South Korean media outlet Dispatch revealed the contracts the contestants from Boys 2 Planet signed with CJ ENM. The terms have shocked industry insiders, prompting some to accuse CJ ENM of trying to monopolize the idol industry.
The “5 + 1” Year Contracts
ALPHA DRIVE ONE (ALD1), the group formed on the show, will promote under WAKEONE (a CJ ENM subsidiary) exclusively for five years. An additional sixth year is tacked on for “special activities”. Meaning they’ll release a single album and at least one performance before they disband.
Dispatch called the deal a “5+1” contract. Nobody knows why the contract is only six years. The average idol contract is seven years, so why chop off an extra year?
I’m not familiar with Korean law, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s some kind of legal loophole CJ ENM is exploiting. On paper, six years looks less restrictive than the seven-year maximum set by Korea’s Fair Trade Commission. By keeping their contracts (slightly) shorter than the industry standard, CJ ENM can shut down anyone who tries to take them to court over unfair contracts.
Locking Down the Remaining Contestants
The most disturbing detail is buried in Clause 2, Article 1. CJ ENM grants itself the right to manage the careers of contestants who appeared in the Boys 2 Planet finale but weren’t chosen for ALD1. Even if a contestant doesn’t make the lineup, CJ can still debut them in a separate group.
That’s insane. Those contestants should not be bound by CJ ENM just because they were in the finale. Some of these contestants are already active idols with existing groups. Others might want to quit the industry and live private lives. They should be free to decide their own futures without the weight of waiting for CJ ENM to decide if they’re worth debuting.
Now that I’m thinking about it, how will this affect ALD1? Xinlong is a member of BOY STORY. Is he actually prohibited from promoting with them until the mandatory five years are up? What about Leo and Sang-won, who debuted as a duo earlier this year? Is that project on hold indefinitely?
This Isn’t How Survival Shows Are Supposed to Work
Survival shows are supposed to be a trade-off. Smaller agencies send their trainees or idols to these programs in hopes of exposure. Viewers grow attached to the contestants, eventually becoming fans who will show their support by voting for them. The winners will promote in a temporary group for about a year or two. Once that group disbands, the idols return to their original group or debut in a new one.
The results are a mixed bag. NU’EST revived their career after appearing on Produce 101. After IZ*ONE disbanded, some of the members debuted as members of IVE and LE SSERAFIM. The rest found success as solo artists or actors. It’s not perfect, but the system was meant to benefit both contestants and their agencies.
Collaboration or Monopolization?
CJ ENM insists these contracts are about “creating opportunities for talented artists”. They swear they are “collaborating with small and mid-sized agencies to expand the industry.” The reality is closer to vertical integration. CJ ENM owns the cable channel Mnet, which broadcasts their survival shows. CJ recruits talent from small or mid-sized agencies. Then the winners are locked down by WAKEONE.
The agencies who agreed to these terms may get a chunk of the profits ALD1 generates, yet at what cost? (At least I hope that’s the case or else what’s the point of approving such a contract)? It doesn’t bring any attention their way because their trainees are promoting as CN ENM’s artists. Any groups that would have gained extra fans or exposure are eventually overshadowed by the project group.
It’s not collaborative like when HYBE teamed up with CJ ENM for I-LAND. The first season gave us ENHYPEN, but HYBE kept ownership of the group. In August 2023, ENHYPEN’s agency BELIFT LAB became an official HYBE subsidiary after they acquired CJ ENM’s remaining stake. What CJ ENM is doing with Boys 2 Planet is extraction.
An industry insider summed it up nicely: “Why do you think the so-called 7-year curse exists? For idols, six years is basically an entire career gone.”
The Dark Side of CJ ENM
Dispatch’s report on the Boys 2 Planet contracts should be a wake-up call. CJ ENM is building an exploitative pipeline that drains smaller agencies of their artists while keeping the profits in-house.
The industry (and fans) have to decide if they’ll accept this as the new normal, or call it out for what it is. A system where the promise of opportunity masks CJ ENM’s desire for dominance.
