MUSIC
Rising K-Pop Group Maydine Faces Sexual Harassment Allegations Against Agency CEO
On the September 22nd broadcast of JTBC's 'Incident Chief,' a report was aired about a member of the multinational girl group, which debuted in September, claiming she was sexually harassed by the agency's CEO.
The member, referred to as 'A,' alleged in a recording, "I said, 'Please let me finish this activity. That's my wish.' He replied, 'If I grant your wish, will you grant mine?' and said, 'My wish is for you to be my girlfriend for a day. Will you do it?'"
She further claimed, "He asked, 'Can I kiss you?' and then forced himself on me, trying to insert his tongue while I kept my mouth shut. He continued to kiss my neck and ears. I was trying to protect myself, but he said, 'Move this,' and kept touching me. He asked, 'Can I touch your chest? Can I squeeze your butt just once?' I said 'No,' but he persisted for two hours."
In response, on September 23rd, Maydine's agency, 143 Entertainment, denied the allegations, stating, "There was no sexual harassment or any form of sexual contact between the member and the CEO as mentioned in the broadcast. The reported content is not true."
They added, "The hotel-related content involving the member was also a gathering with acquaintances. The reported details are based on statements from others, not the member, and are not factual."
Recently, Gaeun deleted all posts from her personal social media account and unfollowed the agency and the general producer, raising concerns among fans. On September 11th, 143 Entertainment announced, "Gaeun recently visited a hospital for health reasons. Following the doctor's advice for rest and stability, Gaeun will temporarily halt activities." They added, "The agency has decided to focus on Gaeun's health recovery, and Maydine will continue as a six-member group for the time being."
The CEO accused of harassment is known to be a co-founder and co-CEO of 143 Entertainment.
Reported by Jiye Choi, TenAsia journalist, wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr
