IN2IT’s Sunghyun Reveals His Agency Never Paid Them Since Debut And Mistreated The Members
Stone Music Entertainment recently announced that Kim Sunghyun, who apppeared on PRODUCE X 101, was leaving IN2IT. However, it appears that there was more to the story than their simple announcement of departure.
He wrote a long statement on his personal Instagram, where he revealed that he was never paid once by his agency in the 2 years.
Ever since signing a contract before IN2IT began, I never got paid once, not even the contract payment.
Besides the 50,000 won that they gave me every month for the past year to pay my phone bill, I never got paid over the past 2 years.
— Kim Sunghyun
When he continued to ask the agency about their future plans and opportunity to raise awareness for the group, the agency responded with half-hearted answers that held no meaning.
But ever since last year’s ‘Sorry For My English’ album promotions, I wasn’t able to promote domestically or at music shows at all.
I was frustrated, so I asked my company about our next album and promotion. But all they replied with was negative answers, claiming that they spent too much money on Boy24 in the past so they don’t have money to invest in IN2IT anymore. Whenever I asked about the specifics in our future promotions, all I got was that they’re planning for it.
I heard that the agency didn’t have investments so they told the members to pay for their hair dyes and cuts. I heard that the members had to pay out of their own pocket for the hair styling that they needed for their schedules.
They had no realistic plans for the future, and they even blocked every single post that I wanted to add to social media to talk to the fans. There was nothing I could do.
— Kim Sunghyun
Sunghyun also confessed that he had been facing a difficult time in his personal life as well. His father had continued to work since Sunghyun couldn’t make money, but his hip had gotten so bad that he ultimately had to stop working.
Sunghyun now has to help raise money for his family or they won’t be able to afford a living.
Although the fans have only seen me as a singer with a vibrant image while I was promoting with IN2IT, but truthfully, I was promoting as a singer while facing difficulties in my personal life.
My dad was currently working as a taxi driver. My dad continued to drive despite his very bad hip in order to make a living for us. Watching my dad made me wonder if it was indeed right for me to continue working where I didn’t see any financial profit.
My dad’s herniated disc had gotten worse so he had to give up working as a taxi driver. I’ve come to a point where I need to begin working where I can see immediate profit for me to help my family.
— Kim Sunghyun
When Sunghyun told his agency about his current predicament, they told him to pay a contractual fee of around $250,000 USD to dissolve his contract with them. His CEO brought down the cost to around $100,000 USD, but Sunghyun “felt so wronged and shocked by the company” since they have failed to pay him even once.
When I told my agency about my current situation, they told me to pay them 300 million won for breaking the contract. But then my CEO told me to wait while they figure it out with CJ. But then my CEO contacted my dad, telling him that they got CJ to reduce my contractual fee to 120 million won.
They told him that they will announce my departure from the group today. They decided that I will leave IN2IT and that I had to pay the fee if I wanted to dissolve the contract.
…I felt so wronged and shocked by the company demanding that I pay them to cancel my contract.
— Kim Sunghyun
It got to a point where he felt as if debuting with IN2IT was more of a curse than the prize for successfully winning a spot through the survival program.
…we the members competed in the survival program and was able to debut with a group called IN2IT. But it appears that debuting was more of a curse to us.
— Kim Sunghyun
He concluded that he cannot work to help his family unless his CEO decides to dissolve the contract, and Sunghyun has no means of paying off the contractual fee.
If my CEO continues on with his decision, I won’t be able to work anywhere else until I pay the fee for dissolving a contract. I am unable to grasp any other opportunity where I can pay back the love that I received from my fans.
— Kim Sunghyun
Read Kim Sunghyun’s full translated statement below:
Hello. This is Kim Sunghyun.
It seems like it’s been a long time since I greeted everyone.
Although it’s my first greeting everyone in a long time, I’m sorry that I have to relay some bad news. As everyone knows, my company officially announced my departure from IN2IT today.
