X1 members' agencies decide to disband group

Boy band X1, which debuted through the fourth season of the controversial “Produce 101” audition program on Mnet, will disband, according to the agencies of the group’s members on Monday.

The agencies of the 11 members, including Play M Entertainment, Yue Hua Entertainment, TOP Media and OUI Entertainment, released a joint statement announcing the decision on Monday evening.

“We held a discussion about [the future of] the group in the hopes of keeping the group together,” the statement read. “But we could not reach an agreement in that direction and decided on disbandment.”

The members of X1 are Kim Yo-han, Kim Woo-seok, Han Seung-woo, Song Hyeong-jun, Cho Seung-youn, Son Dong-pyo, Lee Han-gyul, Nam Do-hyon, Cha Jun-ho, Kang Min-hee and Lee Eun-sang — the final 11 contestants on “Produce X 101.”

The popular TV audition program has been embroiled in a scandal since last summer after viewers accused producers of rigging the vote tallies in favor of certain contestants.

Producers Kim Yong-bum and Ahn Joon-young of Mnet were indicted with detention for rigging votes in the final rounds of not only the fourth season, but all four seasons of the “Produce” series. Their trial is ongoing.

X1 debuted in August last year despite the scandal, but put a stop to their activities as investigations into the case continued.

IZ*ONE, another group that was produced through the program, had also temporarily stopped their activities when the scandal broke last year. Mnet said it will be “reviewing their return to the music scene” soon.

By Esther Chung