FANTASY BOYS Confirms Withdrawal Of Yu Junwon + To Debut As 11-Member Group
FANTASY BOYS will debut as an 11-member group without Yu Junwon.
On August 23, SBS reported that FANTASY BOYS is gearing up for their debut with 11 members excluding Yu Junwon.
In response to the report, FANTASY BOYS’ agencies released the following collective statement:
Hello. This is FUNKY STUDIO, the production company of “Fantasy Boys,” and POCKETDOL STUDIO entrusted with management.
We would like to deliver our stance regarding FANTASY BOYS’ Yu Junwon that was reported today.
We would like to inform you that Yu Junwon, who was selected as [a member of] the debut group FANTASY BOYS through MBC’s audition program “Fantasy Boys,” will not be able to participate in group activities due to absence without leave.
FANTASY BOYS is a group that was created by votes from viewers through a survival program with the aim of making a debut. We sincerely apologize for [FANTASY BOYS] not being able to be together as the 12 members who were supported by the viewers.
Right after the program ended, we discussed the contract with Yu Junwon and Yu Junwon’s parents more than a dozen times. Despite the fact that the contract was written according to the standard terms and conditions established and recommended by the Fair Trade Commission, Yu Junwon’s parents demanded revision of the contract with an increased profit sharing rate under the pretext that [Yu Junwon] ranked No. 1 in voting, comparing him with other members.
If we adjust the profit sharing rate differently from other members based on the final vote ranking, equity issues may arise, so we fully explained why we couldn’t do that every time [they asked]. However, Yu Junwon’s parents made Yu Junwon leave without permission twice, and at the same time, they notified us that he would not be able to join the group in the end.
As a result, FANTASY BOYS will debut as an 11-member group consisting of Kim Gyurae, Hong Seongmin, Oh Hyeontae, Lee Hanbin, Ling Qi, Kang Minseo, Hikari, K-Soul, Kim Wooseok, Hikaru, and Kaedan.
We will do our best to resolve this issue amicably and will not hold back our full support so that the remaining 11 members can prepare for their debut without concerns. We ask for unchanging warm support and encouragement for the members who are about to debut.
Thank you.
The lineup for FANTASY BOYS was determined back in June on the survival show “Fantasy Boys”—the male version of “My Teen Girl,” the audition program that gave rise to the girl group CLASS:y last year. The group is currently gearing up to make their highly-anticipated debut in September.