OMEGA X Exposes Truth Behind Disturbing “Sexual Assault” Footage With Explosive Text Messages
Content Warning
OMEGA X released text messages along with a formal statement refuting allegations that member Hwichan had sexually assaulted the group’s former CEO.
- Member 5: The chairman wants all of us to wake up and come drink.
- Member 1: Sigh… You all go to bed. I’ll take one for the team today.
On March 20, The group’s label IPQ released a statement formally denying accusations that Spire Entertainment levied. Below is a translation of the statement.
“Hello, this is IPQ. We would like to express our deep regrets for the press conference held by Spire Entertainment on March 19. We would like to sternly state our stance on the allegations that were brought up against OMEGA X and Hwichan:
1. The drinking setting filmed on CCTV was not to console members who were going to the military. As always, members were forced to drink by the directors at the label.
According to Spire Entertainment, on July 11, 2022, member Hwichan asked to speak with Kang Seong Hee separately to discuss his enlistment. But, contrary to the allegations, Hwichan’s draft notice was sent out on August 1 and called for his enlistment in September. On the day this occurred, Hwichan had not yet received his draft notice. Therefore, Spire Entertainment’s allegation–claiming that Hwichan wanted to speak about his enlistment when he hadn’t even received his notice yet–is a lie.
- [August 1, 2022 Monday]
Military Manpower Administration: You have been called for duty by the MMA in Gwangju, South Korea. To view the statement, use the 8 digits of your birthdate as the password. - Sender: MMA
- Receiver: Lee Hwichan
- Message: Called for duty
- Available to view: Until September 16, 2022 00:08AM
- Questions: Call [number]
On July 10, they drank, not to listen to members’ hardships, but to console Kang Seong Hee, who was upset that the members weren’t grateful for her efforts to sell their albums. Also, on the night of the drinking, which went on to the early morning of July 11, CEO Hwang Sung Woo had members who were sleeping wake up to drink. This can be seen in the evidence provided below. This proves that the night of drinking was not for members.
2. We would like to inform you of the abuse, gaslighting, and sexual advances that the members had to endure from the label’s executives.
As mentioned above, former CEO Kang Seong Hee and current CEO Hwang Sung Woo forced the members to drink on many occasions during their contract. The members’ mental state had been weakened due to enduring years of gaslighting and intimidation, and the members were scared to refuse Kang Seong Hee’s advances because they feared that they would be left out of the album or face difficulties in styling or promoting with the group.
- [March 14, 2022 Monday]
Kang Seong Hee: [Member name] is out, too, because you didn’t say you love me!
Kang Seong Hee: [Emoji]
Member: I love you, CEO Kang
It was within this context that the July 11 incident occurred.
On July 11, which was captured on CCTV, at around 2 AM, CEO Hwang Sung Woo insisted that he drink with the members who had returned to the dorm to sleep and rest. Kang Seong Hee then grabbed Hwichan, saying she had something to say. Spire Entertainment has claimed that Kang Seong Hee did this with the intention of listening to Hwichan’s concerns about enlisting. This claim is unfounded as it doesn’t make sense since Hwichan hadn’t yet received his enlistment notice. Also, according to the member’s previous manager, the one-on-one meeting was at the behest of Kang Seong Hee, not Hwichan.
- [July 11, 2022 Monday]
Member 1: Sebin-hyung is sleeping.
Member 2: Okay.
Member 3: What about CEO Kang? No?
Member 2: We’re at GS.
Member 1: CEO Kang is talking to Hwichan-hyung right now.
Member 4: CEO Kang and Hwichan-hyung are at the office, talking.
Member 1: Aigoo. Haha.
Once they were alone, former CEO Kang Seong Hee once again requested that Hwichan touch her inappropriately. Because he was alone, he felt he had to oblige out of fear of being verbally and physically assaulted. Spire Entertainment claimed this was sexual assault, but in the footage, Hwichan is not seen doing anything forcefully, and the former CEO does not show any resistance. The former CEO had previously made the same request, and she didn’t resist because she was the one who ordered Hwichan to touch her.
After being forced to touch her, Hwichan slept while drunk, and Kang Seong Hee photographed him sleeping. She sent it to their managers. When the manager offered to pick Hwichan up, Kang Seong Hee refused and stated that she would take him. These behaviors aren’t common for victims of assault.
- [July 11, 2022 Monday]
Kang Seong Hee: [Picture]
Kang Seong Hee: This is driving me crazy. Let me try to wake him up and bring him with me.
Member: Oh, no… Since the chairman said he’s going home, I’ll come with him to the office ASAP!
