Company denies all claims of 7 members of gg ANS in official statement

[Danee Danee]

Spoiler

Previously happened: 

1. Haena, youngest member of rookie gg ANS, claiming she was bullied

2. 7 members of ANS terminating contract with their company, accussing them of mistreatment and talk about the bullying accusations

On August 25, ANS Entertainment released an official statement to refute earlier claims made by girl group ANS.

Previously, 7 out of 8 ANS members requested to formally nullify their contracts with ANS Entertainment. The members claimed that ANS Entertainment failed to provide the group with adequate funding, living expenses, music and dance lessons, etc. 

However, according to ANS Entertainment, "After successfully wrapping up promotions for their 2nd single 'Say My Name', the agency suffered numerous hardships as a result of event and schedule cancellations caused by COVID19. Still, the agency continue to make diligent preparations for ANS's comeback with a new mini album."

The agency continued, "While preparing for their comeback, the members suffered frequent injuries and informed us that receiving choreography lessons would be difficult. As a result, we came to the decision to delay ANS's comeback, and provided the members with vacation time in order for them to recuperate." The 7 out of 8 ANS members then sent over a legal request to nullify their contracts some time within this allotted "vacation period", according to ANS Entertainment. 

Spoiler

Commentary: ANS memnbers were active daily on SNS. Outside of one minor injury of youngest member (outside of n. 8 Haena) during the preparation of the fanmeet, no member was seen injured, bandaged, using crutches or ever complained about injury. 

Allegedly, ANS Entertainment "has never violated any part of the girl group's exclusive contracts, and we are diligently following the guidelines for the popular entertainment and culture artist contract established by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). There were no issues regarding our failure to pay the ANS members, as they claimed. The contract established by KOCCA clearly indicates that revenues will be divided between the agency and the members after taking away the costs producing and managing the artist."

Spoiler

Commentary: So basically they got nothing since they are nugus and most llikely havent earned much.

Finally, the label stressed, "We would like to ask the members to continue and uphold their duties as listed in their exclusive contracts. We also notify all entertainment affiliates that our contracts with the ANS members still stand. We also have no choice but to take legal action against anyone attempting to come in contact with the members and/or attempting to recruit the members to other agencies."

Spoiler

Commentary: Right after fans spammed other companies and one replied that they would like to talk with girls and even supported the fans on sns. 

src. https://www.allkpop.com/article/2020/08/ans-entertainment-refutes-girl-group-anss-claims-in-an-official-statement?fbclid=IwAR1ck6gPQOalSGKR1pgH7tEypTcYdQ-dSQcCcKI7a24CBu4M3mOw0Wi3rJ0

 

Edited August 26, 2020 by Danee Danee

[Danee Danee]

3 hours ago, choiyujins said:

Hmm, whoever should we believe?

I would say its highly unlikely that all 7 members of nugu group got offer so great they want to go through the lawsuit with company who took good care about them. 

[Danee Danee]

8 minutes ago, satoori said:

Unpopular opinion: The timing was bad for the members to release a statement like they did. They're coming off as selfish and greedy. Complainng about lack of promotion and money during Covid? They're a nugu group from a small company. Of course, they're struggling right now. Plus, the industry has had to cut back and many have not been able to survive. ANS on the other hand was at least one of the rising nugu groups with international fans.This statement from their company is actually reasonable. 

I get trying to clear up the whole bullying thing, but everything else I don't know...

Honestly if I was the company I would just let them leave. Why work hard for a group that don't want it?...

I honestly dont see how forcing 7 barely adult girls to carry all the work around managing company without getting even proper money for meal while threatening their parents and trying to manipulate minor to turn them into bullies in public eye means working hard for a group.

If you dont have money to provide basics for the group, just disbands them and use the experience to bring your future group up. Isnt it something what for example Gfriends company did with Glam just before their member went to blackmail an actor?

Point is, sometimes its just better to disband then to prolong the suffering. Cause with no money to provide food or practice room or manager, you obviously has no money for comeback or promotions. So obviously you wont earn money unless you force the kids to stomp lower and lower. Which wouldnt be new concept among nugu companies. You dont get something from nothing. Or maybe the members could write their own song, shoot mv on their mobile phone and perform it on streets and wait for miracle. Oh wait... Thats not how Kpop works. But its true, who needs money for food when you need to be skinny as idol either way. 

And yes, if covid havent stroke, they would have chance to get known. Now? Without support and with tainted image? Not at all. Didbanding is the best option. But dont worry. The company will find new girls to debut with Haena as new ANS. 

Seriously people are full of bullshit how idols should be protected and treated like human beings but when some stand for themselves those same people call them greedy, selfish and unloyal. 

[Danee Danee]

39 minutes ago, satoori said:

1. were they working or on a sort inactive/hiatus period? the statement seem to suggest they were unable work  much due to covid.

2. what does the company have to do with the bullying issue. wasn't that fans and one of the members who started all of that mess?

i agree, i feel sometimes it's better to disband.

1. They were forced to proceed with such a schedule as their first fanmeet without company support. Some former employees who were fired before helped them. It was mess either way. Mess to the point of fandom name which was announced there was changed only few weeks later without any explanation. They had several other schedules and werent even provided a driver or manager. All the schedules had to be managed by them only, noone helped them. Their fancafe, official insta etc was managed only by them. The statement isnt even hanging there. They had to do official school paperwork for their minor member while pretending to be staff cause there was no staff around which was cause of their argument with the said member. If the ceo cared, he would drive them around personally to schedules cause schedules are where the money for company is. Even the training room was taken from them. 

