur father abuses u lmao

[@diggysdungeon]

I've felt kinda cursed for a while since a lot of my favourite groups (f(x), 9Muses, Stellar, Dalshabet, Mixx etc.) all seemed to have unfortunate things happen to them, but Fifty Fifty were the first group I've full on stanned in years. Things were looking so good with Cupid blowing up, and then my curse came home to roost. It's got to the point that I joke with my friends that they shouldn't get into the groups I like.

[@jmac356]

What about western girl groups?

[@yumerical]

This is like CLC except way worse

[@Blodhelm]

As a fan of Gugudan and Pristin, I feel your pain.

[@diggysdungeon]

@@Blodhelm Loved me some gugudan, I still have their poster on my wall :(

[@misterbobby8913]

Lol dayum

[@naobwv3633]

The thing is no one really cares about the girls themselves, we don’t even know their names… People liked the song Cupid and that’s pretty much it. It seems that they haven’t really been selling physical albums, and they don’t have an actual fanbase to speak of. Even if it wasn’t for the lawsuit, or if there was no drama, they still were at risk of being a one hit wonder. With every info we have, the CEO definitely seems to be the victim in this case. I hope the members can get out of this sort of unscathed because it’s obvious they were manipulated, but it’s over and done with for their career no matter what. The only possibility would be for the CEO and the members to talk things out and agree to continue on as a team without that evil producer, but that seems pretty unlikely now. It’s all very unfortunate.

[@jikim3804]

Not necessarily... Although they hadn't fully established themselves they still had their fanbase growing... Their followers in all of their social media accounts were growing. They had crossed 1 million subscribers on KZbin from 60K . They had some brand deals and were going to be featured in the barbie soundtrack with an mv that means a lot of exposure plus their album sales also increased from 6K Or smthng in their debut to 50K+ for supid. If they had given few more bops after this they could've really cemented their names as many eyes were on them for their next comeback. However bcoz of their controversy they lost the few brand deals they had just gotten and lost the chance to have a music video for the barbie soundtrack. They also were getting invited in variety shows as well as music festivals and their original version of cupid as well their early songs were starting to rise in korean charts which means they were definitely gaining some traction in korea.. But this controversy really fcked up their chance at getting the fame they could have

[@jamiek1714]

False. I care about the girls. So do many others.

[@aimee-hyj]

girl temu ???? WHYYY?? took back my like so fast

[@LeanlovesLain143]

They really live up to their lyrics of "🎶AND I'M SO LONELY 🎶"

[@zinja0830]

I really hope their story is far from over.

[@NoeliaGenov]

Girl you need to drop temu as a sponsor. They are the same as shein.

[@vocaloshin]

wdym they are the same??

[@euehebrje]

​@@vocaloshintemu is worse than shein because temu used slave labour and gives their workers no wages. don't use temu

[@ilikeyourcutg5597]

@@vocaloshin Tenmu and shein both uses low wage workers (in tenmu's case the workers don't even have a wage) and there's mistreatment of the workers (child labour in shein's case) due to how highly produced all the prodcuts are

[@vocaloshin]

@@ilikeyourcutg5597 what the fuck🙁

[@mossmoss5296]

^^

[@nyarix4838]

Idk this may sound cruel of me or something but if I was Fifty Fifty members this is not the time to file anything against my company. Especially at the PEAK of my career, yes I may think my company is trash but all the fame I got right now is worth it. Like im 100% they would’ve been invited to so many shows and the Grammys. Everyone knows their songs. It sorta had the Gangnam Style affect. So many sponsors and the hype. Got a BARBIE movie soundtrack. Could’ve been there for promotions. Perfect time to get their faces out there, match the voice to the face. I just don’t think it was smart career wise to file anything right now.

[@zakeernalir2871]

Or maybe they were manipulated, considering the givers had a history of such things happening. How do we know they exactly knew what was happening? It seems to me that the producer purposefully kept the CEO away from them but made it look like the CEO was busy with work & couldn’t contact the group while both the CEO & the members were kept in the dark about the reality

[@Elizabeth_Paz]

Girllll i love you and your content... please do not work with Temu!!! 😢

[@PatBTheOwlcaptain]

I might be alone in this, but I'm pretty sure FIFTY FIFTY is done now. No coming back from this scandal. The best chance would be if they could make back up with CEO JHJ and stay under ATTRAKT because otherwise they look like artists who are just jumping ship when they got famous and had the ability to do so. If they succeed in their lawsuit (which I personally hope they don't), then they'll be blacklisted by Korean fans/netizens/the industry so badly they'll never be successful again I think. As for gaslighting or being lied to, there's probably a decent amount of that that happened to the members, but they have to take some responsibility for their future too with such a drastic step. I reserve the right to change my opinion if more info comes out, but overall, I see very little happiness for anyone coming out of this. Everyone loses.

