FANTASY BOYS Cancels Debut For #1 Trainee Yu Junwon
Debut reality survival FANTASY BOYS is set to debut their final lineup in September. The group will be called FANTASY BOYS, after the show. At the time of the final episode, a total of 12 members were selected to make their debut. On August 23, 2023, it was announced that #1 trainee, Yu Junwon, would be excluded from the lineup.
Despite attaining the most votes, Yu Junwon was unable to come to an agreement with the group’s management. An official statement was released to let fans know about the news.
Hello. This is FANTASY BOYS’ production company, Phunky Studio, and PocketDol Studio, who has received management rights of the group.
We are here to deliver our statement regarding FANTASY BOYS’ Yu Junwon, which was mentioned in the press today.
Yu Junwon, who was chosen as part of the debut group through MBC’s audition program, FANTASY BOYS, will not be able to promote as part of the group, due to his unauthorized deviation.
FANTASY BOYS is a group that is made from the viewers’ votes, through a survival program where the goal is to make one’s debut. We are sorry that all twelve members chosen by the viewers will not be able to debut together. As soon as the program concluded, we have been in multiple discussion sessions with Yu Junwon and his parents regarding the contract.
Even though the contract was written following the strict standards given by the Fair Trade Commission, Yu Junwon’s parents compared his position with the other members, and used the fact that he had attained #1 in the show to ask for an adjust in the distribution of profits, requesting the contract to be edited.
Because it could cause problems in equity if the profit distribution is different from that of the other members’ just because of his final vote ranking, our company explained the reasons why this was impossible each time they asked. But Yu Junwon’s parents made him go AWOL twice, and finally told us that he would be unable to join the group.
As such, FANTASY BOYS will be promoting as 11, with Kim Gyurae, Hong Sungmin, Oh Hyuntae, Lee Hanbin, Lingqi, Kim Minseo, Hikari, K-Soul, Kim Wooseok, Hikaru and Kaedan.
Our company will try to resolve this issue to our best efforts, and will not be holding back in our aggressive support such that the remaining 11 members will be able to debut without being shaken. Please show the remaining members your unchanging warm support and care as their debut approaches.
Thank you.
— PocketDol Studio and Phunky Studio
With that, the remaining members will soon be making their debut in September 2023.
