Agency Relents, Citing KBS Executive's Statement, But Maintains Stance on Xiumin Issue

One Hundred, the entertainment agency, has announced it will retract its boycott of KBS program recordings, which included its artists Lee Soo-geun and Limousine, following the controversy surrounding Xiumin's exclusion from "Music Bank." The agency declared on March 8th that its artists would resume their scheduled appearances.

The decision came after Han Kyung-cheon, head of KBS's entertainment center, stated in a press briefing the previous day, "This is a matter of communication between the production team and the agency. We are not considering any other MCs until Limousine returns. We believe that through waiting and communication, a good opportunity will arise." One Hundred stated, "Trusting this statement, we will prepare for our artists, including Lee Soo-geun and Limousine, to participate in recordings normally from next week. We also ask for KBS's active cooperation."

Xiumin's "Music Bank" Exclusion Sparks Conflict

The conflict began when Xiumin was unable to appear on KBS2's "Music Bank." In response, One Hundred canceled the KBS schedules of its other artists, including Lee Soo-geun and Limousine. Limousine was absent from the recording of the KBS YouTube content "Limousine Service," leaving the guest, NMIXX's Kyujin, to host and perform alone. The filming of KBS N's "Ask Us Anything Fortune Teller," hosted by Lee Soo-geun, was also canceled.

One Hundred claimed, "KBS unofficially informed us that it is impossible for Xiumin to appear on programs featuring SM Entertainment artists, including KBS2's 'Music Bank.' Despite our repeated attempts to meet with the broadcaster, KBS has remained unresponsive."

MC Mong's Criticism and KBS's Denial

KBS denied the agency's claims, stating they were "groundless." However, MC Mong, the head of One Hundred, took to social media to criticize SM Entertainment, using strong language such as "so SM-like" and "beastly," and hinted at releasing recorded evidence.

Agency Reverses Course Amid Public Criticism, Demands KBS Explanation

The situation escalated as Lee Soo-geun and Limousine also boycotted their recordings, leading to public criticism of the agency for being "irresponsible" and harming its artists' careers. Faced with mounting public disapproval, One Hundred reversed its boycott. However, the agency stated it would continue to address the issue of Xiumin's "Music Bank" exclusion.

One Hundred explained, "We only received an unofficial response that Xiumin's exclusion from 'Music Bank' was due to the impossibility of appearing simultaneously with a specific agency's artist. We believe this is unfair treatment of our artist and have repeatedly attempted to communicate with KBS. However, we have not received any specific explanation other than the 'groundless' response through the media." The agency concluded by stating, "We are awaiting KBS's official position on Xiumin's exclusion from 'Music Bank.'"