[@villagranvicent]

I can see that a scammer producer telling them “you are the next Black Pink but you need to get rid of that CEO now! And all of them: “where do we sign?!” Fifty % ungrateful, Fifty % back stabbers!

[@sleepyearth]

@@villagranvicent It's on them though, they should have discuss it with their parents or some other experienced folks and not just jump in on it immediately.

[@flaggov6949]

If they win the lawsuit, it will be because the evidence is on their side. Why would people blacklist them if the court rules that their CEO was in the wrong?

[@chyme2465]

plenty of idols who got wrongfully accused and won their lawsuit never recovered. It's a sad fact in SK entertainment industry. It's like part of their branding now. Unless they go their separate ways and start a solo career or go to another market(US) as it seems it's their target anyway.@@flaggov6949

[@kaedeAoi27]

Well they lost lmao ​@@flaggov6949

[@bin9957]

They really have 50/50 chance to get through this.

[@karishort1891]

😂

[@jamiek1714]

LOL!

[@wattswo]

Having been around the kpop news scene for years, these girls won't be able to continue in kpop. There's so much stigma that I think that path has closed. This situation is all over sad. I can see why the public has a horrible impression of the girls with their families filing patents left and right immediately after the lawsuit it was perfectly coordinated. I don't think they're 100% guilty and were definitely manipulated, but the false allegations lawsuit and planned trademark crossed lines. I wish them peace as they transition back into private citizens.

[@Blitz_Beast]

As a Hunnie (Fifty Fifty fan) since the beginning of their journey, and someone who really values your take on things, I'm very grateful you covered this story, Ploopy. It's heartbreaking for me to see everyone assume the worst in the members. I'm not saying they're completely innocent, but what I keep saying is "I don't know." While thousands of other people decisively side against them without all the facts and evidence. It's so stupid. You always do your homework and dive as deep as you can and have a great stance on things from what you can gather and understand. My personal favorite kpop and news coverage honestly. Thank you 🙏

[@squiggle.64]

another hunnie since lovin me here! so many people have been slandering our poor girls without knowing half the situation and its so horrible to see. im so glad someone covered this respectfully

[@dusknight1949]

This is my issue too. None of the things put out really go against Fifty Fifty and their case. It only goes against Siahn, who is notoriously shady but because of the narrative that Siahn is the reason the lawsuit happened everybody is vilifying the girls. Like if JHJ had evidence of “hey finances aren’t going to Starcrew to cover a debt that isn’t your responsibility” then the judge would have thrown out the case. So there is something to be discussed about whether fifty fifty can win their case but it’s become a character assassination due to proximity of Siahn. And Siahn is only close to the members because JHJ was not present or active in the lives of the girls either.

[@varunkandhari4819]

JHJ is guilty of something big. He is using all his power to get FiFi to drop the case

[@nivii__]

Most people are turning against them because they may be fans of other groups and they would love to see the downfall of fifty fifty so that their faves can rise higher. Since the beginning a lot of fans of other groups have been jealous of fifty fifty’s success and now is the perfect opportunity to completely turn on them and tarnish their reputation for good.

[@sleepyearth]

@@nivii__ tbh they tarnish their own reputation on their own...........

[@kuromini]

Fifty Fifty got lucky with cupid, the song was good and that’s why it got so popular, it didn’t really have anything to do with the members themselves. This might sound harsh but even with the immense success of cupid, the Fifty Fifty members remained quite unknown even to kpop fans, they weren’t able to make a long lasting impression as a group. The song could literally be sang by anyone and still be popular, it wasn’t the members themselves or their charms that led to the success. So I do think they got greedy and thought they could succeed without the company even tho this might be a one hit wonder most likely. They undervalued the work behind the whole branding that the company did, they honestly could replace the members with anyone and it wouldn’t make a difference to most casual fans which seems to be the big majority of Fifty Fifty listeners.

[@Sweet_Like_A_Jack_Rose]

I agree honestly. You could say they are one hit wonder with cupid. I only know FIFTY FIFTY as some kpop girl group name & Cupid as the "song that entered billboard" because thats all i see heard in tiktok & YT. I mean Cupid is a nice song but its not a song that i will feel attracted to first listen (instead hype & repeated 'cupid' bgm in every video i see plays a huge role). But that still not enough to make me curious to check about the members or in depth about the group. Idk, maybe they actually could have continue the cupid fame if this controversy didn't happen. Edit: Cupid also the biggest source of their popularity as it become their whole identity.

