Tag: PocketDol Studio

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FANTASY BOYS’ KSoul’s Father Has Reportedly Passed Away

The heartbreaking news of FANTASY BOYS’ K-Soul’s father’s passing has left fans and the entertainment industry in mourning. PocketDol Studio, the agency representing FANTASY BOYS, announced the tragic loss on March 2, revealing that K-Soul’s father had passed away the previous month.

FANTASY BOYS’ Agency Confirms KSoul’s Father Has Passed Away

The belated announcement came as a shock to many, as fans had been unaware of the family’s ordeal until now.

“K-Soul, who had been busy going back and forth between Korea and Japan for [FANTASY BOYS’] activities, returned to China after hearing the news that his father’s health had worsened in January. There, he stayed by his father’s side and took heartfelt care of him.

“Amidst this sorrow, K-Soul remained with his family for the wake, and despite his young age, he steadfastly sent off his father by his family’s side.

“We ask for your understanding regarding the fact that we were not able to inform you sooner, and we hope that you will send your warm support and encouragement so that K-Soul and his family can find peace as quickly as possible.”

Last year, K-Soul took a temporary hiatus from his activities with FANTASY BOYS to be with his family in China, where his father and maternal grandmother were battling declining health. His decision to prioritize his family during their time of need was met with understanding and support from fans and the agency alike. Now, as the situation has taken a devastating turn with the passing of his father, K-Soul finds himself grappling with grief and the need to be there for his family once again.

The members pose during their first fan concert in Tokyo. Credit: Twitter/FANTASY BOYS

The news of K-Soul’s father’s passing serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices and challenges faced by idols behind the scenes. Despite the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry, these young artists often navigate personal struggles and tragedies while pursuing their dreams on stage. K-Soul’s dedication to his family speaks volumes about his character and the values he holds dear, earning him respect and admiration from fans worldwide.

FANTASY BOYS’ Continuing Path to Success

FANTASY BOYS, the multinational boy group formed through MBC TV’s reality competition show of the same name, has garnered a dedicated following since their debut. Their music, performances, and camaraderie have endeared them to fans from various countries, making news of K-Soul’s loss even more impactful within the fandom.

As FANTASY BOYS continues to navigate the challenges posed by K-Soul’s absence, fans rally around the group, offering their support and condolences during this difficult time. The group’s upcoming activities and promotions may be temporarily affected as they prioritize supporting K-Soul and allowing him the time and space to mourn with his family.

In the midst of their grief, FANTASY BOYS and their fans find solace in the memories and music they’ve shared together. K-Soul’s father may no longer be with us, but his legacy lives on through his son and the indelible mark he’s left on those who knew and loved him.

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Fantasy Boys’ Agency to Take Legal Action Against Malicious Posts Involving Kim Gyu Rae

Kim Gyu Rae poses for the group's latest EP 'Potential.' Credit: Twitter/FANTASY BOYS

PocketDol Studio has released an official statement denouncing the dating rumors involving FANTASY BOYS member Kim Gyu Rae. 

Recently, rumors about the 14-year old idol dating a 22-year old staff member in their company have circulated online. According to other reports, these rumors were posted alongside alleged private messages and videos involving the idol.

In response, PocketDol Studio released an official statement to react to the malicious posts. 

According to the agency, the idol is “truly apologetic and reflecting on himself for causing disappointment and confusion” to his team members and fans as “issues related to his private life” are being leaked without his permission on social media. 

However, PocketDol Studio then clarified that the disclosed chat logs were misleading. In their statement, the agency emphasized that the disseminator of the content used malicious methods such as editing the conversations to generate baseless facts which caused harm to the artist’s reputation.

Moreover, the label shared that they were able to identify the person behind these malicious actions. With all the evidence collected, PocketDol Studio said that they plan to submit a defamation lawsuit. 

“We are considering additional legal action against the specified person not only for defamation. but also for various illegal acts such as cybercrime and intimidation,” they added. 

Furthermore, the agency also asserted that they will take strong actions to protect their artists. Not only will they file lawsuits, but PocketDol Studios emphasized that these will be done without “any settlement or leniency.” 

As of writing, member Kim Gyu Rae has yet to react on the issue. 

More about FANTASY BOYS

For those who don’t know, Kim Gyurae is a member of the rookie boy group FANTASY BOYS. Said group was formed through MBC’s reality competition show of the same name, FANTASY BOYS. 

11 members compose the group, namely: Gyurae, Seongmin, Hyeontae, Hanbin, Qi, Minseo, Hikari, K-Soul, Wooseok, Hikaru and Kaedan.