Kang Seong Hee: That’s OK. I’ll take care of him, haha.
But even after Hwichan fell asleep, Kang Seong Hee continued to yell at him to wake up and made inappropriate requests. Hwichan then, out of fear of repercussions and at the thought of being intimate with his CEO, who is the same age as his parents, ran away to the first floor. Hwichan then fell down the stairs and couldn’t get up. Kang Seong Hee went to Hwichan, who was struggling on the floor, stepped on his head, and danced in front of him. Hwichan, out of fear, hid in the first-floor bathroom, but Kang Seong Hee continued to chase after him and yelled, causing even more physical and mental stress.
This behavior continued past 5:00 in the morning, until member Kevin and the manager, who were worried that Hwichan hadn’t returned, returned to the label at 5:45 AM. They found Kang Seong Hee taking pictures of herself in the lobby mirror while Hwichan locked himself in the bathroom. The picture she took of herself can be seen on her Facebook.
3. The allegation claiming that the members tried to sabotage the label after the July 11, 2022 incident is a lie.
CEO Kang Seong Hee’s verbal and physical assault and sexual advances, which were filmed, were not orchestrated; they were everyday life for the members. We have several conversations and pieces of evidence exposing Hwang Sung Woo and Kang Seong Hee preceding July 11, 2022, and these will be released in a separate statement. To categorize the members’ efforts to realize their dreams despite the verbal and physical assaults as sabotage is an affront and a continuation of the abuse they endured.
- [August 21, 2022 Sunday]
Kang Seong Hee: I tried calling Xen, Hwichan, and Hangyeom. I don’t have their phone numbers, so I tried app-calling.
Kang Seong Hee: [Picture]
Kang Seong Hee: You all are such idiots… I don’t need any of you to make this company run. I can do it with BC alone.
Kang Seong Hee: Song Hangyeom, you need to think again.
Kang Seong Hee: Like, hello? Haha.
Kang Seong Hee: Is this the best you got? You’re not desperate at all, you fake f*cks. Pfft.
Kang Seong Hee: Hello? None of you have the willpower. Because, hello, if any of you wanted to…
Kang Seong Hee: I’m starting to get DMs from global media, too.
Kang Seong Hee: For me, this isn’t going to be a problem. It’s my money. I can lose it. But the attitudes that you all showed me today? Ha.
Kang Seong Hee: I have no reason to work for you anymore.
Kang Seong Hee: Jaehan… The members should trust the company. That’s what I wanted when I built this company. So… What happened to us?
Kang Seong Hee: I’ve told the chairman, and we’ve decided to disband the team.
Kang Seong Hee: I heard that Kim Jaehan told the chairman that none of you want to be contacted by me. Is that right?
Kang Seong Hee: I knew it… You are all fake as f*ck. (edited)
4. We would like to inform you of the prosecutor’s request for the assault that took place at a Los Angeles hotel in October 2022.
We would like to inform you of the prosecutor’s notice that we revealed on March 19 in regard to the assault that took place in a Los Angeles hotel in October 2022. After investigating the incident, police felt it was necessary to send the case to prosecutors. We have since received a request for more information. This does not mean the case was dismissed and that the assault case is still under investigation.
5. Lastly, we are revealing this to expose Spire Entertainment’s truth.
We can not accept Spire Entertainment’s allegations based on their CCTV footage. Their allegations are unfounded and cannot be proven. Their behavior can be lethal to the careers of the celebrities involved. We ask that the label reveal the full CCTV footage without edits, and we also ask that they release the footage from the second-floor passageway, meeting room, and the first floor in its entirety. If the revealed footage was recovered by forensics, then it is our understanding that more footage from the other cameras can also be recovered. We will request this footage as evidence for their current legal case, which is under investigation.
We would like to rebuke and express deep regrets regarding the heavily edited CCTV footage released by Spire Entertainment. The footage does not show the incident in its entirety, and it is being used to unfairly paint Hwichan as a sexual crime offender. Again, we are asking for the release of the other CCTV footage and vowed to uncover the truth through evidence that we will release in the future. We are planning to countersue Spire Entertainment’s lawsuit against Hwichan.
We express concern over the unjust situation OMEGA X is currently in, and we will exhaust every legal action to protect our artists. We are asking for your help so that the truth comes to light.
We hope that OMEGA X are able to free themselves from the injustice they had to endure during their 2 years under Spire Entertainment, and we are confident that we will be able to uncover the truth.
Lastly, we would like to thank fans who have supported us through these years of legal suits and misinformation. We will do our best to repay your faith with truth and transparency. Thank you.”
— IPQ
