News VCHA KG reveals lawsuit, allegations of abuse (1 Viewer)

[centen]

From her Instagram stories:

@VLIGHTS

 

[velvet]

Wishing all the best for her, I hope she gets out of the contract with no further issues. I've seen people act like JYP is better than the rest just because Sm and Hybe are in hot shit right now but no company is moral in the K-pop industry. All labels excuse some level of abuse.

 

[Day]

She's so strong for standing up. I hope she can only experience happiness from here onward.

 

[athenaaa]

Good on her for standing up and advocating for proper treatment. Their absence in the industry makes sense now. My heart goes out to KG and the other members of Vcha, I hope they can have better treatment wherever their lives take them. Also interesting how she addresses the deep rooted issues within the kpop industry - something many think about but never really addressed previously

 

[catonkatonk]

Horrible and shocking.

The industry needs to change.

 

[centen]

I'm genuinely surprised, of all the big four companies, I don't recall any artist ever suing JYPE. It sounds like she's speaking out against general kpop industry standards, and I wish her luck with that. I'm curious to see how it plays out.

 

[catonkatonk]

Here is an alleged summary of her 70+ page lawsuit, provided by vchcoded. I can't verify the authenticity, but it seems very plausible and consistent with other things we have heard about JYPE's training system.


I will post the contents here in case it gets deleted. Trigger warning for ED, self-harm, suicide and general abuse:

Spoiler: Content warning

1. On September 14, 2023, a JYPE dance teacher forced K.M. to repeat a strenuous move
hundreds of times, causing a torn shoulder tendon. Despite her exhaustion, the teacher
denied her water, allowing others to drink, and insisted she could only hydrate after
mastering the move. This reflects severe abuse and violations of California laws and
norms.
2. JYPE imposed strict control over K.M.’s life, from the early morning hours spent in
school to the long, grueling rehearsals that stretched close to midnight. K.M.’s personal
freedom, artistic growth, and even physical safety were sacrificed for JYPE's commercial
interests, and the tricky terms of the contract ensured that she was not compensated for
her efforts.
3. JYPE pressured K.M. to live in a group home, saying it was important for the group’s
success, even though the contract claimed it was optional. She was afraid of the
consequences if she refused and agreed to live there. JYPE chose an expensive $2.5
million house without her input and later claimed K.M. owed them $500,000 for it.
Instead of paying her for her hard work, they took money from her earnings to cover
these costs, forcing her to work for free while JYPE used the fancy lifestyle to attract
more fans and make more money.
4. K.M.’s daily schedule was relentless, starting at 7:00 a.m. with three hours of school
before rushing to JYPE’s practice building by 10:30 a.m. for training that officially ended
at 7:00 p.m. but often stretched until midnight or later. JYPE staff pressured her to stay
as late as 1-2:00 a.m., warning of “disappointment” or “consequences” if she left early.
Despite this grueling routine, which allowed her little sleep or free time, K.M. received no
pay for any work she performed after 6:30 p.m
5. K.M. said the only time they felt free was during midnight walks or short moments in their
hotel room, even though it meant losing sleep. She remembered one time when another
member, having a panic attack, asked the staff if she could take a break and get some
air. The staff said no and told her she was being “disrespectful” and would face
“consequences” for asking.
6. Over six months, JYPE paid K.M. only $500 per week, far below the California minimum
wage for the 12+ hour workdays she had to endure. On top of this underpayment, JYPE
placed a heavy financial burden on her by charging her $500,000 for “company
expenses,” a massive debt for a minor.

