Ahn Sung Il Ordered by Court to Pay ATTRAKT $340,000 for FIFTY FIFTY Tampering Issues

Seoul Court Ruling: The Givers Ordered to Pay ATTRAKT in FIFTY FIFTY Case

In a significant legal development, the Seoul Central District Court has mandated that The Givers and its CEO, Ahn Sung Il, compensate FIFTY FIFTY’s agency, ATTRAKT, with roughly 499.5 million won (approximately $340, 000 USD) in damages. This ruling was issued on January 15, 2026.

Key Details of the Court’s Decision

The court determined that both Ahn and The Givers share responsibility for the financial compensation. Moreover, Director Baek Jin-sil has been included in this joint obligation to fulfill the payment.

This court ruling marks a partial success for ATTRAKT, following a lawsuit that was initiated in September 2023. Originally, ATTRAKT sought approximately 2.1 billion won (around $1.4 million) in damages. Presiding Judge Choi Jong-jin concluded that Ahn and The Givers had breached their contractual obligations, which resulted in financial losses for ATTRAKT. The ruling emphasized that deception and a breach of fiduciary duty played critical roles in this case, as reported by allkpop.

Allegations of Contract Tampering

The court’s judgment acknowledged serious allegations prevalent in the K-pop industry, commonly referred to as “tampering, ”which involves unauthorized interactions with artists before the expiration of their exclusive contracts. ATTRAKT’s grievance detailed multiple claims against Ahn and The Givers.

Ahn reportedly misappropriated around 150 million won (approximately $100, 000) via an unauthorized service contract entered without prior approval.
The Givers were accused of hampering business operations by rejecting advertising initiatives without consent, shutting down the official fan café, and deleting essential email accounts.
ATTRAKT also alleged that The Givers neglected their financial settlement obligations.

In response, The Givers contended that the service contract was terminated through mutual agreement and claimed limited involvement in the disputes involving ATTRAKT and FIFTY FIFTY members, as stated by Sports Khan.

Context of the Legal Dispute

This legal battle arose in the wake of FIFTY FIFTY’s remarkable success with their hit song “Cupid”in 2023. Shortly thereafter, original members of the group filed a request to suspend their exclusive contracts with ATTRAKT, citing mistrust and allegations of unfair treatment. ATTRAKT suspected Ahn Sung Il, who was notably involved as a producer on “Cupid”and had been under a five-year project management service contract with the agency since June 2021, of being a potential influence behind the members’ actions.

What’s Next for ATTRAKT?

The recent ruling allows for immediate execution of the damages payment. Meanwhile, ATTRAKT is pressing forward with a separate lawsuit seeking 13 billion won (approximately $8.8 million) against three ex-FIFTY FIFTY members—Saena, Sio, and Aran—as well as several other defendants, including the members’ parents.

Notably, member Keena has since withdrawn her appeal and made her return to ATTRAKT, which has since restructured FIFTY FIFTY into a five-member group that includes new members, as indicated by MK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvUE97irrcQ

Court orders Ahn Sung Il of The Givers to pay ATTRAKT ~ $340,000 USD for 'tampering' with girl group (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvUE97irrcQ)

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