2. The bullying post was made the exact moment company recieved the termination note from them and in same moment mirrored to all the media. After the boss called parents of some members and said them he will turn them into garbage and make them depressed enough to the point of them not being able to leave home. Doesnt seem suspicious at all. The claims were made by member who was hanging around necks of other girls 24/7 until one day she went for hiatus due to anxiety and month after she left dorms and ghosted the other members.

3. The girls didnt want that much. They wanted practice rooms and dance/vocal lessons and someone who would help them to carry schedule. Which isnt unreasonable. Instead they got their boss trying to cancel them. Nice. Getting 8$ for food per working day and 0 during weekends isnt exactly a lot either in city like Seoul.  

Honestly I will be happy to see them disbanded. Even if rare gems as Bian, Raon and J who were perfect idols will be lost without chance to appear on tv again. And voice of Lina wont be heard. Since well... Unlike Haena she is too old to debut again. 

Edited August 26, 2020 by Danee Danee

[Danee Danee]

8 minutes ago, satoori said:

1. ANS is from a nugu company that is currently struggling due to Covid, so staff leaving isn't a shocker. They need make a living for their families too and the company are no longer able to provide for them anymore due to Covid. In order to continuing working then yea some of the members probably had to step in. Might of been better to just go inactive all together, and just wait for the covid to pass. Still a risk tho.

2. IF it's true what the guy said to the parents, then yes that's disgusting. About what the girls wanted:  "The girls didn't want that much. They wanted practice rooms and dance/vocal lessons and someone who would help them to carry schedule. Which isn't unreasonable." It is unreasonable to ask for that when your company is barely scraping the barrel to survive. 

I just wish they would wait a bit. There might still be a chance for them to bounce back after Covid. Groups have been able to return even after a year or two of hiatus. I don't know, it sucks seeing nugu groups disband. And ANS was one of the rising ones. 

Seriously why not to blame all workers who left when the girls were forced to survive with only around 160$ per month for food in city of Seoul. They need to earn money to survive as well. There was even minor which was left with no money and had to live only on expense of their friend. You would stay under these circumstances? 

Seriously... Running company aint easy. If you reach this point. You basically bancrupted. Its sad but happened to a lot of companies around the world due to covid. When you cannot provide basic needs for work to your workers, you are done. Just imagine it as it you were forcing designer to stay in your company without payment and without pc to work on. Or if you sold all kitchenwares to your master chef while trying to run restaurant. Its utter nonsense. Idol group needs place to train.

Would you work under company for 160$ per month?

 

Edited August 26, 2020 by Danee Danee

[Danee Danee]

6 minutes ago, satoori said:

Why should we blame the staff? They're employees just like the girls. If the company is not able to run efficiently and no longer profitable due to covid, then why should staff (stylists, managers, drivers, etc) stick around with barely to no pay. These people have bills to pay and/or family too. I would quit too..

That's why I said the group should of just went inactive or on a hiatus. Go back home to their families and/or wherever they want till the company is able to return and function better after Covid.

Many groups struggle before they break even. If I was a struggling artist, and the company was paying for my apartment, bills and basically everything to keep me alive. And $160 month is just an allowance for me to spend on luxury items then yea I would do it. Just depends on how serious I am about the group and how much trust I have in the company that we will succeed one day. Otherwise if I don't have any faith, then no I wouldn't work under the company.

160$ for FOOD. I know food is luxurious item in some part of the world. But South Korea belongs to countries where its considered basic need.

So staff were free to leave but members are selfish and greedy for leaving? See no logic in this. Or should they struggle for next 6 yrs just because?

Edited August 26, 2020 by Danee Danee

[Danee Danee]

7 hours ago, satoori said:

Food isn't a luxury item. I'm assuming the company is paying for the basics only while they're working and living under the company. Nonetheless,  I didn't say members should be forced to keep working. I'm just saying everyone is struggling right now. The company isn't making money. As you said basically bankrupt due to Covid. This is why I said earlier going inactive/hiatus would of been the best next plan. Let the girls go home. Which is exactly what happened, but...

"As a result, we came to the decision to delay ANS's comeback, and provided the members with vacation time in order for them to recuperate." The 7 out of 8 ANS members then sent over a legal request to nullify their contracts some time within this allotted "vacation period", according to ANS Entertainment.

 

 

 

 

Only one who got vacation time was Haena and she got it cause she had to be tested for covid and quarantined. After it she just basically didnt come back. Others were working up till September 6th which is when the relationship with company was already foked up. Yet they are called to uphold their contract (next 6 years, great) in bancrupted company. As I said it makes as much logic as forcing master chef to stay contracted with restaurant which sold all kitchenwares and without payment which would even cover living expenses and be prohibited to look for another job.

But honestly I give up. You obviously havent read what the girls had to say about it or put it together with Haena's statement about her struggles. While calling them selfish and greedy. 

I just wonder how do you expect money to come to the company where their only active group would be inactive without any way to practice and all of their assets were sold. Unless they expect them to put adult shows in future. You dont need vocal lessons and dance practice for those, its true. 

Being contracted to and forced to stay in situation like that without chance to pursue career you want to is honestly horrid. And I give them kudos they were carrying all of the responsibility for their company for 4 foken months before trying to talk about it with the company and 5 before asking for contract termination. 

Seriously this isnt issue of one greedy member with good offer from China. Its issue where whole group saw no future in the company. Which is always fault of the head 

Edited August 27, 2020 by Danee Danee