[@sleepyearth]

yea.... i find 50-50 nothing special, not even their vocal are special. They merely got extremely lucky with the song and their boss heavily promoted it with payola on spotify/tiktok. If they continue with the branding, they can easily surpass new jeans but they had to go nuclear with all these shit.

[@biazacha]

Yep, either they got greedy or they were manipulated doesn’t really matter, the way they went about it was all wrong and the CEO sounds like someone that legit believed in them. :(

[@KpopHabbits]

fifty fifty debut caught a lot of people’s eyes and we’re already building a fan base.sounds like you don’t like them fr

[@mikimamus]

It is true, they didn’t have a fanbase just a good song with good PR. I know the song , don’t know girls name or anything related. Maybe if they had several comebacks the situation would’ve been different

[@pduidesign]

I have a suspicion that the girls in the group may not have been aware of the whole picture. Given how employees kept the ceo away from them, who knows what was being said. I’m curious why the girls and the ceo don’t just sit down together and try to work it out and get on the same page. Given that he seems to have made a Hail Mary desperate play to get this group going by selling his car, etc. there should be some loyalty.

[@OleLeik]

The natural outcome of rejecting every single olive branch offered by their (former) CEO during this spectacle. Once they knew they had messed up and things - legally and otherwise - were not going their way to say it at least, they should've tried to salvage what they could or at least tried to cut their losses - instead of doubling and tripling down. If they did so because they listened to a scammer and/or their parents telling them so, then they learned another hard lesson in life: That you are the one ultimately responsible for the consequences of your own actions or inaction. Oh, well

[@angiee1603]

I really feel like the girls were manipulated into filing for the copyrights and the lawsuit. They are young and new to the business. I can see Producer Ahn telling them whatever he needed to in order to gsin their trust and manipulate them. It's sad. I hope they learn from this and can still pursue their music careers.

[@babydontleaveme]

I've been a Hunny since debut, and have been watching all their content and music I would consider them one of my top 3 groups, I'm so sad this happened to them they had sm potential and theres just no other groups that sound the same as them 😭♥

[@varunkandhari4819]

Well it’s not over yet. The trial hasn’t ended yet. It’s just been a month. Stay positive!

[@himynameisandri]

I really do hope they come back❤️🥺

[@biazacha]

A bit off topic, but I really hope the Swedish producers that were scammed get more opportunity to properly work with KPop groups going forward, their stuff is clearly good.

[@aradiyanah5119]

I need 2nd part since New Fifty Fifty just comeback

[@sunnevacarat]

Disappointed that you’d take money to promote a company like TEMU… it’s not a good company. From bad quality products, stealing artists work and VERY questionable work ethics. Please don’t promote a company like this Ploopy. Very disappointing

[@carrieheartsmusic6797]

Meanwhile u r typing this on ur phone, which is also created using slave labor. Good job 👍

[@sunnevacarat]

@@carrieheartsmusic6797 that is such a dumb argument. Yes I own a phone, but I do not buy a new phone every single day. I don’t buy stuff JUST because it’s cheap and fun. Your comment makes no sense if you have any critical thinking skills. You’re basically saying “They do it, so I can do it” just because some murder, does that mean that it’s okay for all people to murder? Your point is silly

[@mcsaism]

@@sunnevacarat exactly. no one (who cant afford to do so) can ever avoid enabling harm when all you have are a few options, all you can you really do is prevent as much harm as possible, it’s not possible to avoid the harmful results of late stage capitalism and greed but you can definitely avoid buying unnecessary cheap BS from companies that exploit labor. especially when you make content talking about artists being exploited…

[@carrieheartsmusic6797]

@@sunnevacarat why do u have more than 1 outfit then? Maybe u should just wear the same few pieces of clothing everyday. Most clothing brands participate in slave labor, so if you r really as ethical as u claim then u better make sure u don't have more than 2 or 3 outfits in your closet

[@sunnevacarat]

@@carrieheartsmusic6797 Lmao, you really like to purposely miss the point. Besides, I do only have a limited amount of clothing. Last time I bought something for myself to wear over a year ago

[@0megax788]

From the looks of it, I'm wondering if the FiftyFifty members were being manipulated by Ahn into all of this when he an employee B were allegedly alienating the CEO from them.