7. K.M. and her groupmates were denied proper meals as part of JYPE’s policy to maintain
extreme thinness. They were told they would "regret how [they] looked" if they didn’t lose
weight. Meals were limited, and they were often encouraged not to eat or rest. On one
occasion, after missing lunch, K.M. had to attend a four-hour rehearsal without food. A
staff member also told the girls, “Don’t eat!” as he shut the car door after training.
8. On September 14, 2023, K.M. was forced to repeat a dance move hundreds of times
while holding a squat. Despite being in pain, she was denied a water break. This caused
her to tear a tendon in her shoulder, but she was forced to continue working without
proper recovery time and expected to return to full training after receiving hospital
treatment.
9. Throughout her time at JYPE, K.M. and other VCHA members were forced to dance and
perform despite severe injuries like sprained ankles and muscle strains. Even though
K.M.'s doctor advised rest for her leg injury, JYPE ignored this and insisted she keep
performing. When she asked to "take it easy," staff refused. K.M. received multiple
injections but was still made to work twelve hours a day. A text conversation from
November 27, 2023, shows how JYPE responded to medical advice, confirming their
disregard for her injuries.

10. On another occasion, K.M. had a virus and laryngitis while she was expected to sing.
Despite being sick, she tried her best, but JYPE staff scolded her, saying she was
disrespecting the company and not taking care of herself. They told her it was her
responsibility not to get sick.
11. Figures 2 and 3 below show an accurate conversation between K.M. and another
member of VCHA from May 17, 2024, discussing the emotional toll of working for JYPE.
K.M.'s messages are in yellow bubbles, while the other member's responses are in
charcoal bubbles, with their identity redacted.

12. K.M. and her underage groupmates faced intense mental and emotional pressure, with
some resorting to self-harm. K.M. witnessed another member develop an eating
disorder, which led to a suicide attempt in February 2024. After ingesting 42 Nyquil pills,
the member began vomiting uncontrollably, and K.M. discovered it. Although K.M. and
others had raised concerns with JYPE, staff dismissed them, saying eating disorders
were common. JYPE also concealed the suicide attempt, instructing the girls to lie about
it. Erik Winston later admitted that he was misinformed and told the member's condition
was food poisoning. JYPE’s neglect of the group’s mental health violated child welfare
standards. K.M. herself endured verbal and emotional abuse, including being publicly
humiliated on her birthday during a rehearsal when a dance instructor called her a
"terrible dancer" in front of her groupmates, causing one girl to cry. This type of abuse
was meant to push K.M. to work harder.
13. JYPE constantly surveilled K.M. and her groupmates. Hidden cameras, including one in
the dining area with an 8 Megapixel camera and a 120-degree wide-angle lens, recorded
their private conversations and meals without their knowledge or consent. A surveillance
sticker found in the pantry revealed their eating habits were monitored 24/7. K.M. only
discovered the cameras months later, which made her feel even more trapped,
controlled, and powerless.
14. By April 2024, JYPE claimed that K.M.'s work had resulted in an accumulated net
income of about minus $504,543, meaning she received no share of the profits from her
hard work and was instead told she owed them money. Despite JYPE reporting profits
during this time, their unclear accounting made it impossible for K.M. to determine what
she was actually owed. K.M. and her group, VCHA, were featured in major media outlets
like Dazed Magazine, Teen Vogue, and Rolling Stone, and performed at large venues
like Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City. These
appearances and performances, which contributed to JYPE's profits, were not included
in K.M.'s compensation calculations. JYPE continued to profit from K.M.'s name and
likeness without properly compensating her, while falsely claiming she owed them
money.

 

[StirFriedPanda]

I'm sad, she was my favorite but I love her even more for the courage she's showing. She's got my support. I wonder if she's sueing in Korean Court of the US. Guaranteed this gets settled if someone actually tried suicide.

I've seen people act like JYP is better than the rest just because Sm and Hybe are in hot shit right now but no company is moral in the K-pop industry.

JYP is better but I'll never claim he's innocent or perfect. The problem lies at the root of the industry. What would be abuse to most of us is another day at work in kpop. It's not OK. It's the moral dilemma good kpop fans face but walking away won't fix the industry. The good fans are needed more than ever to voice their support for idols when stuff is bad. To do some yelling on their behalf. Change is hard, change is slow.

People don't realize how much power international fans have as were fairly insulated from the lawsuits companies threaten all the time. For a US citizen to be sued we have to be sued in a U.S. court for saying something verifiably 100% false. The evidentiary bar is set pretty high. Also rules of discover scare the crap out of companies. Look at how much shit I talk about Kpop CEO's. Especially the current target @143 Entertainment.

