Former MADEIN Members Win Contract Termination Lawsuit Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations Against CEO

Former MADEIN member Ga-eun (가은) previously accused Lee Yong-hak (이용학), CEO of their former agency 143 Entertainment, of sexual misconduct involving underage members. The case has now seen a new development: a court recently ruled in favor of two other MADEIN members, deeming their exclusive contracts with 143 Entertainment invalid. However, the company has appealed the decision, and the case remains ongoing.

According to Korean media reports, the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 46 ruled on August 9 in favor of two MADEIN members in their lawsuit seeking confirmation of exclusive contract invalidity. The court supported the members' claims and ordered 143 Entertainment to bear the associated legal costs.

In its reasoning, the court noted that Lee Yong-hak's legal representative admitted during the proceedings that Lee had invited Ga-eun on a "one-day date," which included watching a movie together, and privately paid her 1 million Korean Won (approximately 720 USD). Furthermore, the representative also acknowledged that inappropriate physical contact had occurred between them.

At the time, JTBC's program "Incident Commander" (사건반장) also revealed audio recordings in which Ga-eun accused, "The CEO forcibly kissed me and touched my chest, buttocks, and other body parts. I clearly refused, but it was completely useless."

The court determined that based on the facts admitted during the lawsuit, the trust between the company and the artists had been severely broken to an extent that warranted termination of the exclusive contracts. Therefore, it ruled that the two members had the right to terminate their contracts with 143 Entertainment. However, this ruling is not yet final. 143 Entertainment has filed an appeal, and the case is currently being heard by the Seoul High Court, with the final outcome pending further judgment.