Ahn Sung-il, CEO of The Givers and a key figure in the controversy surrounding K-pop group Fifty Fifty, will soon hear the verdict in his ₩2.1 billion (~USD 1.6 million) damages lawsuit. The Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 33 concluded all trial proceedings on November 20 and is scheduled to announce its ruling in January 2026.
The case, initiated in September 2023 by ATTRAKT CEO Jeon Hong-joon, accuses Ahn and executive Baek Jin-sil of breaching their business service contract and committing fraudulent acts that allegedly harmed ATTRAKT financially. The complaint outlines claims of contract violations, embezzlement, and sabotage of ATTRAKT’s operations.
In court, ATTRAKT asserted that “Ahn Sung-il signed unauthorized contracts and misappropriated over ₩150 million, while Baek Jin-sil engaged in obstructive behavior such as rejecting advertisement offers, abruptly leaving fan cafés, and deleting email accounts.” They further alleged that The Givers failed to fulfill accounting duties properly.
However, Ahn’s legal team argued that the media coverage has unfairly favored the plaintiff and emphasized that “the facts remain to be fully clarified through the judicial process.” They claimed that the service contract was mutually terminated and that Ahn had minimal involvement in the internal disputes between ATTRAKT and the members.
Ahn Sung-il’s name became central to the Fifty Fifty controversy, especially after ATTRAKT accused “external forces” of attempting to lure the group into breaching their exclusive contracts. The dispute intensified following disagreements over royalties for the hit song “Cupid.”
Despite criticism, Ahn is currently working with Saena, Sio, and Aran, the former members of Fifty Fifty, who re-debuted under the group Ablume. They are now signed to MASSIVE E&C, a label under IOK Company. MASSIVE E&C released a statement confirming that “thorough discussions and legal due diligence were conducted before signing with the members”, adding that “some of the public information regarding the tampering allegations may have been misrepresented.”
Notably, ATTRAKT also filed a separate ₩13 billion (~USD 9.6 million) lawsuit in December 2023 against the former members, their parents, and Ahn’s associates, underscoring their ongoing legal pursuit.
The dispute began publicly in June 2023 when the members of Fifty Fifty filed for an injunction to suspend their exclusive contracts. ATTRAKT had previously announced their health-related hiatus but later claimed that “external parties” were attempting to induce breach of contract.
While ATTRAKT expressed a willingness to reconcile, the members remained silent for two months and eventually declared their departure. In a handwritten letter, they expressed hope that “the unjust practices in the industry will be corrected.”
However, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed the members’ injunction, ruling that ATTRAKT did not violate key contractual obligations. This decision added weight to ATTRAKT’s claims and left the members’ legal position weakened.
With the final ruling in the ₩2.1 billion lawsuit approaching, this case will likely mark a turning point in the ongoing legal saga surrounding the Fifty Fifty breakup and its broader implications on management practices in the K-pop industry.
Sources: Daum