MANILA, Philippines – South Korean boy band X1 has officially disbanded, months after allegations that their win on Korean reality show Produce X 101 was rigged.
The 9 talent agencies handling the 11 members of X1 released a joint statement on Monday, January 7. The agencies that handle the group include Play M Entertainment, Yuehua Entertainment, TOP Media, OUI Entertainment, MBK Entertainment, Woollim Entertainment, DSP Media, Starship Entertainment, and Brand New Music.
"The X1 members and each of the agencies negotiated under the condition of unanimous agreement, but we could not come to an agreement, so we have decided on their disbandment," the management groups said, according to Korean news site Soompi
CJ ENM, the entertainment agency of X1, said in a separate statement that it "respects the decision of the agencies" to disband X1, even though "CJ ENM worked for X1 to resume activites."
The decision comes months after X1 debuted in August 2019 as winners of Mnet’s Idol survival reality show program, Produce X 101.
In November, police revealed that the show's producers rigged the audience votes, after the winning line-up was revealed even before the final episode aired.
The investigation also found that producers accepted bribes from different entertainment agency representatives to "favor" certain contest participants. The producers, Ahn Joon Young and Kim Yong Bum, were arrested, after Joon Young admitted that the results of Produce X 101's 4 seasons were rigged.
X1 ceased promotions the same month.
According to an Allkpop report, CJ ENM publicly apologized for the vote-rigging in December, stating that they would give up all the profits earned by the groups.
X1 was comprised of Kim Yo-han, Kim Woo-seok, Han Seung-woo, Song Hyeong-jun, Choo Seung-youn, Son Dong-pyo, Lee Han-gyul, Nam Do-hyon, Cha Jun-ho, Kang Min-hee, and Lee Eun-sang.
They debuted with their lead single "Flash," which was part of their first EP, Emergency: Quantum Leap. – Rappler.com