[@NekoNyan]

That's actually what I was getting out of this as well. It'd suck if the bad guy won in the end and the girls are just left without the promising career they were so close to having

[@varunkandhari4819]

Well I don't know about that but it's so horrid that JHJ (ATTRAKT CEO) is spreading hate towards Fifty Fifty. It is insane to think a man is capable of doing such a thing

[@0megax788]

@@varunkandhari4819 is he spreading hate ?

[@varunkandhari4819]

@@0megax788 yes. He is manipulating the media to show only his side of the story. He has put in bots to comment hate in every KZbin video of theirs. He has even kept the Instagram comments open (when he had locked two of the posts at the start of the issue) just to let the bots post hate messages on that post

[@ilikeyourcutg5597]

@@kellykimbi9101 He paid people to write articles that make him look a victim and hate the other girls.

[@rounduck3892]

I became a Hunnie when I checked them out after you reacted to Lovin' Me 2022 debuts of the year. Seeing them grow and fall is just really sad

[@rounduck3892]

New info has come out on the mistreatment towards the group (keep in mind that this happened when they were 17-19 years old) including: - Aran's gallbladder removal (Cholangitis) - ATTRAKT delayed her surgery for 6 months for a potentially cancer causing health issue. - After suing, staff would camp outside Aran's house and ring her door bells, the stress causing her to lost 7kg post surgery. She had to work after her surgery too regardless of the doctor's advice. She could not sleep, and everything she ate came back up. She couldn't excrete for 20 days. - Sio almost got kidney dialysis from crash dieting, and the hospital advised her to eat healthily, but the company wouldn't let her. - Sio fainted in the streets, waking up on a oxygen respirator in the hospital. The manager made her go back by taxi. - Diagnosed with extreme panic attacks to the point where Sio scratched her hand open - Saena lost her period for 6 months, needing medication to get it to come - Lost her hair - Developed Compulsive Eating Disorder and Anorexia - 39kg I'd urge you to make a follow up video on this situation, as there is miraculously no media coverage on this in comparison to Attrakt's statements which have many articles. The media should spread information as it is.

[@the.lizardking]

Ploopy nooooo don't do temu sponsorships. They're super exploitative and wasteful, taking a sponsorship like this undermines all the great hard work you do to show the dark sides of the k pop industries

[@mossmoss5296]

^^ any app that uses ridiculously cheap prices are scum, use slave labor

[@HailToTheMeep]

Right?

[@sm_sf]

All the factories are like this. Lvmh use undocumented workers at their dangerous leatheries. Nike and apple have sweat shops too they just hide it better.

[@puddingkara1]

I don't think they even gaf because it doesn't take a genius to figure out that a company who's pumping out tons of products for super low prices is obviously doing so through unethical means

[@mōri_-3v3]

If u don't support anything temu does it's best u just live under a rock because pretty much EVERY brand even high fashion are doing the same things as them. So its like whats the point of avoiding them but still buying anything made of plastic from china. Same with shein. if u avoid things like temu and shein then its only fair u avoid EVERYTHING else and walk naked jus saying

[@taeyun5752]

fifty fifty being manipulated by their pd is one thing, but the way people hate on the girls is on a whole other level. its crazy how people always pick a side in such situations when they don't even know half of the things that are going on. stay neutral. as of now the court has ordered ATTRAKT and fifty fifty to reach a mutual agreement regarding the lawsuit filed by the members. please refrain from sending any hate towards the girls.

[@comradeopthomasthehedgehog]

Thank you! As someone’s whose brain gets constantly rewired by cancel culture throughout my teenage years, I always look for whatever info is there on both sides of the story

[@Chuuberry_pie]

Every time a celebrity gets cancelled, especially kpop idols, it’s always the “fans” picking sides and making one seem worse than the other. Technically I feel as if I don’t know who’s who in this situation and im just waiting for the lawsuit to end, and although people say that “once you get cancelled you can’t get back to the industry” I don’t know yet so this is exactly what im trying to say

[@cyrus8012]

You better know what their parents did before you say the girls are innocent.

