On March 18, a video titled “Cheering for the Wings of Wheein, Chungha, and Yoon Ji-sung” was uploaded to Wheein’s YouTube channel. The three artists, who had all embarked on solo careers after leaving their respective groups, engaged in a candid and humorous discussion.
During the conversation, Wheein smiled and said, The freedom of being agency-free.” Yoon Ji-sung agreed, replying, “That’s actually the best time.” Chungha, however, exchanged glances with Yoon Ji-sung and said, “It’s a different story when you’re signed with a company, like us.”
Wheein then revealed her frustration, saying, “There’s a reason I had to create a brand-new channel.” Chungha, surprised, asked, “Wait, you made a new one?” Wheein nodded and responded, “You should know, you had to do the same thing.” Chungha’s face suddenly showed recognition as she let out a nervous laugh.
Chungha then joked, “If I start talking about this, I could go on for five hours.” Yoon Ji-sung sympathized, adding, “Didn’t Chungha even lose access to her personal accounts?” At this, Chungha let out an exasperated yell, clearly overwhelmed by the situation. When Wheein revealed that she had gone through the exact same ordeal, Chungha’s frustration only grew. The two singers, sharing a mutual sense of helplessness, ended up dramatically screaming together, venting their pent-up emotions over the unfair circumstances.
Yoon Ji-sung questioned, “Why won’t they just return the accounts? What do they even need them for?” Wheein speculated, “Maybe for their personal collection?”
From Group Success to Agency Struggles
Wheein debuted in 2014 as a member of MAMAMOO under RBW Entertainment and actively promoted with the group. After her exclusive contract ended, she moved to THE L1VE, but once that contract expired, she became a free agent and is now managing her own career.
Chungha rose to fame in 2016 as part of I.O.I, a project group formed through Mnet’s survival show “Produce 101.” She was initially a trainee under MNH Entertainment but promoted with I.O.I under CJ ENM.
After I.O.I disbanded, Chungha established herself as the flagship solo artist under MNH Entertainment. However, when her contract ended in April 2023, she discovered that her former agency retained ownership of her personal account, which had over 5 million followers. As a result, after joining her new agency, MORE VISION, she had to recreate all of her social media accounts from scratch.
Adding to the frustration, Chungha was also unable to use her original fandom name, “Byulharang”, and was forced to rename it to “HAART” under her new management.
This ordeal highlights the ongoing struggles many artists face when transitioning between agencies, raising concerns about the control companies maintain over their artists’ digital presence and fan communities even after contractual ties have ended.
