k-pop

ARTMS project launched with LOONA’s Heejin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, Choerry

Christa Escudero

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ARTMS project launched with LOONA’s Heejin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, Choerry
The four members recently signed exclusive contracts with Modhaus, the agency owned by LOONA’s former creative director

Fans of K-pop group LOONA were in for a surprise on Friday night, March 31, when South Korean agency Modhaus launched ARTMS, a new project with Heejin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, and Choerry. 

The four members signed exclusive contracts with the agency on March 17. Modhaus is owned by Jaden Jeong, LOONA’s former creative director.

The agency clarified that ARTMS, a reference to the Greek goddess of the moon Artemis, “is not the name of a new group.”

“It’s a story about the amazing strategies and plans of the girls to get to the moon,” the agency wrote, alluding to LOONA’s popular branding.

Activities under the project have yet to be revealed. However, in an interview with NME on Friday, Jeong shared that Heejin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, and Choerry “will continue the identity of LOONA,” adding that they are working on new music.

The members have shared the announcement on their online accounts, and expressed their excitement about the project.

All 12 members of LOONA have been in a legal battle to sever their exclusive contracts with agency BlockBerry Creative. 

The first one, Chuu, filed an injunction to terminate her contract in December 2021, on the grounds of nonpayment for her activities. She was granted the injunction in March 2022, then was unceremoniously removed from LOONA in November 2022.

A few days after Chuu’s expulsion, Heejin, Haseul, Yeojin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, Choerry, Yves, Go Won, and Olivia Hye filed a similar injunction against BlockBerry, citing breach of mutual trust. Heejin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, and Choerry were granted their injunctions in January 2023. Haseul, Yeojin, Yves, Go Won, and Olivia Hye are currently appealing their cases.

Hyunjin and Vivi filed the same injunctions in February.

BlockBerry has been under fire for alleged mistreatment of the members, with cases of physical overwork and nonpayment for activities.

Fans are speculating that Jeong is trying reunite all the LOONA members. The Modhaus CEO kept mum when asked by NME, citing the ongoing lawsuits, but said, “In my personal opinion, LOONA as a whole shine the brightest.”

Activities under the ARTMS project will be unveiled under their social media accounts, Modhaus said in a press release to South Korean media on Saturday.. — Rappler.com

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Christa Escudero

Christa Escudero is a digital communications specialist for Rappler.