Artists File Legal Complaints Against Park Kyung For Chart Manipulation Accusations

Vibe and Song Ha Ye have officially filed complaints against Block B’s Park Kyung and his agency.

On November 24, Park Kyung posted a tweet accusing Vibe, Song Ha Ye, Lim Jae Hyun, Jeon Sang Keun, Jang Deok Cheol, and Hwang In Wook of sajaegi (the manipulation of album sales numbers through bulk buying an album by an artist’s own agency), and the aforementioned artists all warned of legal action against Park Kyung for defamation.

Below is the statement released by Vibe’s agency Major 9 on November 27:

This is Major 9. We thank fans who care for and support the artists under Major 9.

On November 25, we sent a certification of contents to a certain singer who made a malicious statement while naming our artist Vibe and to his agency. On November 27, we filed an official complaint through Law Firm Myoungjae for violation of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc. based on evidence gathered regarding the spreading of false facts and defamation.

Moreover, we are in the process of taking legal action against malicious commenters who uploaded posts and comments on online communities and social media as if the false facts reported in the press meant that Vibe had truly engaged in sajaegi as well as those who wrote malicious comments about the artist’s family.

Major 9 and all artists under Major 9 have never committed the crime of sajaegi. We once again state that we will take legal and investigative procedures to clearly prove [our innocence], as all suspicions are false.

Moving forward, we will seek both civil and criminal legal procedures to take even stronger counteraction in order to bring upright this controversy that holds Major 9’s credibility and honor at stake and restore our artist’s reputation that was damaged due to the spreading of false facts.

Already on July 19, we sued seven people including “Lee” for uploading posts of defamatory nature by the spreading of false facts, sexual harassment, and malicious slander. The case was received and is being investigated. Through our legal representative, we checked with some of those who were accused to see if they were showing signs of repentance. However, the situation did not improve and grew worse, so we relayed to the [police] that there would be no leniency or negotiation.

During the police investigations on the spreading of false facts related to sajaegi, we have sufficiently proved that the statements made about sajaegi among other false facts were clearly false. To follow civil and criminal legal procedures, we submitted to the police materials to prove [the falsehood of] sajaegi suspicions.

We thank fans for loving our artists, and we will continue to do our best to protect our artists. Thank you.

Song Ha Ye’s agency Plusmedia released the following statement:

Hello.

This is Song Ha Ye’s agency Plusmedia.

On November 27, through Hanbyol Law, LCC, we filed an official complaint to the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office against a certain singer who named Song Ha Ye and damaged her reputation for violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc. due to defamation by posting false facts.

Moving forward, we will take strong action without leniency regarding malicious commenters including the singer who post malicious slander.

We thank those who showed love for Song Ha Ye, and we will do our best to protect our artists. Thank you.

According to TV Report, Jeon Sang Keun has appointed a lawyer and is preparing to file an official complaint. TV Report states that Hwang In Wook has already filed a complaint through his agency, and Jang Deok Cheol and Lim Jae Hyun will soon appoint lawyers.

A source from an agency related to the issue stated, “Most agencies have probably already made the initial preparations [for legal action]. It is very unlikely that they will let the incident slide, and it will be a long fight.”

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