Japan’s largest fan media company Skiyaki to close Omega X's website

Members of Omega X attend a press conference at the Seoul Bar Association's Human Rights Room in southern Seoul on Nov. 16. [NEWS1]

Skiyaki, Japan’s largest fan media company that had the Japan license for K-pop boy band Omega X, announced Wednesday that it will close the official Japanese website of Omega X and all its social media channels including Line, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter.

The decision follows Omega X's announcement on Nov. 16 that it will terminate its exclusive contract with Spire Entertainment. The band members accused the CEO and his wife of abusing them — both verbally and sexually — for almost a year on a daily basis.

Skiyaki announced the termination of its exclusive contract with Spire Entertainment a few hours after the members had the press conference on Nov. 16, saying it sees the Korean entertainment agency's actions as "a serious offense."

“Due to the termination of the exclusive contract between Skiyaki and Spire Entertainment to which Omega X belongs to, this site will be closed on Nov. 30, 2022,” the announcement reads on the official website. Skiyaki also said the fan club service for the K-pop boy band will be terminated and that the fans will be automatically unsubscribed to the fan site on Nov. 30.

“The monthly membership fee for November 2022 will be refunded to all members, so please read the ‘Refund Procedure Information’ below before proceeding,” it added.

Omega X’s Japanese social media channels will be deleted on Dec. 1. Skiyaki said though its contract has been terminated with Spire Entertainment, it will still root for Omega X’s future activities. Omega X made its Japanese debut on Aug. 24.

Allegations of the abuse first surfaced in October when a fan claimed they witnessed the members being verbally and physically abused by the wife of the agency's then-head after a concert. The band members during the press conference alleged that the wife of the former head of Spire Entertainment, Kang Seong-hee, forced members to drink alcohol and sexually harassed them.

Omega X debuted under Spire in June 2021 and has released songs such as “Vamos” (2021), “Love Me Like” (2022) and “Play Dumb” (2022).

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]