EXO’s Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin challenge agency chief accused of 30 billion won fraud as unpaid settlements spark crisis

Injunction hearing set for the 7th as Lee Seung-gi, The Boyz and others join exodus

Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin, members of the group EXO, have taken legal action against their current agency, INB100, by seeking an injunction to suspend the validity of their exclusive contracts. The Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 50, headed by Presiding Judge Lee Sang-hoon, is scheduled to hold a hearing on the injunction petition filed by the three artists on the 7th, according to legal sources.

The central issue in the dispute is unpaid settlement payments. In April, the three artists abruptly notified Cha Ga-won, head of their agency’s parent company, that they were terminating their exclusive contracts over settlement issues and other concerns. After the company effectively remained silent, they turned to the courts for a ruling.

INB100, at the center of the dispute, is an agency Baekhyun founded in June 2023. But in May of the following year, it was abruptly incorporated into One Hundred, a label led by Cha, bringing major changes to its business environment.

The seriousness of the situation is even clearer in light of the management’s legal troubles. Cha was indicted and detained in August on charges of fraud involving more than 30 billion won and is due to face his first trial on the 13th of next month. A former chairman of a real estate development company, he co-founded the One Hundred label with singer MC Mong in 2023. After MC Mong parted ways with the company amid internal conflicts in July last year, Cha has operated it alone, records show.

The management’s ethical lapses and worsening financial health have triggered a mass exodus of artists. In addition to Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin, major artists affiliated with labels under One Hundred—including Lee Seung-gi, The Boyz, VIVIZ and broadcaster Kim Dae-ho—have also successively notified the company that they were terminating their exclusive contracts, citing unpaid settlement payments as a common grievance. The controversy over inadequate settlement systems at major entertainment agencies is expected to resurface across the industry.