In September, the boy group officially debuted with the mini EP NEW TOMORROW.

After marking their entrance in the K-pop scene, FANTASY BOYS immediately made a comeback in late November with their second mini EP Potential.

Featured image: Kim Gyu Rae poses for the group’s latest EP ‘Potential.’ Credit: Twitter/FANTASY BOYS

 

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Court Dismisses Request of Yu Jun Won to Nullify Contract With Phunky Studio

Yu Jun Won during the group's Welcome to Your Fantasy show. Credit: Twitter/Fantasy Boys

The Seoul Western District Court has officially dismissed the please of Yu Jun Won to void his exclusive five-year contract with Phunky Studio. 

According to an allkpop report on Friday, November 24, Yu Jun Won, known for his participation in the MBC audition program Boys Fantasy, not only had his request denied but was also directed by the court to bear all expenses related to the legal proceedings.

Yu Jun Won vs Phunky Studio 

In August, Phunky Studio announced Jun Won’s unauthorized departure from Fantasy Boys, saying that the group will continue as an 11-member ensemble instead of the initially planned 12-member group. Such development came as a surprise to many fans as Jun Won secured the top spot on MBC’s talent audition program Boys Fantasy. 

According to the agency, Jun Won had an “unauthorized departure.” Allegedly, the idol’s parents also requested to modify the contract several times. 

In response, Jun Won argued that the exclusive contract presented by Phunky Studio was “unfair” and brought the matter to court. Despite expressing his disappointment at being unable to fulfill his dream debut, Jun Won countered Phunky and PocketDol Studios‘ claims, asserting that he had sought revisions to unfavorable clauses in the contract. Allegedly, the company rejected reasonable conditions and attempted to coerce an agreement with additional unreasonable demands.

Since he already lost his trust in the company, Jun Won decided to sever ties with the agency. On top of that, he also claimed to possess records of calls, emails, and discussions with the company, suggesting a willingness to use them as evidence.

The court ruling 

According to reports by Korean media, the Western District Court‘s ruling emphasized that most of the clauses in the contract offered by Phunky Studio adhered to the exclusive contract standards set by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. 

After comparing Jun Won‘s raised concerns with the standardized contract, the court found it challenging to determine any instances of ‘unfairness.’ Consequently, based on the evidence presented, the court could not conclude that Jun Won had been subjected to unfair treatment and demands by Phunky Studio.

As of now, there is no indication that either party plans to appeal the Western District Court’s decision.

Meanwhile, Fantasy Boys made their debut as an 11-member group in September with their first EP New Tomorrow. 

Featured image: Yu Jun Won during the group’s Welcome to Your Fantasy show. Credit: Twitter/Fantasy Boys

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FANTASY BOYS Member Hikaru to Miss Japan Promotional Event Due To Health Issues

Hikaru is taking a break from promotions. The FANTASY BOYS member has been confirmed to go on hiatus due to poor health issues. Unfortunately, this means the group’s Japanese member will also be unable to join the upcoming schedules in Japan.

FANTASY BOYS’ Hikaru Confirmed For Temporary Hiatus

On October 22, FANTASY BOYS’ agency POCKETDOL STUDIOS offered an explanation regarding Hikaru’s recent absence in the Japan promotional event for their debut album ‘NEW TOMORROW’. In their official statement, the company also explained that Hikaru’s absence is a result of his poor health condition. They also emphasized that the main focus will be on prioritizing Hikaru’s well-being and providing him with the necessary time and care for rest and recovery.

“Due to poor condition, Hikaru will not be participating in the FANTASY BOYS’ debut album ‘NEW TOMORROW’ promotion event scheduled today as rest is necessary and Hikaru’s recovery is top priority,” the statement read. “In addition to that, whether Hikaru will be participating in future schedules will be determined based on Hikaru’s recovery.”

“With that, we would like to ask for your understanding that Hikaru’s health is top priority and this decision made. We hope for Hikaru’s speedy recovery and will also do our best,” it continues. “We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to the fans who are always supporting FANTASY BOYS and will also continue to do our best to take care of the health of FANTASY BOYS members.”

In related news, FANTASY BOYS is also expected to release new music in November. The comeback is also set to happen only two months after the idol group debuted in September.

FANTASY BOYS was formed through the MBC reality competition show “Fantasy Boys”. The group is composed of eleven members namely Kim Gyu-rae, Hong Seong-min, Oh Hyeon-tae, Lee Han-bin, Ling Qi, Kang Min-seo, Hikari, Soul, Kim Woo-seok, Hikaru, and Kaedan.

