Japanese Idol Group That Debuted in Korea "Disbanded Due to Agency Abuse"... Victims Speak Out

In 2019, the idol group 'Sky Girls,' composed entirely of Japanese members and debuting in the Korean music market for the first time, has sparked controversy after members revealed in an interview with Japanese media that they were subjected to power abuse by their agency and disbanded after a year following legal disputes, expressing their grievances.

On the 12th, Japanese media outlet Ameba TV reported an interview with the members of Sky Girls. Sky Girls were reportedly formed in November 2019 as a joint project between Japan's Sky Entertainment and Korea's One Top Entertainment. The members claimed that their agency, Sky Entertainment, caused trouble through power abuse, sexual harassment, and wage arrears, demanding termination of their exclusive artist contracts and engaging in legal battles against the agency.

Debut album jacket photo of Sky Girls.

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However, Sky Entertainment denied the issues raised by the members, countering that "since a 10-year contract was signed, unilateral withdrawal constitutes a breach of contract." The agency also demanded damages amounting to 15 million yen (approximately 148.5 million KRW) for activity fees and penalties, filing a lawsuit against the members at the Tokyo District Court.

In court, the members alleged that the agency's representative did not leave the waiting room even when they were changing clothes, touched their bodies, and said, "It would be better to make your hips bigger," claiming they were victims of sexual harassment. They also stated that they were stressed by being shouted at in Korean with words like "pig" and "Do you want to die?"

In response, the Tokyo District Court on the 28th of last month dismissed the agency's claims and ruled to recognize the contract termination. The court acknowledged that since the agency did not pay the members due to low sales, it was difficult to consider it an employment contract, and because the members were under strong supervisory authority, the contract termination was effective.

Kunitaka Kasai, the legal representative for the members, stated, "Even if a 10-year contract is signed, if there is a strong command and supervision relationship, the Labor Standards Act can be applied to allow contract termination." However, the court ruling did not mention the sexual harassment or power abuse claims made by the members. Japanese media are paying attention to the ruling, calling it the "dark side of K-pop."

Karina, a former member of Sky Girls, said in an interview, "Every day from the moment I woke up, I had to report where I was going. Even when I went to the supermarket, I had to report in real-time that I was there, and I had to report when I took the train. I had no private time at all." She added, "I was so afraid of being scolded that I sometimes had hyperventilation and couldn't sing." Former member Luna also appealed, "Due to extreme dieting, I had nosebleeds and dizziness every day, but I was not given time to rest."

Ameba TV pointed out in the report, "It is estimated that there are one million aspiring Korean idol trainees, but only about 100 can succeed," and noted, "The case of Sky Girls was partly due to the agency being small-scale."

They added, "Large agencies take responsibility and nurture trainees, but if you go to a small-scale agency, you are likely to be harshly exploited. Recently, many places are trying to attract Japanese trainees due to global strategies, so it is necessary to be cautious when choosing an agency."

Currently, all the members have returned to their home country and are known to be working in regular companies. When asked if they would become idols again if they had the chance, they answered, "I have the desire, but honestly, I don't think I can go to auditions," and "I don't want to go back now. I have lost my motivation."

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