A is facing controversy after a South Korean court ruled against them for violating their exclusive trainee contract with Majesty Entertainment. The court ordered A to pay 5 million KRW (approx. $3,600 USD) in damages.
The controversy began when A breached contract terms by getting a tattoo without permission and leaving the company dorm without authorization. These actions led to A being dropped from their group’s debut lineup.
On June 23, the Seoul Central District Court, led by Judge Lee Baek Gyu, handed down the ruling. A signed the contract in June 2018, which included strict behavioral clauses. Unauthorized tattoos were specifically prohibited, along with drinking, smoking, dating, and clubbing. The penalty for each violation was set at 30 million KRW.
Tensions escalated in October 2018 after A left the dormitory. The agency later discovered the tattoo on A‘s neck. Following these incidents, A was warned but ultimately removed from the group before their debut in June 2019.
In a twist, A filed a lawsuit to nullify the contract. The case reached the Supreme Court, which sided with A, citing a breakdown of trust between the trainee and agency. However, Majesty Entertainment later filed a counter-suit for about 80 million KRW (around $57,000 USD) for damages.
The court acknowledged the breaches but deemed the full penalty excessive.
“The unauthorized dormitory absence occurred only once, and the tattoo was small and located on the back of the neck, making it not clearly visible,” Judge Lee stated.
The ultimate decision? A mere 5 million KRW penalty.
The ruling isn’t final. Majesty Entertainment has appealed the decision. A second trial is on the horizon.
Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.
