Former Loona member Chuu signs exclusive contract with ATRP

Singer Chuu [ATRP]

Singer Chuu, a former member of girl group Loona, has signed an exclusive contract with ATRP, the new agency announced on Friday.

In March 2022, her contract with her previous agency BlockBerry Creative was suspended after a court agreed with Chuu's argument that her exclusive contract with the agency had unfair clauses.

“We will support Chuu so that she can pursue her career as an artist,” said ATRP in a press release.

ATRP is an entertainment agency founded by Kim Jin-mi, a former executive director of WM Entertainment. Chuu is the first artist the agency represents.

Chuu, whose real name is Kim Ji-woo, debuted as the vocalist of the 12-member girl group Loona under BlockBerry Creative in 2017.

Chuu and BlockBerry Creative have been in a legal battle since Chuu filed an injunction to terminate her exclusive contract with the agency, citing that the distribution of profit in the contract was unfair. The court ruled partially in favor of Chuu in March 2022.

BlockBerry Creative “expelled” Chuu from the girl group in Nov. 2022, accusing her of verbally abusing staff members. Chuu, backed by fellow members of the girl group and other staff members that worked with her, denied these allegations.

The agency also claimed that Chuu was in contact with another agency, BY4M Studio, in 2021 and tampered with her exclusive contract with BlockBerry Creative in order to switch agencies. Chuu said she “was not even aware of the company BY4M back in Dec. 2021.”

Fans of the girl group have speculated that the actions by BlockBerry Creative were in response to Chuu’s injunction against the agency.

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]