[@taeyun5752]

as if what their PARENTS did have anything to do with them@@cyrus8012

[@jamiek1714]

I agree! The hate the girls are receiving is off the charts. I have to believe it's because of a propaganda campaign. I will not point fingers. Something is really wrong in Korea. I'm Korean btw. "Judge not and you will not be judged. Condemn not and you will not be condemned." Book of Luke

[@aimonazhar7585]

I was waiting for you to make this video the entire situation was so confusing with new information and rumors coming out hopefully it works out for them especially their ceo

[@chuuu4610]

To be honest, reading the entire story myself- I think that between the two men the shadier snake one IS indeed the producer. While I do not mean to say that he is some sort of angel, based on facts I do think that Attrakt’s CEO was a victim of the producer. It was his money that was spent and the copyright move was really dang shady. Regardless of whether his story is 100% true, it’s fair enough to say he should at least be entitled to an amount equal to the amount he invested. Liquid assets like cash isn’t nothing. That said I think that too much of the bashing is focused on the Fifty Fifty members compared to the biggest villain, the producer (who didn’t even write the song and at that price definitely ripped off the real composers for the buyout). I think it would be a nice end result if the CEO can have his initial investment back and the members become free agents.

[@nikkim119]

there’ss so many updates do a part 2 pls

[@OrenjiArms]

Everytime some complicated drama happens in kpop I just wait for your video covering it lol thanks!

[@56879rufjvdw]

Well, don’t trust her opinions on jeon… he’s a horrible person and fraud.

[@fntysol7875]

i’ve never seen a group fumble a bag this bad. the virality of cupid is so hard to create and although they had the public’s attention, they didn’t get their dedication. they have no significant core fandom.

[@KpopHabbits]

they were literally on their way to build one before they stopped promotions

[@ignoreamos]

You've literally explained this better than anyone I've seen since this all started. Amazing work! 🤘

[@opalgamerq]

it feels like the girls are being manipulated and the people around them are buying into the manipulation as well- like their families who also submitted trademark claims for their stage names and their group name. it also kinda feels like ahn was purposefully isolating the girls from people who actually wanted the best for them. i mean clearly this producer is manipulative and charming enough to have lied about his education, has poached other artists, and still be relatively stable with his career in the kpop industry. homie has been getting away with it for a while it seems and now his house of cards is caving in on top of him and the fifty fifty members. i would feel sooooooooo terrible for those girls if theyre blacklisted- whatever the outcome of the hearings are though and the final verdict reaches the public, i think most of the damage will be done. it's gonna be a hard future for these young girls and truly it's awful to witness

[@RayMak]

Very sad. They had so much potential

[@osteoclast6884]

Temu as a sponsor -> close the video

[@mcsaism]

-> unsubscribe

[@ezradja]

The girls side (their parents) tried to registered their brand names, which is indicated that they are not innocent and should be punished accordingly.

[@flaggov6949]

Any decent lawyer would recommend they apply for their name in case they win the suit.

[@HectorH-M]

Register*

[@ezradja]

@@flaggov6949 meaning hey have the intention and it's not accidental.

[@ezradja]

@@HectorH-M wow so great of you correcting my third language.

[@flaggov6949]

@@ezradja Meaning it's proof they have decent attorneys not proof they conspired with Ahn.

[@lunaskye621]

I don’t think the girls have a career in entertainment after this. They’ve shown that their sudden success got to their heads and also have shown they’re a liability. Such a shame as they could’ve been something great if they hadn’t done this.

[@레몬하이-p9d]

I am keen to hear an update on that.

[@HN-fb6md]

I believe that both sides can still work together. I cannot hate on the girls because they had a producer that was in their ear and we don't know what kind of rhetoric was being told. Forgiveness is a winding road.

[@edvaedan9161]

Thanks for all the info. Strange and sad story. I really enjoyed their music.

[@brandoniswhoiam]

Now I’m crying in my room. 😢

[@alyssachan4330]

idk i dont think supporting TEMU is that great.

[@ChromeColossus]

You said they're "getting dropped by brands left and right," but the two things you shared in the video were the cancellation of the "Barbie Dreams" MV and schedules, both of which would be a direct result of the company's internal problems, not other companies dropping Fifty Fifty. In any case, I still think the Fifty Fifty members were heavily manipulated by Siahn, and they and their parents were probably fed a lot of bad information by him. Based off what I've seen of the members, I don't think they have the cruel streak in them to be taking these unusual actions on their own.

[@toester1181]

The barbie video was dropped/canceled on 20 June. The girls filled for termination lawsuit on 19 jun. One reason attackt ceo canceled the shoot was that in the lawsuit girls stated they were physically overworked. If attackt authorized the making of the video, the girls would use that reason in the lawsuit to terminate existing contract. This was the 1st reason the Korean ppl turned on the girls. Look at the dates of the lawsuit & scheduled barbie video shooting. 2d reason was when Korean ppl found out about the girls parents submitted 60 brand patterning on the same day the girls filed the lawsuit, on 19 jun. After that Korean netizens started looking into girls past videos & news articles & they found few that made girls look even worse.

