What Happened to B.A.P? A History of Shady Companies
With all the news coming out recently regarding OMEGA X and what they have had to endure within their agency, it’s bringing back the discussion of abuse of idols, especially from smaller companies. The K-Pop industry is incredibly difficult even in the best of circumstances, so it is not much of a surprise that there are bad people who will exploit these young kids simply trying to chase their dreams. While it does appear that OMEGA X will be able to find footing and move on with their career, many other groups have not been so lucky. The case we want to look at today may be the most infamous, and that is one of B.A.P. Their story showcases that bad management can be the complete downfall of a group, even if it is full of true talent.
While we have previously covered the history of B.A.P, we haven’t dived fully into the impact of the lawsuit. When B.A.P debuted in 2012, they captured a lot of attention for their skills in vocals, rap, and even performance, all showcased in the debut track “Warrior.” While at the time most groups tended to excel in one of three categories, B.A.P showcased unspeakable talent in all realms, which made them stand out despite coming from a smaller agency. Back in the day, it was rare for groups from smaller agencies to do nearly as well as the big three, as a bias that exists even today had the smaller agency groups fighting ten times harder for any spotlight time. DPR Ian in an interview with the Zach Sang Show talked a bit more in-depth about this kind of struggle in his time with C-Clown, and it really shines some perspective on the more icky aspects of idol life that the industry doesn’t want us to acknowledge. (Side note: it’s a lovely and insightful interview to check out!)
Before the B.A.P lawsuit, the most infamous was by far the TVXQ/JYJ split. The biggest talking point of that lawsuit was unfair contracts, in the sense that they lasted far too long and didn’t give the artist much, if any, freedom to make choices once they signed the initial contract. It definitely opened up an important conversation. But for B.A.P, a new issue was brought to the forefront in terms of financial abuse. In 2014, with their first full album First Sensibility, the boys skyrocketed in popularity and attained their first chart-topper in the Billboard World Albums Chart, with the release being so popular they beat out artists like BTS for year-end awards. At the peak of their career, they had the potential for major success both domestically and internationally, with a huge chunk of awards already under their belt, but their tour was canceled in late October and the lawsuit was filed in late November.
The basis of this lawsuit claimed both harsh working conditions and unfair profit distribution. The group had a statement claiming they had not been paid a salary until 2014 (despite signing contracts in 2011) and that each member had only received about $16,000. The mistreatment in terms of working conditions was related to being forced to work despite being sick, which sadly is far more common than the industry would like to admit.
Initially, TS Entertainment denied the claims and presented evidence to back up their claims, but the lawsuit would prove to be a catalyst for the agency's downfall, with several other artists suing as well under the same conditions. Jieun and Hyoseong of SECRET filed in 2018, rapper Sleepy filed in February 2019, Sumin and Nahyun of SONAMOO filed just a few days later, and finally, Wooyeop and Taeseon of TRCNG filed in November 2019, also citing child abuse allegations that should have gotten far more attention than they did. As of January 2021, the agency has permanently shut down.
In B.A.P’s case, before they could go to court with their agency, both parties reached a settlement in August 2015, which eventually led the boy group to return to the K-Pop scene. But the damage had been done. B.A.P would go on to disband in 2019, even after some successful releases and tours. Leader Bang Yongguk would go on an extended hiatus during this period, so when he and Zelo were the first to leave TS Entertainment, it didn’t really come as a shock.
The thing about lawsuits is they are tricky and often don’t necessarily lead to the outcome many desire. In B.A.P’s case, they decided to settle before even making it to court, so ultimately the agency probably didn’t pay the price they should have for mishandling money. With other artists in TS’s lineup coming forward with the same complaints, there’s a higher likelihood that B.A.P’s issue was legitimate, but they felt compelled to settle or no longer have their career as a possibility. If you look back at the TVXQ debacle, SM Entertainment blacklisted the JYJ members so badly that even to this day you don’t see them on public media outlets. I’m sure the B.A.P members took this into consideration, and it’s just an unfortunate reality.
Is the agency ultimately being shut down enough retribution if nearly every artist under its management sued at some point? Hopefully, the payout was provided, but it’s hard to find information on the other lawsuits online (especially if you can’t navigate Korean sites).
Where Are They Now?
These days, former leader Bang Yongguk has established his own agency after returning from his mandatory military service and spends his time working on music as he’s always wanted. He’s a renowned producer and songwriter, and with his own agency, he now has the freedom to do as he pleases.
Himchan turned out to be one of the bad guys in the industry. He faced enough issues while active in the group, but earlier this year he admitted to all allegations of sexual assault in court and is likely currently serving prison time for it.
Daehyun, a vocalist that even to this day may be one of the most talented I’ve ever heard, was recently discharged from his military service back in May. After making his solo debut, he’s chosen to delve into the world of musical theater. In a somewhat similar vein, vocalist Youngjae has chosen the actor path, but just recently went off to his mandatory military service.
Main dancer Jongup is exploring the entertainment business in earnest, juggling releasing music and acting at the same time after taking a break from the music scene post-disbandment. And finally, maknae Zelo recently signed with a new agency after having issues with the previous company he signed with after TS Entertainment. In good news, he actually won that lawsuit, since his company A Entertainment did not agree to contract termination. The Seoul Central District Court eventually ruled in favor of Zelo.
Two weeks ago, when Youngjae announced his departure for military service, he shared photos of the members of B.A.P reuniting over dinner, which definitely rekindled all sorts of emotions for fans of the group. At the time of their disbandment, many believed they would simply pull the same move as BEAST had and move together, but that sadly wasn’t the case.
For a group that had as much, if not more, popularity in 2014 as the group that went on to be the biggest current act in K-Pop, it’s hard to not feel like TS Entertainment’s mishandlings sent B.A.P to their demise when they had the potential to be at the top of the game. Here’s hoping that moving forward, reforms can be made so young idols don’t have to face any discrimination or unfair treatment from their agencies.
Edited by Deshalia Murray