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.
Notably, Korean media has not yet disclosed the identities of the two members who won the lawsuit, but fans speculate they are the remaining two Korean members of the group. With two members successfully winning their contract dispute, fans have also begun to express concern for the situation of other foreign members within the group, worrying they might face more obstacles if they wish to leave the company.
Online rumors have even circulated that foreign members' passports are being withheld by the company, sparking fan concern and calls for continued public attention to the members' plight. However, these claims remain unconfirmed by official sources.
Many fans have expressed support for the court's decision, believing the members finally have a chance to escape the controversial company. However, they also questioned whether true "justice" would be served if Lee Yong-hak does not face criminal charges.
One netizen commented, "Ga-eun, Su-hye (수혜), and Ye-seo (예서) might be free to leave, but the Japanese members seem to still be trapped in that terrible company, with their passports even seemingly held as leverage." Another stated, "This is good news that should have come sooner. I hope the remaining members can also successfully leave the company."
Other netizens, while happy for the two members who successfully terminated their contracts, felt that "true justice has not yet arrived," directly asking, "When will the people truly involved in these matters go to jail?" Additionally, some netizens harshly criticized Lee Yong-hak, arguing that the allegations involving minors are extremely serious and should continue to be investigated by judicial authorities to clarify responsibility under the law.
In fact, before this controversy erupted, Ga-eun, Su-hye, and Miyu (미유) appeared on a YouTube web program hosted by iKON member Song Yun-hyeong (송윤형), who is also under the same company. During the show, Song Yun-hyeong chatted with the three members while they enjoyed a meal. He suddenly asked Miyu, "The CEO isn't here today, is there anything you wish could be improved? Your hometown is far away, you must have a lot to say, right?"
Miyu responded at the time, "I hope he stops confessing so frequently." Song Yun-hyeong was very surprised, covering his mouth and asking, "Confessing? What kind of confession?" Miyu further explained, "Things like, 'Miyu-chan, you know, I really like you.' The CEO says things like that every day. I hope it can be changed to once a year." This old program content has now resurfaced and is being discussed by netizens due to the ongoing case.
MADEIN debuted in 2023 as a seven-member group, including former LIMELIGHT members Miyu, Su-hye, and Ga-eun, as well as Serina and Nagomi from "PRODUCE 101 JAPAN THE GIRLS," and former Kep1er members Sakamoto Mashiro and Kang Ye-seo (강예서).
