J-Min Announces Suspension of Activities with BAE173 Just 20 Hours After Being Reported Missing
According to TenAsia, J-Min informed PocketDol Studio, BAE173’s agency, and the group’s members last month that he wished to halt his activities with BAE173. One BAE173 member, referred to as A, told TenAsia, “J-Min wanted to focus on CLOSE YOUR EYES and expressed his intention to stop participating in our group’s activities. I was very disappointed to hear that, but he seemed determined, so we couldn’t stop him.”
J-Min’s contract with BAE173 runs until 2027, while the contract he intends to sign with CLOSE YOUR EYES spans three years, overlapping with his current obligations. By the time J-Min completes his activities with CLOSE YOUR EYES, BAE173 may no longer be active.
A added, “It would be great to continue working as a team with J-Min, but if he is so firm in his decision to leave, there’s nothing we can do. He seemed apologetic. We just told him to do what he wants.”
Despite J-Min’s departure, the remaining BAE173 members are determined to move forward. “We will do our best. Not everyone gets the opportunity to make a comeback,” A stated. The group is expected to release a new album around April or May. Since J-Min announced his decision to step away, he has had no contact with the other members. He also did not attend a BAE173 fan signing event on January 10.
JTBC’s survival audition program “PROJECT 7” selected J-Min as one of the seven members of CLOSE YOUR EYES last month. At the time, he was still an official member of BAE173, a group formed in 2020.
Following his selection, a contract dispute arose between PocketDol Studio, BAE173’s agency, and UNCORE, CLOSE YOUR EYES’s agency. In order for J-Min to officially join CLOSE YOUR EYES, PocketDol, UNCORE, and J-Min all need to sign a contract. However, PocketDol refused to sign, claiming the contract UNCORE proposed differed from the initial terms presented before J-Min joined the survival show.
As a result, PocketDol lost contact with J-Min, and UNCORE reportedly did not disclose his whereabouts. On February 8, at 7 PM, PocketDol filed a missing person report with the police. Just 20 hours later, on February 9 at 3 PM, J-Min met with his fellow BAE173 members and PocketDol officials at the company’s office. During the meeting, J-Min expressed his firm decision not to continue with BAE173.
PocketDol maintains that PROJECT 7’s terms changed after the program ended. A PocketDol representative explained, “The initial contract stated that even if J-Min was selected for the new group, he could still continue his activities with BAE173. However, the final contract required him to leave his previous group.” The agency added that if J-Min proceeds with suspending his activities, they plan to take legal action for breaching his contract.
However, UNCORE argues that J-Min is not violating his contract. An UNCORE representative stated, “All contestants and agencies involved in ‘PROJECT 7’ were fully aware from the beginning that if a contestant was selected as a final member of the project group, they could not engage in other activities without UNCORE’s approval.”
When TenAsia reached out to J-Min for a response, he did not comment. A CLOSE YOUR EYES manager also refused to discuss the issue, stating, “It’s difficult to talk about contracts. We have no reason to grant an interview.”
CLOSE YOUR EYES was formed during the final episode of “PROJECT 7” late last year. The group consists of J-Min, Sakurada Kenshin, Ma Jingxiang, Seo Kyung-bae, Song Seung-ho, Jang Yeo-jun, and Kim Sung-min.The group is under UNCORE, a company jointly established by SLL (a content production company under JoongAng Group) and YG PLUS (a YG Entertainment subsidiary).