I know many people were looking forward to hearing from me again after PRODUCE X 101 (PX101) ended. As I watched the fans get tired both physically and emotionally as they heard nothing from me during their wait, I was so sorry and I was unable to sleep because of my apologetic heart.
I wanted to return with good news, but to be honest, I was not in the situation to return to IN2IT after PX101 ended. I went on PX101 believing that it was a good opportunity where if I did well I would be able to raise awareness for IN2IT. I did my very best, but the results didn’t come out as I expected.
Although the fans have only seen me as a singer with a vibrant image while I was promoting with IN2IT, but truthfully, I was promoting as a singer while facing difficulties in my personal life.
My dad was currently working as a taxi driver. My dad continued to drive despite his very bad hip in order to make a living for us. Watching my dad made me wonder if it was indeed right for me to continue working where I didn’t see any financial profit.
Ever since signing a contract before IN2IT began, I never got paid once, not even the contract payment.
Besides the 50,000 won that they gave me every month for the past year to pay my phone bill, I never got paid over the past 2 years.
I know that it’s difficult for many idols to break even, so I know that I should have continued to promote harder.
But ever since last year’s ‘Sorry For My English’ album promotions, I wasn’t able to promote domestically or at music shows at all.
I was frustrated, so I asked my company about our next album and promotion. But all they replied with was negative answers, claiming that they spent too much money on Boy24 in the past so they don’t have money to invest in IN2IT anymore. Whenever I asked about the specifics in our future promotions, all I got was that they’re planning for it.
I heard that the agency didn’t have investments so they told the members to pay for their hair dyes and cuts. I heard that the members had to pay out of their own pocket for the hair styling that they needed for their schedules.
I wanted to become a star that spreads happiness to everyone, but I believe that I need to be happy in order for me to do that.
While promoting with IN2IT, I had a difficult time because of the financial problems at home. After PX101 ended, I could no longer trust and follow this agency that had no realistic plans. I wanted to hold a personal fan meeting for the last time after PX101 to thank the fans who have always been my strength but the agency said a personal fan meeting was absolutely impossible.
They had no realistic plans for the future, and they even blocked every single post that I wanted to add to social media to talk to the fans. There was nothing I could do. My dad’s herniated disc had gotten worse so he had to give up working as a taxi driver. I’ve come to a point where I need to begin working where I can see immediate profit for me to help my family.
When I told my agency about my current situation, they told me to pay them 300 million won for breaking the contract. But then my CEO told me to wait while they figure it out with CJ. But then my CEO contacted my dad, telling him that they got CJ to reduce my contractual fee to 120 million won. They told him that they will announce my departure from the group today. They decided that I will leave IN2IT and that I had to pay the fee if I wanted to dissolve the contract.
As I mentioned before, I never got paid while promoting with IN2IT for the past 2 years. I never got paid my contract payment when I first signed, so I felt so wronged and shocked by the company demanding that I pay them to cancel my contract.
The current CEO continued to tell us that they spent too much money on Boy24 so there was no more investment left to put into IN2IT. But we the members competed in the survival program and was able to debut with a group called IN2IT. But it appears that debuting was more of a curse to us.
If my CEO continues on with his decision, I won’t be able to work anywhere else until I pay the fee for dissolving a contract. I am unable to grasp any other opportunity where I can pay back the love that I received from my fans.
I made a promise to the fans who are waiting and I wanted to keep that promise by revealing some good news, but I’m sorry that I had to greet everyone with this bad one.
I only always wanted to give happiness to others, and I want to become a shining Sunghyun for everyone. I had to hide all of these problems every day.
Thank you for listening to my love story of what has been going on these days.
I bow my head in sincere apology to the fans who have treasured me. I’m sorry that I had to give you such bad news.
I also want to say thank you to the IN2IT members who have been with me this far, and I want to tell them that I will always support IN2IT.
— Kim Sunghyun
