Fans Beg Notorious K-Pop Management To “Let Go” Of A Girl Group Mid-Comeback Plans

Avid K-Pop fans know the frustration that comes from their favorite idol groups going inactive for so long, or under-promoted despite the potential, or even being sent on questionable schedules. The same goes for POCKETDOL STUDIO‘s CLASS:y fans.

CLASS:y, a group formed from MBC‘s audition program My Teenage Girls, debuted in May 2022. The members are signed with and managed by M25, a label 100% owned by POCKETDOL STUDIO.

In a viral post on theqoo, though, fans begged POCKETDOL STUDIO to “let go” of CLASS:y members and terminate their contracts before the current signed date of 2029. While begging for contract termination might sound counter-intuitive, CLASS:y fans claim that being released from POCKETDOL STUDIO is the only way the members will finally be able to rise to fame.

The post pointed out that CLASS:y’s last group promotion was in December 2023. Even then, given that “Winter Bloom” was a digital single, CLASS:y “didn’t actually get to be all that active.”

The post also pointed out that, between December 2023 and now, CLASS:y members did not go on tour, did not have performances, and did not pursue solo activities.

[🎵]

🚀👻

🔗 https://t.co/NDg6UZs5Gh
🔗 https://t.co/7FAGT741nE
🔗 https://t.co/LSTObsOXeZ
🔗 https://t.co/cHlyQwT3Yp#CLASSy #클라씨#JIMIN #지민

— CLASS:y(클라씨) (@M25_CLASSy) September 30, 2024

Since September, POCKETDOL has been saying CLASS:y will come back in November. But all we got was a press article about it. No trailers. No promotions. Nothing. There was one article about their anticipated comeback in November, and the group’s official X account remains dead with the last post being on September 30. Other idol groups tease their comebacks with concept photos, trailers, highlight medleys, and all kinds of other promotional content. But CLASS:y isn’t getting anything… to the point we’re all wondering if the November comeback is even real.

If Kim Kwang Soo isn’t confident about supporting the members to success, he should let them go now. That way, the members have a better chance of starting over. But we’re worried that the members will have to stick through the 7 years under Kim Kwang Soo’s management, doing absolutely nothing… There is not a single fandom who wants their idol groups to disband. But succeeding as an idol is all about timing. If the members could find themselves a better management that can actually help? Now is that time.

— Fan

Then, mentioning other groups like BAE173 and FANTASY BOYS from POCKETDOL STUDIO who have met the same fate of being “basically neglected” after debut, the post claimed that, while CLASS:y’s does have a November 2024 comeback planned, things aren’t looking too good.

• “Some people who watched My Teenage Girl did kind of question the management that would be handling the debuting finalists… Like, the girls on that show were all great. But they would sign with Kim Kwang Soo if they won.”
• “F*cking Kwang Soo… None of his groups from previous audition programs survived longer than 2.5 years. What made him decide to sign the girls for 7 years?! He’s a maniac.”
• “FANTASY BOYS and BAE173 ended up going on multiple audition/survival programs. They even went on a Chinese one, called Star Light Boys. That means member Lee Hangyul has been on FOUR survival shows.”

• “I feel like the members should look into legal options. Don’t they have any adults who can help?”
• “CLASS:y members are so talented and beautiful, so it breaks my heart to see them on survival shows. Like, when I first heard that the group would be managed by POCKETDOL STUDIO, I felt so bad… It had to be POCKETDOL of all places. What’s the point of keeping that management company running? Is it to keep sending idols on to audition programs?”
• “I cannot believe someone like Kim Kwang Soo is still running an entertainment management in Korea.”
• “Can’t the members sue like Nam Dohyun did and leave the management?”
• “I feel so bad for this group.”

Disappointed fans continue to demand POCKETDOL STUDIO to give up on the girl group—an obvious cry for the management to do far more and a lot better for the talented members.