South Korean agency Spire Entertainment held a press conference on March 19, claiming that Kang Seong-hee, its former chief executive, was sexually harassed by one of the members of its K-pop boy band Omega X.
Hwang Seong-woo, the current chief executive of Spire, played a clip from a surveillance camera that allegedly showed singer Lee Hwi-chan touching Kang inappropriately.
Hwang, who is Kang’s husband, said during the press conference: “This took place when Omega X were on a tour in the United States (on July 11, 2022). The members were drinking after work and discussing when to begin their mandatory military service with our agency employees.”
He added: “Lee then told Kang that he wanted to talk to her about having to serve his mandatory military duty just as the group had finally pulled something off in their career. Kang was consoling Lee when he sexually harassed her.”
Hwang claimed that Spire informed all 11 members of Omega X of the incident when they decided to terminate their exclusive contract with the agency. The court granted an injunction in January 2023, allowing the termination.
Meanwhile, the group’s current agency IPQ Entertainment said in a statement released prior to Spire’s press conference that Omega X’s case against Kang has been sent to the prosecutors.
The group had sued Kang for using physical force against member Jaehan along a corridor of the Los Angeles hotel they were staying at on Oct 22, 2022.
Kang’s alleged act of violence caught the public’s attention that month during Omega X’s US tour, when a video showing her physically and verbally abusing the members in Los Angeles went viral.
In May 2023, Omega X announced that all of them had inked contracts with South Korean label IPQ. Shortly after, Spire began a legal battle to keep the group under its roof.
Hwang said: “I can no longer watch my wife... being accused of being an assaulter when she was the victim of a sexual assault. We are going to respond strongly to the spreading of false information and will not forgive.”
He added that the surveillance clip was recovered through a forensic process two weeks ago.
“We are going to file a lawsuit on this matter either today or tomorrow. We will also submit the clip as evidence,” he said.
In a statement released on March 19, IPQ denied Spire’s sexual harassment allegation and said Spire has been releasing false information regarding Omega X members.
It added that it will continue to protect its artistes and support their activities to the fullest. – The Korea Herald/Asia News Network
