Court rules in favor of Nam Do-hyon's injunction against agency

K-pop

Published: 22 Jun. 2023, 16:16 Updated: 22 Jun. 2023, 17:39

Court rules in favor of Nam Do-hyon's injunction against agency

Nam Do-hyon at a press showcase for boy band BAE173's fourth EP ″Odyssey: Dash″ in August 2022 [NEWS1]

A court ruled in favor of singer Nam Do-hyon of boy band BAE173 on Wednesday, allowing his exclusive contract with his agency Pocketdol Studio to be suspended.

Nam filed an injunction against Pocketdol Studio in March, claiming that the agency failed to provide payment data to the artist in violation of the exclusive contract. He also claimed that the agency failed to take adequate care of him, who, as a teenager at the time, required more thorough guidance from the agency.

The court ruled in favor of Nam, saying the relationship between the artist and the agency has deteriorated to the extent that it cannot be recovered.

The ruling allows Nam to be free from the existing contract as long as the injunction is in place.

“I am able to start my activities fresh with the court’s recent decision. I was sorry and regretful of not being able to tell any information to my fans who were curious and worrying regarding my hiatus,” said Nam on Thursday in a press release from his law firm Yulchon.

“I would like to first wholeheartedly thank my fans who have sent me an overwhelming amount of love,” Nam said. “I would also like to thank the members who stayed with me. I will continue to support them in the days to come.”

Nam added that while no detailed plans about his future activities have been confirmed, he promised to “return with improvements, as musician Nam Do-hyon.”

Nam joined MBC’s idol auditioning program “Under Nineteen” in 2018 but failed to make it to the final group. In the following year, Nam participated in cable network Mnet’s boy band audition program “Produce X 101,” landing eighth place in the final episode. While Nam made his debut as a member of the project boy band X1 in 2019, the band disbanded less than a year later, following a vote-rigging controversy.

Nam made his second debut as part of BAE173 under Pocktdol Studio in 2020, releasing a total of four EPs. He announced his hiatus in October last year. The boy band joined JTBC’s audition program “Peak Time” earlier this year without Nam.

To find out more about Nam Do-hyon, visit Celeb Confirmed!

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