[@HailToTheMeep]

@@toester1181Yikes

[@DUNGSTA]

​@@toester1181bruh how are they overworked if they barely have any songs?

[@Blodhelm]

@@DUNGSTA Whomever(the producer) advised them to file the lawsuit didn't take that into account. When compared to normal industry schedules, it won't hold up in court. This will not end well.

[@sleepyearth]

@@DUNGSTA You have a point lol and they didn't have much tv appearances.

[@SKZ_ITZY_3-vm2mg]

Wow thanks for the info! I was so lost bcuz the situation was so messy!

[@AMultipolarWorldIsEmerging]

Im sure everyone already knows about this video but I find "the late capitalism of k pop" to be one of the best videos there is that explains the exploitative nature of the k pop industry

[@astoldbywinter9879]

I’ve been waiting for you to cover the story because I don’t understand it at all. I’m so happy you’re finally making a video. I haven’t watched anybody else’s. I’ve been waiting for you.

[@ploopy678]

Aww thank you so much! I hope the video was worth the wait 😊

[@sumysim3245]

I love FIFTY FIFTY and the girls, but I really can't see much for them after this. Knets and International fans are pretty much bashing them because of this and even if they apologize for what happened, they'll never really be truly the same group again. I really hope the best for them, but in all honesty, they don't have a chance in the industry after this.

[@platesfork]

pleaseee continue the rania/blackswan story!!!!

[@moonkim3873]

I would not doubt it is either one of two cases 1. The members believe they will not succeed in Korea due to this incident and only have hope to succeed internationally. 2. The members signed another contract with another company already and cannot back out without heavy consequences. Either way, going to keep following to see what happens.

[@flaggov6949]

I don't think it's either. I think their CEO is slightly less crooked than their producer. The producer, wanting the girls and knowing how the industry worked, realized that Attrakt's CEO was doing something sketchy with the finances, so he started subtly planting ideas in their head to get them to ask for transparency because he knew the CEO would be unlikely to give it. Then nature takes it's course. The girls become worried and suspicious about what the CEO is hiding because he's not being transparent while the producer laughs at the chaos he induced and starts preparing to promote the girls knowing the transparency issue will make them want to bail. He probably never directly asked them to join him (because the girls aren't stupid and he wouldn't want any contract communication with the girls to link directly back to him). He was hoping no one would catch the slimy things he was doing. Master manipulators never expose their hand if there's a way to avoid it. I think it's most likely that the girls maintain they weren't manipulated because the manipulation was based in truth and so subtle they don't realize it happened.

[@michime7860]

Wtf the producer was crazy to do this... Did he really think he could get away with such shit?

[@StanLoona-sg4fm]

Im looking for actual comments about the topic 😭 not more temu slander (deserved tho)

[@eleya11]

Temu is so bad, please don’t support them!

[@vanthadoun1]

I did a double take when you said "Ive been listening to Kpop for almost 50 years now" 😲😲 Then I replayed it and realized you said 15 not 50. Whew!!!! But yes, this summer was all about Cupid and I really wanted 50/50 to succeed, but as soon as a lawsuit happened I waited to listen and find out more of the situation. People need to gather facts and listen to both sides before evaluating the truth or else you are making rash decisions.

[@uWu-fp2lc]

I just realized that I also heard it as 50 but I didn't put much thought into it 😭😭😭 I just accepted it at phase value 😭😭 and now that you said this, I just had to reconfirm as well

[@Blodhelm]

Trot rules!

[@juhyassmin]

That's K-netizens for you, always making rash decisions without all the facts.

[@josephkim3542]

​@@juhyassminoh please, as if the American audience is any better. Remember depp vs heard? Remember Selina Gomez and Justin Bieber? I could go on but I'm sure you get the point.

[@jamiek1714]

@@juhyassmin Agree as a Korean. The hate for them is off the charts.

[@juhyassmin]

In my opinion, the girls of FiftyFifty were used as pawns by a grown man (& possibly even their parents) to get rich quick. Did they themselves make a mistake or two along the way? Possibly. Now, they have a horrible reputation in Korea & coming back from this is going to be d*mn near impossible for them. 4 girls' dream is basically ruined due to *GREED*. As a Hunnie since debut, my heart is broken for the girls. Is there a chance they could turn it around? Yes. I mean k-netz hate AOA Mina over AOA Jimin now (never thought that would happen), so anything is possible. I just don't have much faith that it will at the current moment. Aran, Sio, Saena & Keena, I'm so sorry.

