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Allegations of an alleged s*xual assault against the CEO of 143 Entertainment involving MADEIN member Gaeun have surfaced on the internet. Gaeun, a 19-year-old idol from the K-pop girl group, recently announced a hiatus due to health issues.
On November 22, 2024, South Korean media outlet Top Star News reported that Gaeun had allegedly been the victim of inappropriate advances by the CEO of her agency. The accusations include alleged coercion, unwanted physical contact, and continuous harassment despite her repeated refusals.
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According to the media outlet, the incident began when Gaeun, a minor at the time, reportedly reluctantly agreed to the CEO's alleged demand to be his "girlfriend for a day" in exchange for continuing her group activities. Reportedly, she later claimed that the CEO allegedly locked his office door and made unwanted advances, including kissing and inappropriate touching, during a movie outing.
On November 11, 143 Entertainment announced that the MADEIN artist would take a break due to health issues. The agency, founded in 2020 by producer Digital Master Lee Yong-hak, is also home to artists like iKON, Dok,2 and Bobby.
The CEO of 143 Entertainment denies the allegations made by MADEIN's Gaeun
After the allegations surfaced online, the CEO took to the group's social media account and denied them, claiming there was no misconduct. However, his stance shifted after being confronted by the artist's parents, who demanded answers regarding their daughter's safety and well-being.
The CEO reportedly admitted to "making a mistake" and apologized, promising to step down from his position and limit contact with the group members. However, as per Top Star news, he reportedly continued accompanying the group on schedules, including a flight to Japan, where he allegedly sat beside the artist, leaving her and the other members visibly distressed.
The agency has been heavily criticized for its response. In a public statement, the agency claimed there was no evidence of s*xual misconduct and added that the situation was misinterpreted. The statement released by the label read,
"This is 143 Entertainment. We would like to convey our official position regarding the issue reported on JTBC's 'Case Chief' yesterday. First, we would like to inform you that there was no sexual harassment or other sexual contact by force between the member and the CEO mentioned in the broadcast, and the content of the report is not true."
It continued:
"We also want to inform you that the content regarding the hotel of the member in question was also based on a report that other people, not the member in question, said something different from the truth, and we would like to clarify once again that the issue in question is groundless. We deeply apologize for causing concern due to this sudden and unpleasant incident."
Shortly after, Gaeun deleted all her Instagram posts, removed references to MADEIN from her bio, and unfollowed accounts associated with the agency, further fueling concerns about internal conflicts.
MADEIN (initially called LIMELIGHT) is a girl group under 143 Entertainment, which debuted in September 2024. The group has been promoting their first EP, Sangseung, with the title track UNO.