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Fantasy Boys to Debut as 11-Member Group Without YU Jun Won

Yu Jun Won poses in his profile photo for Fantasy Boys. Credit: Twitter/Fantasy Boys

Fantasy Boys is already being hounded by controversy even before its official launch as member Yu Jun Won is confirmed to no longer debut with the group. 

Pocketdol Studio announced on Wednesday, August 23, that only 11 members of Fantasy Boys will debut in September, with Yu Jun Won not part of the lineup.

Initially, 12 individuals were chosen from MBC’s global audition program to debut as members of Fantasy Boys. Among the 12 members, it was even Yu Jun Won who ranked first in the competition. 

 

What went wrong? 

According to the agency, while they’d want the 12 members to debut together, Yu Jun Won cannot participate in group activities due to “his unauthorized departure.” 

Pocketdol Studio mentioned that after the program ended, they discussed the contract with the members’ parents several times. The company shared that the contract was even according to the standard terms and conditions established by the Fair Trade Commission. 

However, the agency claimed that Yu Jun Won’s parents requested to modify the contract. Allegedly, the parents wanted to increase their son’s profit sharing rate, citing that he was the one who ranked first in the program. 

In response, the agency said that they couldn’t have a different profit distribution rate among the members as it may cause equity issues in the future.

Next, Pocketdol Studio claimed that Yu Jun Won’s parents made him leave the company without permission twice. They said that by this time, they already told the idol that he wouldn’t be able to join the team. 

Given this circumstance, the agency decided to continue with the 11 members instead. Only Hikari, Hikaru, Hong Sung Min, Kaeden, Kang Min Seo, Kim Gyu Rae, Kim Woo Seok, KSoul, Lee Han Bin, Lingqi, and Oh Hyeon Tae will debut. 

Additionally, the agency requested fans to continue their support to the remaining 11 members. They also promised that they will resolve the issue with Yu Jun Won amicably.

 

How are fans taking the news?

Even before Pocketdol Studio released a statement, fans have already been clamoring for an update about Yu Jun Won in the previous days.

On social media, they trended the hashtag “Where is Yu Jun Won” as they noticed that the aspiring idol was not in any of the group’s recent activities. 

Following the news, fans are worried about Yu Jun Won‘s current status with the group. Some fans are confused whether he’s no longer part of the group at all, or is it just a temporary suspension. 

https://twitter.com/fanbotwt/status/1694189428946698478

https://twitter.com/fanbotwt/status/1694190688747814978

Moreover, fans are also wary about the reasoning given by Pocketdol Studio. Several online users said that they’d rather wait for a statement from the idol’s side, as well. 

Meanwhile, there is still no official debut date for Fantasy Boys in Korea. Although, the group has been actively promoting in Japan. 

Featured image: Yu Jun Won poses in his profile photo for Fantasy Boys. Credit: Twitter/Fantasy Boys

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BAE173’s Dohyon Files Injunction to Suspend Contract With Agency

Dohyon is taking action against his current agency. The BAE173 maknae has filed an injunction to suspend his exclusive contract with PocketDol Studio. The rapper reportedly filed for an injunction due to a difference in opinion.

Dohyon Files Injunction To Suspend Exclusive Contract With PocketDol Studio

News1 reports that on April 28, Nam Do-hyon filed an application for a provisional injunction asking for the suspension of his exclusive contract against his agency PocketDol Studio. The rapper filed for the injunction after the first interrogation was completed on April 26.

PocketDol Studio confirmed the news. “It is true that we are in a [legal] dispute,” the agency said. However, the company did not share any further details.

Dohyon reportedly filed for an injunction due to differences in opinion. The BAE173 rapper allegedly disagreed with the agency on exclusive contract obligation fulfillment.

The decision on whether to accept or reject the request for an injunction will be made in late May or early June. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.

Nam Do-hyon started his career by participating in Mnet’s boy group survival audition “Produce X 101”. He finished in eighth place and debuted as a member of the boy group X1. Following the group’s disbandment, he collaborated with fellow X1 member Hangyul as the duo H&D. The two would later become members of BAE173.

In October 2022, PocketDol Studio announced that Dohyon will go on hiatus due to health issues. The rapper was reportedly dealing with the after-effects of COVID-19 and needed time to rest so he could recover. Since then, BAE173 has participated in the JTBC idol competition show “Peak Time” with eight members.

Dohyon is currently still on hiatus and has not participated in group activities since October 2022. He had last worked on the group’s fourth EP ‘Odyssey: Dash’ and the lead single “Dash”, which was released on August 17, 2022.

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