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Controversy Erupts as 'World of Street Woman Fighter' Winner Ibuki Clashes with Production Company Over Concert Absence
On the 8, Ibuki took to her personal social media to claim that she was pressured into an unfair contract by the organizers, leaving her without a voice as an artist.
She further explained that she was unable to attend the Seoul concert due to concerns about impacting her crew and fans, and that the announcement of her absence from the Busan concert was made without proper consultation.
Production company Route59 responded on the 9, stating that negotiations with Ibuki's manager had broken down due to communication issues and unfair demands.
As the controversy spread online, some netizens speculated that Ibuki's boyfriend, who is also the manager, embezzled the crew's fees. Route59 countered that Ibuki's demand to renew the manager's contract was unacceptable to the other six members.
Despite Ibuki's confirmed absence, the conflicting statements from both sides have left fans in confusion.
The 'Street Woman Fighter' concert tour began in Seoul on October 6 and 7, and is scheduled to continue in Busan on September 13, Changwon on September 21, Ilsan on September 27, Daegu on October 3, Daejeon on October 11, Ulsan on October 18, Gwangju on October 25, Incheon on November 1, Cheongju on November 15, and Suwon on November 22.
Route59's official statement:
Hello,
This is Route59, the production company behind the 'Street Woman Fighter' concert.
This statement addresses the absence of Ibuki, a beloved member of Ojo-gang, from the concert.
We have been negotiating for months to secure Ojo-gang's participation. However, communication issues with their manager led to delays and complications. The late announcement of Kyoka's absence on September 6 was also due to these issues. The members were left in a state of distrust and mental distress due to lack of information.
During negotiations, the manager demanded separate, non-transparent conditions and insisted that performance fees not be disclosed in the contract. This could have left members unaware of their rightful compensation, which we could not accept.
Despite this, we worked directly with the crew to reach an agreement for their participation, which was tentatively confirmed on August 26. Ibuki agreed to keep manager-related issues private and participate in the concert. This agreement included resolving internal issues and apologies to the members.
However, on September 1, while other members arrived for rehearsals, Ibuki did not use the flight arranged by the production team, unbeknownst to the members. Communication with Ibuki and her team became difficult. Ibuki later informed us through her lawyer that she would not honor the agreement and cited health reasons for her absence. The six members learned of her absence through the lawyer.
Despite continued efforts to secure Ibuki's participation, we had to announce her absence from the Busan concert on September 8. We received a message from her lawyer expressing her desire to participate at 8 PM, after our announcement.
Ibuki's condition for participation was to nullify the previous agreement and renew the manager's contract, which the other six members could not accept. We regret this outcome despite our efforts.
We have kept records of these events and refrained from public disclosure out of respect for Ibuki.
The remaining Ojo-gang members are diligently preparing for the concert, and Route59 is fully supporting their efforts.
We ask fans to continue supporting Ojo-gang with love and encouragement, as it is their greatest strength on stage. We hope for understanding and support rather than further confusion.
Route59 is committed to making this concert a memorable experience for fans.
Lee So-jung, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr