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

That's my fave!
She's so strong and I love her for this but am sad to hear about the abuse....but what can you expect. Companies view Kpop idols as a product and not as humans.

 

[StirFriedPanda]

Companies view Kpop idols as a product and not as humans.

Perfectly said.

 

[velvet]

It's the moral dilemma good kpop fans face but walking away won't fix the industry. The good fans are needed more than ever to voice their support for idols when stuff is bad. To do some yelling on their behalf. Change is hard, change is slow.

I fully agree with this but I don't blame especially international fans walking away. I do believe a lot of the industry's problems are rooted in Korean work culture. I do not believe it's just idols who get abused on a regular basis. International fans are improtant but if the industry wants to change South Korea needs to speak up.

 

[StirFriedPanda]

South Korea needs to speak up.

It's slow but happening. Alot of Korean fans participated in the Loona Boycott.

 

[catonkatonk]

I don't think we have much power just speaking about it. It doesn't do anything. After all these years, the industry is still the same. Eventually kpop fans (myself included) gaslight themselves into thinking things have changed, when they haven't.

We should be crowd funding these sorts of law suits to encourage more idols (and other mistreated staff, like the woman whose sexual harassment claim was mishandled by MHJ) to come forward. We need to impose a financial cost for unethical behaviour and provide a safety net for anyone trying to fight against it. All the lawyers these companies hire bully these people? That's our money that's paying them.

 

[catonkatonk]

Also I just want to say something here.
Obviously a lot of this is the ingrained work culture of Korea and "just how the training system is"
I want to consider the humanity behind it though. A teenage girl attempts suicide and it doesn't cause people to change tack or reflect on how they can improve conditions.

Monsters. I'm sorry, I don't care about anything else, anyone in that situation who doesn't IMMEDIATELY set about trying to change things is utterly heartless.
They need to spend some time reflecting on themselves. Behind bars where they can't hurt anyone else. Sadly there's no such justice in this world.

 

[Moguri]

I wonder if she's sueing in Korean Court of the US. Guaranteed this gets settled if someone actually tried suicide.

I saw this on reddit

https://trellis.law/case/24stcv32165/k-m-vs-jyp-usa-inc

Not sure what this is exactly, but seems like they have the original lawsuit documents here and it says it's filed at an LA court against JYP USA

 

[eclipsoul]

dear god this was terrifying to read... my heart goes out to her and i hope she has all the support she needs. fuck that industry.

 

[lexus]

I'm glad that she was able to stand up for herself and speak out about this issue. Hopefully she and the rest of the members can get out of that toxic environment

 

[Abeamus]

Wishing all the best for her, I hope she gets out of the contract with no further issues. I've seen people act like JYP is better than the rest just because Sm and Hybe are in hot shit right now but no company is moral in the K-pop industry. All labels excuse some level of abuse.

Being the best Kpop company is equivalent to being the nicest guy in prison

 

[Abeamus]

I'm genuinely surprised, of all the big four companies, I don't recall any artist ever suing JYPE. It sounds like she's speaking out against general kpop industry standards, and I wish her luck with that. I'm curious to see how it plays out.

I don't think it has gone to court but people have been concerned with JYP before as their stans had a real holier than thou attitude when 3rd generation was still the fixture even though Twice cried on a show from exhaustion within their first year. Kpop has the bad mixture of being a shallow industry based on looks and being fast moving so if you aren't in the public eye then you are seen as fading into irrelevancy most of the time which causes strict control of idols looks to being underweight a lot of the times and overworking them which will be exacerbated by the fact they are underweight.

 

[Moguri]

Eventually kpop fans (myself included) gaslight themselves into thinking things have changed, when they haven't.

I always try my best to not forget what the kpop system means.. but even though I know it to some extent, it's still really dissapointing to read it in such detail like here. Some of the things they did just sound like torture

Hoping justice will be served