[@jamiek1714]

Yes! That's what I say. That's usually the story. These are are 18. The parents should have said NO to Siahn, a confirmed scam artist. Thank you for your compassion.

[@imbored2200]

The thing is they're still charting well, great streams and this is so sad

[@Esmrue]

Why would you ever partner with Temu... Horrible company that keeps their employees in horrible working conditions, almost slave labor, among other things. You shouldnt promote companies like this...

[@mcsaism]

Meanwhile this video is about idols being exploited… how ironic omg

[@massam9343]

HELL YEAH she finally did the video abt fifty2 lets gooooooooooooooo been waiting for this.

[@RavarsenBlogspot]

Keep the group, find new girls.

[@nathangeorge6563]

Great video ❤ this kpop drama is crazy yet fascinating. Also tried the temu link, says the codes invalid unfortunately. But I can't wait for the next video 😊 hope you have a good day.

[@coconut9065]

i doubt anyone would actually would want to work with them or even get a hit at this point

[@Kurumifan15]

Amazing video. Thanks. I just got back into Kpop and I was wondering what happened to them. Cupid was such a huge song that I started to wonder why I didn’t hear anything else from the group.

[@unnecessary111]

GIRL I LOVE YOU BUT PLEASE DONT PARTNER WITH TEMU

[@vstopbiaswreckingme7194]

i wish you wouldve also mentioned that the same aritcle that showed the producer has taking the copright credit from the swedish producers, he also took them away from one of the fifty fifty members, showing that this isnt a nefarious plot created by both the members and the producer, but actually just the producer who probably fooled the members while literally stealnig their copyright

[@BiggSanii777]

I just feel bad cuz they were about to be huge with that Barbie soundtrack song

[@yjmohua5546]

I feel both the ceo and girls are victims. But I am on the ceo's side in this matter because at the end K-pop is a business. The girls should have spoken to the ceo directly rather trusting an outsider but again the whole thing is shady. But in my point of view things shouldn't be so messy if they have communication. But i hope things work for the girls

[@Gunheadchicka]

I’m a big Kpop fan and was a hardcore listener in the 2010’s. How are groups doing like Secret, MBLAQ, BAP, 2NE1, CM Blue, Lee Hi, Hyuna, Btob, Big Star, Big Bang, Taeyang,and Miss A?

[@Sun_001]

Perfect i wanted to know what is happening with them Thank you !

[@chibichxn472]

PLOOPY, idk if you’ll see this but I’m scrolling through the comments and seeing more negative than positive. I know you’re just one person and I’m sure you have good intentions so please don’t get distraught about the comments. I don’t know much on the story myself and don’t know all the information but I’m sure In the future - if you have the time - you will research for more information make and video about it Becuase I know that’s what you do. Keep working and aiming high! You’re doing fine!

[@missjojohuia3366]

I always get so excited when you post a new vid! 🎉❤✨

[@KO13199]

What a bummer of a situation. The girls made a terrible decision to follow this producer's coaching. I'm sure they were promised greater success and assured the lawsuit would be just breezed over, and they would get released from the contract with no questions asked. Kpop fans won't forgive and forget either, so I'd assume their careers will never reach the same level as their potential would have allowed.

[@stephendueker9006]

Nice analysis

[@aratheropinionatedindividu3466]

yet another sponsorship by temu 😭

[@empressg9608]

Well I don't mind them quietly filing for ownership of their names, if you ask me it was smart. No one else could benefit off it.

[@creativelychandra]

They’re all pretty young so I wouldn’t be surprised if they haven’t been lied to and manipulated by the producer. It’s really sad because they had a good sound.

[@nope5579]

No, they knew they are doing a fraud. Because in court they said they did not know Attrakt and the givers are different thing but they did, when saena faked covid she did it with the givers test. They were their trainies. They were in contact until september even after Keena told about royalties. And now they are debuting with the same people they worked before who were hired by the givers. Strange innit

[@jnd_jnd]

As a casual listener, it's sad knowing Cupid would probably be the last song ever of theirs. Winning the lawsuit or not, their relationship with the company, with the industry and with the general public is absolutely ruined

[@vut1788]

I have recently watched 여고추리반 2, a variety show where 5 main characters investigate the school mystery and solve it before anything bad happens. And the 2nd season case is kind of similar to Fifthy Fifthy case. I hope you guy watch that show and try to open mote possibility between, An Sung Il, Fifthy Fifthy and Jeon CEO.

