Taemin, Baekhyun, Chen, Xiumin, and The Boyz are facing a potential crisis that could severely disrupt their careers. Numerous companies that previously worked with these artists say they have not been paid, with some claiming they are now suffering from financial hardship and severe psychological stress. At the center of the controversy is a single figure: CEO Cha Ga Won.
According to an investigation by The Fact on February 5, Cha Ga Won, who heads One Hundred, Big Planet Made Entertainment, and INB100, has failed to pay a wide range of companies essential to artist activities, including album production, content creation, hair and makeup, and marketing firms. In some cases, even the costs of stage sets for music programs featuring his artists reportedly remain unpaid.
“I did nothing wrong, yet I became a debtor and a liar to the people who trusted me,” said one industry insider, identified as A, who worked with Cha’s company. “My mental health collapsed, and months later, I realized my bank account had been seized due to unpaid health insurance premiums. I have a child, so I sold my car and even took out loans just to survive.” The source said their suffering stemmed directly from unpaid fees owed by Cha Ga Won’s company.
Why Only Digital Singles? Unpaid Bills Pile Up Across the Industry
Cha allegedly failed to pay tens of billions of KRW to numerous vendors, including printing companies essential for producing physical albums, as well as production, marketing, and hair and makeup teams. As a result, artists under his labels have struggled to release physical albums, and even digital releases have reportedly been hampered by limited promotions.
In fact, since The Boyz released their 10th mini album in July last year and VIVIZ their first full-length album, followed by Chen’s fifth mini album in September, no physical albums have been released by artists under One Hundred, Big Planet Made Entertainment, or INB100 for five months. Since then, Taemin, The Boyz, BADVILLAIN, Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Lee Seung Gi have released only digital singles.
For fans, albums are the most meaningful gift; for agencies, physical releases by top-tier idols are a stable revenue source. Yet in December, The Boyz released a digital single containing three tracks, a huge number for a single, without even producing a music video. A special unit release in November also came as a digital single without a music video.
While such choices could have been artistic decisions, it is notable that during the same period, Cha was reportedly being pressed by multiple partners for unpaid invoices. The Fact confirmed unpaid amounts, totaling tens of billions of KRW, owed to more than a dozen companies. Some have formally reported their losses, while others spoke cautiously, citing fears of reputational damage in an industry where continued work depends heavily on relationships.
The unpaid payments reportedly began in the second half of last year and intensified around September. Several companies have already sent formal legal notices, and some are preparing lawsuits. Specific company names and amounts have been withheld to avoid further harm to those involved.
An industry veteran commented, “Unpaid balances happen from time to time, but it’s standard practice to settle past accounts before starting new projects. In this case, the debts kept accumulating. Everyone in the industry knows, so who would want to work with them? I’ve even heard they struggle to pay basic album certification fees.”
Unpaid Set Fees Raise Questions Over Music Show Appearances
Cha Ga Won has already been sued on fraud charges under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, and is also accused of failing to properly settle payments owed to his artists. In addition to that, unpaid balances to vendors reportedly amount to tens of billions of KRW.
The scope of the unpaid fees is broad, and even broadcasters are affected. When artists appear on music programs, agencies often pay for custom stage sets. Cha reportedly failed to pay set production costs for appearances on MBC’s 'Show! Music Core' and Mnet’s 'M Countdown,' with unpaid amounts accumulating since the latter half of last year. If unresolved, this could jeopardize future appearances by his artists.
An industry source explained, “Smaller agencies sometimes struggle to pay set fees temporarily; that’s not unusual. But for a large company with multiple artists to consistently fail to pay is highly irregular, because it affects other artists’ activities as well.”
They added, “If set costs remain unpaid, the issue gets escalated within the network. In that situation, it’s questionable whether producers would allow artists from a delinquent agency to continue appearing on stage.”
Artists under Cha Ga Won’s labels include The Boyz, Taemin, Lee Mu Jin, VIVIZ, BADVILLAIN, Lee Seung Gi, and INB100 artists Baekhyun, Chen, and Xiumin. All now face the risk of being unable to appear on music programs.
Relations with broadcasters have also been strained. Past conflicts with KBS and SBS, ranging from boycotts to disputes over lineup omissions, had only recently eased. However, tensions are reportedly rising again due to unpaid fees, including costs incurred when BADVILLAIN appeared on KBS’s YouTube series Idol Human Theater, which also remain unpaid since September last year.
Music programs are one of the most direct ways for artists to connect with fans. Yet Cha’s artists have already had limited exposure, particularly on SBS’s Inkigayo. If stages on Show! Music Core and M Countdown also close; both artists and fans stand to suffer significant losses.
Financial Distress Spreads as Unpaid Debts Mount
Despite generating hundreds of billions of KRW by leveraging artists’ intellectual property, and with artists actively earning revenue through concerts, broadcasts, and events, Cha Ga Won has reportedly failed to pay what is owed. Where the money has gone remains unclear.
Industry observers suggest it may not be a matter of refusal, but an inability to pay. Due to what has been described as Cha Ga Won’s abnormal management practices, her companies are reportedly in capital impairment. Cha herself has also had property seized by tax authorities over unpaid taxes.
Meanwhile, smaller vendors are bearing the brunt of the fallout. One source, A, told The Fact, “I never received a single payment for the work I did. I still have to pay the people who worked with me, and I’m ashamed to face them.”
Another insider, B, added, “So many people are involved, and so many haven’t been paid what they’re owed. But lawsuits aren’t easy in this industry; you still have to make a living, and legal battles consume everything.”
In response, Cha Ga Won’s side stated, “We are currently reviewing the facts surrounding these matters. For issues that have been confirmed, the company is proceeding with internal settlement and resolution procedures.”
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