Conflict Escalates Between One Hundred and KBS Over Artist Appearances

The ongoing conflict between One Hundred and KBS has intensified following the absence of singer Lee Mujin from the recording of 'Limousine Service' and comedian Lee Soo Geun's no-show at KBS JOY's 'Ask Anything'. This discord was brought to light after EXO's Xiumin was unable to appear on KBS2's 'Music Bank'. On March 4, One Hundred revealed that Xiumin, who is set to release a solo album on March 10, had attempted to arrange meetings with the network but received no response. They claimed that KBS had unofficially communicated that Xiumin could not appear on programs featuring SM Entertainment artists simultaneously.

In response, KBS denied these allegations, stating that communication was ongoing. However, the situation worsened when Lee Mujin, an artist under One Hundred's subsidiary Big Planet Made, did not attend the recording for 'Limousine Service' on March 6, leading to a solo recording by Nmix's Kyujin. Furthermore, on March 7, Lee Soo Geun also opted out of the recording for 'Ask Anything', prompting the show's team to announce the cancellation of the scheduled recording and that they were discussing future plans.

Both Lee Mujin and Lee Soo Geun had informed the respective shows of their absence in advance. One Hundred expressed frustration to OSEN, stating that they had been unable to reach the head of KBS's entertainment division for two weeks, despite multiple attempts to communicate with production staff. They emphasized that the lack of response from KBS's decision-makers forced them to reject participation for their artists, fearing that complying with KBS's conditions would lead to an unfair situation.

KBS's entertainment division head, Han Kyung Cheon, countered One Hundred's claims, expressing gratitude for the interest in 'Music Bank' and clarifying that he had been primarily responsible for casting and lineup decisions. He also refuted the notion that communication had ceased.

As both parties maintain their positions, it appears that the conflict will continue for the foreseeable future. The industry is watching closely to see if One Hundred's drastic decision to withdraw their artists will lead to a resolution with KBS.