VCHA Member KG Alleges Abuse, JYP Entertainment Responds

KG, a member of the global girl group VCHA, has filed a lawsuit against her agency, JYP Entertainment, claiming she experienced mistreatment from certain staff members. VCHA, formed through the collaboration of JYP and Universal Music Group's Republic Records, debuted in January 2024 and quickly gained attention as a new K-pop group trained under a North American system.

In a recent social media post, KG revealed, "After suffering abuse from specific staff members yesterday, I decided to terminate my contract and leave VCHA, leading to this lawsuit." She expressed concerns about the detrimental environment, stating, "One member was pushed to attempt self-harm, and eating disorders were encouraged. I cannot support such an environment."

KG mentioned that she made this decision back in May and is still awaiting the termination of her contract. She expressed worry for her friends still in VCHA, noting, "Despite the significant company debt, we received little compensation for the intense workload and restrictions on our personal lives."

She acknowledged that while there were beautiful moments, she is grateful to JYP's founder Park Jin-young and the staff who believed in her. However, she emphasized that the issues she faced are deeply rooted in the K-pop industry. "I hope my departure can lead to positive changes in the K-pop system to protect idols and trainees from such situations."

In response, JYP Entertainment stated on December 8 that they are currently reviewing the situation as they have not yet received the details directly. They acknowledged that there have been differing opinions regarding KG's claims and indicated that they will proceed according to future legal processes.

As reactions from K-pop fans vary, it appears that the issues may be limited to certain staff members, given KG's gratitude towards the agency's leadership. The outcome of this situation remains to be seen.