BlockBerry Creative attempts to ban former Loona member Chuu from industry

BlockBerry Creative, the agency of girl group Loona, filed a petition to the Corea Entertainment Management Association (CEMA) and Korea Entertainment Producers’ Association (KEPA) in an attempt to ban former member Chuu from being active in the entertainment industry, CEMA confirmed with the Korea JoongAng Daily on Wednesday.

According to CEMA, the petition was submitted back in December 2022, one month after Chuu was expelled from Loona. BlockBerry Creative also confirmed the submission of the petition with local news outlets.

In the petition, BlockBerry Creative claims 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.

A committee to determine the issue and potential repercussions is being prepared, and Chuu’s legal representative reportedly told CEMA that the singer will attend the committee’s hearings.

In November 2022, Chuu (Kim Ji-woo), was kicked out of the girl group Loona. BlockBerry claimed that Chuu had been verbally abusive and abused her power against the staff.

The singer, who has been embroiled in legal disputes with the agency since early 2022 and partially won a lawsuit to nullify her exclusive contract last March, denied the accusations.

Last month, the Seoul Northern District Court ruled that the exclusive contracts that four other members of Loona — Heejin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul and Choerry — signed with their agency Blockberry Creative be suspended. The court dismissed the case for five other members — Haseul, Yeojin, Yves, Olivia Hye and Go Won. The remaining two members — Vivi and Hyunjin — did not sue. All of the cases were related to unfair contract terms.

BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr]