FIFTY FIFTY has arguably strong potential to follow BLACKPINK and BTS footsteps, but the K-media already labeled them as "One-Hit Wonder" after their virtual disbandment.
ATTRAKT Terminates Contracts With FIFTY FIFTY Aran, Sio, & Saena
Amid a dispute with three members Aran, Sio, and Saena, FIFTY FIFTY's agency ATTRAKT officially announced the termination of their contracts.
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On October 23, the agency released their statement, saying:
"As of October 19, we have notified the termination of the exclusive contract for FIFTY FIFTY members Saena, Sio, and Aran excluding Keena.
We have made the decision after the three members have not shown any signs of reflection regarding their serious contract violations.
We will have a separate discussion for the follow-up measures against the members moving forward."
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What Will Happen to FIFTY FIFTY? K-Media States Group Has Virtually Disbanded, Will Remain as 'One-Hit Wonder'
Although ATTRAKT has yet to announce the future move of FIFTY FIFTY, the Korean media, insiders, and music officials are certain about the group's disbandment.
In particular, Keena was the only one who stayed in ATTRAKT, while Aran, Sio, and Saena parted ways with the company.
Looking at this, it will be hard for the three members to continue as FIFTY FIFTY under a different agency without Keena since the group's name's trademark still belongs to the company.
While it is possible to work as a team despite the three members being in a different agency through collaboration with ATTRAKT, it is far from sight since the company is planning follow-up measures against the members.
YTN claimed:
"They are virtually disbanding. FIFTY FIFTY came to a bitter end, leaving only the glory of 'Cupid'."
The media also called the group a "One-Hit Wonder," for only having a single hit song, "Cupid." Although the possibility is vast for the team, they "virtually disbanded" after less than a year of activities.
MBC also wrote:
"The 'small miracle' that caused a K-pop girl group sensation on Billboard appears to have come to an end in vain."
"In the end, FIFTY FIFTY, who had been attracting attention by writing a new record, left behind only 'Cupid.' Neither new records nor miracles helped. It was all in vain due to a single moment of choice. The group FIFTY FIFTY eventually entered the process of disbanding."
FIFTY FIFTY (Kpop Wiki)
On the other hand, the issue started when ATTRAKT filed a lawsuit against FIFTY FIFTY's producer Ahn Sung Il, The Givers CEO for "poaching" members to leave the company, amid the quartet's rise in the U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
Later on, the group filed an injunction to suspend the validity of their contracts with ATTRAKT due to ruining their reputation, breaking trust and unfair contract terms. While Keena apologized and withdrew the lawsuit midway, the three members Aran, Sio and Saena fought all the way and finally attained freedom, in exchange for FIFTY FIFTY's future.
