Singer Lee Mu-jin scored a shocking court win: a Seoul court granted his request to suspend the effect of his exclusive contract with Big Planet Made Entertainment. Until a final ruling in the main lawsuit, the contract is temporarily frozen, allowing Lee to move independently.
According to legal circles on the 24th, the 50th Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court approved Lee Mu-jin’s application for an injunction to suspend the effectiveness of his exclusive contract with Big Planet Made Entertainment. The court ordered both parties’ exclusive contract to be put on hold until the main judgment.
With this decision, Lee can carry out entertainment activities on his own before the final verdict. The court also stated that Big Planet Made Entertainment must not demand activities against Lee’s will, negotiate or sign contracts with third parties on his behalf, or ask third parties to block Lee’s activities.
On the 16th, Lee separately filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court seeking confirmation that the exclusive contract is no longer valid and demanding payment of unpaid settlements. This move aims to validate that his March notice terminating the exclusive contract with the agency was lawful.
Lee’s side claims the agency failed to pay settlements from the second to fourth quarters of last year and the first quarter of this year. The unpaid amount is reportedly around 2.0–2.1 billion won.
Lee’s legal representative said, “We have not received any settlements for over a year. On top of that, recent management support was cut, and staff members also have not been paid. It’s no longer possible to trust the agency.”
At last month’s injunction hearing, Big Planet Made Entertainment reportedly argued it was hard to see the non-payment of settlements as entirely the company’s fault. However, the label also indicated it would accept a suspension of the contract’s effect if Lee wanted it.
The case is drawing even more attention amid a wave of artist departures from Big Planet Made Entertainment. Taemin, some members of The Boyz, VIVIZ, BE’O, and Lee Seung-gi have reportedly notified the company of contract terminations over unpaid settlements and broken trust. In The Boyz’s case, a previous injunction request was granted.
Big Planet Made Entertainment is a label under the talent agency Onehundred. Onehundred was co-founded by CEO Cha Ga-won and singer-producer MC Mong; MC Mong later left, and Cha Ga-won currently leads the company. Cha is also under police investigation over fraud allegations totaling around 30 billion won. Police sought an arrest warrant, but prosecutors reportedly sent it back.
With Lee Mu-jin’s injunction approved, his legal dispute with Big Planet Made Entertainment now moves to the main trial. The court will examine whether settlements were unpaid and whether the contract termination was lawful.