OMEGA X ends contract with agency, to file legal action following alleged abuse

MANILA, Philippines – South Korean boy group OMEGA X held a press conference on Wednesday, November 16, to announce the termination of the group’s exclusive contract with agency SPIRE Entertainment. 

According to a Soompi report, the group’s legal representatives also disclosed that “criminal complaint on the charges of assault, intimidation, indecent act by compulsion, and attempted threat” will be filed against SPIRE Entertainment’s chairman and former CEO Kang. 

“We have plenty of evidence including photos, videos, and voice recordings,” the lawyer was quoted as saying. 

Speculations that OMEGA X is being mistreated by their agency surfaced in October when several witnesses claimed that they saw the members being berated and hit in public while the group was on their international concert tour. 

At the time, the agency expressed their “deep apology” as a response to the reports, adding that the “members and the agency have currently resolved all the misunderstandings.”

The agency also reportedly canceled the members’ tickets for their flight back to South Korea after their US concert ended, forcing the members to pay for their own tickets. 

After returning to South Korea, the members of OMEGA X then released a statement through a newly-opened Instagram account that is not monitored by their company, saying that they had to be “cautious until [they] figured out [their] position on SPIRE Entertainment.” Following the group’s statement, the agency announced that the “CEO who’s responsible for this matter has resigned.” 

At the press conference, the 11 members detailed for the first time the alleged verbal, physical, and sexual abuse that they went through, claiming that they were forced to drink after training and their thighs, hands, and faces were touched during gatherings. 

“They said there would be no next album if we refused to attend drinking gatherings,” member Sebin said. 

Leader Jaehan explained why they put up with the mistreatment for so long: “For all of us, it was our second attempt, and we did not want to waste time. We thought we had to endure for the fans who waited for us…. We held back and endured, but we have reached the point that we cannot endure any longer.”

The members are also revealed to be experiencing anxiety following the abuse. The lawyers added that after the assault incident circulated online, the members were threatened and sent a certification of content telling them to settle 300 to 400 million won per person. 

“We have never even once received a sincere apology since returning home after such an incident occurred,” member Junghoon said. 

They ended the press conference by thanking their fans for the continued support. 

“Above all, we 11 members could come to this place because we had the strength of our fans. Thanks to the fans, we took courage, so us 11 members will not give up, and we will continue to make music and performances while greeting fans by showing a good side of us,” they said. 

SPIRE Entertainment has yet to respond to OMEGA X’s press conference. 

Composed of Jaehan, Hwichan, Sebin, Hangyeom, Taedong, Xen, Jehyun, Kevin, Jung-hoon, Hyuk and Yechan, OMEGA X made their debut in June 2021. A project group, several of its members have appeared in audition programs and survival shows like Produce 101 season 2, The Unit, and Under 19. – Rappler.com