CJ ENM In Discussions To Extend Contracts With IZ*ONE Members
It is reported that recently, CJ ENM has met with some of the IZ*ONE members' agencies to discuss the contracts in earnest. Although they have not contacted all agencies, the story has come out since October last year, and it is revealed that some members are confirming their stay and speeding up the contract extension. If the extension is completed, it will be the first time a 'Produce' project group continues instead of disbanding.
Responding to the information, IZ*ONE's agency Off The Record said that, "We are collecting opinions from the agencies and artists regarding IZ*ONE's future activities. We will continue our activities until April, when the contract ends, and will continue to listen to their opinions. If there is any change, we will let you know."
However, the process of formally extending the contracts is not expected to be smooth. CJ ENM intends to support IZ*ONE, but it lacks justification for the contract extension to persuade the public who were shocked by the vote manipulation controversy.
"IZ*ONE's contract is supposed to be terminated in April, but internally, we reached an agreement to work only until December 31, 2020. The decision must have been made in conjunction with various situations, such as the production team being arrested earlier and the accommodation where the IZ*ONE members live ended in 2020," an official hinted. Therefore, the agencies who planned new activities for their artists after the disbandment of IZ*ONE in 2021 will be embarrassed by CJ ENM's sudden proposal for contract extension. CJ ENM is also aware that this is a sensitive issue, and it is said that they will make a new contract by respecting the opinions of the agencies.
Debuting in 2018 with the EP album 'COLOR*IZ', IZ*ONE has released many hit songs such as 'La Vie en Rose', 'Violeta', 'FIESTA', 'Secret Story Of The Swan' and 'Panorama'. They also set an unusual record for a girl group to surpass 350,000 in their first year. The girls are loved in South Korea and Japan for their fascinating and colorful performances.