[@veronikaytb8903]

Can you update with latest things being released?

[@beastghostt]

If they were naïve enough to think signing an idol contract was a good life choice, they're definitely naïve enough to be manipulated by their producer into thinking he had some fool-proof scheme to get them a better deal at his company. I'm just confused why he thought it would work on the business side.

[@yeee5358]

I was waiting for you to do a video on this. Couldn't be bothered to read through everything myself and i trust your research skills

[@jamiek1714]

I really want to get to know the truth about this situation. I'm not here to argue with anyone. It is the saddest situation I've seen in entertainment history. I'm Korean and I don't like 99% of english music (except for Coldplay, and some rock/pop with good melodies) and don't even like kpop. Kpop is just as bad as english music. I remember in the 90s, when I went to Korea, kpop had so many nice pop melodies. Not anymore. Here's how I understand the situation: The girls were abused until their health was in jeopardy. I believe there are third party medical professionals who can verify this. That is basically the reason for their lawsuit. Not greed as some say. Siahn also abused them. But it seems he is the reason for the success of the group from what I've read and that's why it seems the girls are trusting him. It seems he had a problem with CEO Jun too, and so he manipulated the girls to go against him too. Unfortunately, siding with Siahn has proved fatal to their public image. The girls said they would rather not sing than work with Attrakt again. That tells me they have legitimate concerns. I believe there is absolutely no justification for the hate they are receiving. I believe there is something wrong in Korea to be hating them this much. These are vulnerable teenage girls. So if they were in fact manipulated and fooled, they would have just done what Keena did and went back. But they can't because they really were abused and mistreated. Their claims are true. These are three teenage girls who are barely 19 years old who may or may not have made mistakes. At 19, I knew nothing. Is Korea that ruthless with vulnerable 19 year old girls? If the CEO really is an innocent victim, I can accept that. I just want to know the truth about this. In the end, the only people who know the whole situation are: the girls, the CEO and Siahn. The Bible says, "Judge not, and you will not be judged. Condemn and you will not be condemned." I believe that and believe we are accountable in our actions. The hate for these girls is literally off the charts and I have to believe it's because: 1) a possible propaganda campaign waged by the CEO, 2) a reckless media and biased media or 3) a toxic kpublic, or a combination of all three. On many YT vids, you could see relentless posts that I strongly believe are by paid trolls and not regular people. I cannot believe regular people are so hateful and pathetic to be posting vitriol day after day for months on end. I highly doubt it. Three vulnerable teenage girls' lives are at stake. Does the kpublic want to drive them to suicide? It sure seems like it. I pray that God will continue to guide them and protect them. I pray there will be a peaceful resolution to this whole situation and I for one will not wish ill will on anyone. We will all reap what we sow. Thank you for reading my post.

[@hellivioze3648]

The truth is that Ahn Sung Il (CEO of the Givers) gaslit and manipulated the members into believing that ATTRAKT wasn't managing their finances properly. That ATTRAKT was just pushing them into debt and that he could connect them with another label. He managed to convince the members and their families that they should file for an injunction to suspend their contracts and that they were guaranteed to win. The accusations of abuse and mistreatment were a narrative to get the public on their side. None of their claims were true. Every single one of their claims were dismissed for the injunction. Their appeal was dismissed because they didn't even submit a statement of appeal. The criminal complaint they filed against ATTRAKT was dismissed. Meanwhile, Ahn Sung Il has been referred to the prosecution and the members are now facing a lawsuit for damages that they will most likely lose

[@lynnbenus413]

Ann sung ill ( pd) who is an owner the giver, is insane. His carriers, his school background. Jun Hong jun hired him to help him. But now Ann have tried to steal fifty fifty and other benefits from the attract. Shameful . Even he wrote his CV ( I am a ceo of the atrract) www just rubbish pd Ann.

[@richmond0912]

They sick leave was not 2 weeks. It was more like 2 momths.

[@haeflxwer4727]

love the new background evangeline

[@Siocean_]

They’ve been my favorite group since debut and I’ve watched all of their videos all of their dance shorts all of their behind the scenes videos all of their workshop video all of them and I really hope this doesn’t cause them to disband/ be black listed if it does I would cry for many days 😢 I can understand both opinions so I am just gonna defend the girls ig

[@MatthewMerengue]

This situation is so so sad

[@marshmallowblackpink711]

PLOOPY EARLY 😍😍

[@jenniferporter5893]

I just wanted to say that I love all of your videos. Thank you for entertaining me with your videos. I also like your dance videos as well.