MADEIN’s Gaeun accuses CEO of assault while she was a minor

A rookie K-pop idol has come out with disturbing allegations against her company’s CEO.

MADEIN’s debut was highly anticipated, as the group would contain two former Kep1er members, Mashiro and Yeseo. The group made their debut on September 3, 2024, and it seemed like they were on the rise. Just a month after their official debut, they debuted in Japan with their first-ever Japanese fan concert. However, their career has taken a turn after member Gaeun revealed she was sexually assaulted by her CEO. The worst part? She was a minor.

On Nov. 22, JTBC’s Case Chief revealed a fifth-generation girl group member was sexually assaulted by her company’s CEO, Park Jun Sang, after she asked to leave the group. At the time, Gaeun’s identity was hidden and her voice was altered, but it was soon revealed to be the MADEIN member after netizens pieced together clues from the show.

She revealed she had asked to leave the group after completing their scheduled activities. The CEO agreed, but there was a catch: he wanted Gaeun to be his girlfriend for a day. She agreed, thinking it would be a normal date. However, things went south after the CEO locked the office door and groped her. As they attempted to watch a movie, he would continuously try to forcefully kiss her and force his tongue into her mouth. He also licked her neck and ears. The CEO would also ask if he could touch her private areas, and even though she denied it, he would persist and not let her leave the area.

Initially, a lawyer for 143 Entertainment acknowledged the accusations and even confessed there was footage of them getting into the car together. However, the CEO came clean with the members’ parents and stated he made a mistake. The parents of the MADEIN members, however, help him accountable. They slammed him for signing their children with ulterior motives. When the CEO tried to defend his actions, the parents only clapped back harder. They questioned the CEO, stressing the fact that Gaeun was a minor at the time of the assault.

Thus began the CEO’s gaslighting. He first claimed he would take responsibility by resigning, but it would be difficult for him to disband the group due to the company’s stakeholders. However, just two days after the CEO met with the members’ parents, he accompanied MADEIN to their schedules in Japan and even sat next to Gaeun. Soon after, Gaeun went on a hiatus, with 143 Entertainment stating it was due to health reasons. However, the truth is that she was traumatized by the ongoing harassment. During her hiatus, she unfollowed the company’s CEO and MADEIN from her social media accounts. As of writing, she has re-followed the accounts.

Following the assault, the CEO began brainwashing the MADEIN members, stating that if the company shuts down because of rumors, the members would have to pay reparations. Because of his threats, the members were unable to leave the company or speak out on the injustices they were experiencing. Currently, Gaeun is 19 years old (born Nov.8, 2o05, meaning she JUST turned 19). In Korea, a minor is an individual aged 18 and younger. The assault is believed to have taken place in Oct.2024, meaning she was 18 and a minor under Korean law at the time.

143 Entertainment denies allegations that CEO assaulted MADEIN’s Gaeun

Following the allegations, 143 Entertainment released a statement via MADEIN’s official social media accounts. In their statement, they acknowledged the report was about MADEIN’s Gaeun, but denied all allegations of sexual assault. They claimed there was no form of sexual contact or abuse between Gaeun and the CEO and that all the claims are fabricated. They claimed the show aired information from sources that are not trustworthy and had no relations to the member. The company then apologized for causing concern among MADEIN’s fans.

However, one detail in their statement stood out: they mentioned a hotel incident involving Gaeun and claimed that she was in the company of acquaintances. During the Case Chief episode, there was no mention of a hotel. The public had no information regarding a hotel, leading many to believe the company had slipped up and revealed allegations people hadn’t known about yet.

In support of Gaeun, fans have started trending different hashtags in support of Gaeun. They also started boycotting 143 Entertainment and refuse to consume content from artists under the company. As of this writing, no further statements have been made from either parties.