Agency Shuts Down Claims Boy Group Member Is The “K-Pop Star Dad” In Ongoing Scandal

HIGHLIGHT‘s management agency, Around Us Entertainment, has announced legal action in response to rumors about one of its members spreading across online communities.

Popular K-Pop Male Singer Confirmed To Having A Child From Previous Relationship

On February 21, 2026 (KST), the agency representing the boy group consisting of members Yoon Doojoon, Yang Yoseob, Lee Gikwang, and Son Dongwoon, released an official statement on its website saying, “We have confirmed that serious harm has been inflicted on the HIGHLIGHT members due to the circulation of groundless and false information on certain social media platforms and internet communities.”

Hello, this is Around Us Entertainment.

We have recently confirmed that serious damage has been caused to the members of HIGHLIGHT due to the circulation of baseless false information on certain social media platforms and online communities.

In relation to this matter, many fans have already sent captured PDF images and URLs to our company via email.

— Around Us Entertainment

The agency emphasized, “The baseless information currently being spread online is absolutely not true.”

Around Us Entertainment further announced plans to pursue criminal complaints and civil lawsuits for damages, adding, “We will never overlook any acts that damage our artists’ reputations through the spread of unverified false information, malicious posts, or comments. We will hold those responsible accountable through strong legal measures,” issuing a clear warning against further rumor-mongering.

The spread of such false information constitutes defamation under Article 70 of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, as well as Articles 307 and 309 of the Criminal Act. It severely damages the members’ reputation and credibility, causing substantial mental and economic harm. Accordingly, we will be taking the following strong legal actions:

Criminal Action: We will file criminal complaints against those who have spread false information under Article 70 of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection and Articles 307 and 309 of the Criminal Act on charges of defamation.

Civil Claims for Damages: We will pursue civil claims for damages and take legal action against all individuals who have caused financial harm to the HIGHLIGHT members and our company through the spread of false information.

We will never tolerate any acts that damage our artists’ reputations through the distribution of unverified false information, malicious posts, or comments, and we will hold those responsible accountable through strong legal measures.

We are always deeply grateful for the warm love and support from our fans. We will also do our utmost to protect our artists.

Thank you.

— Around Us Entertainment

Previously, when the scandal first broke, a U.S.-based Korean American online community became a breeding ground for rumors naming Yang Yoseob as the unidentified “K-Pop male singer” with a child. Following the agency’s statement, Korean fans have also expressed frustration toward websites that continue to generate harmful gossip.

• “There are SO many rumors about celebrities and influencers created there… They even show up easily on Google.”
• “Yang Yoseob just recently made a solo comeback, too…”
• “Are they insane, seriously… Please sue every single one of them without leniency. I’ve been a longtime fan of Yang Yoseob, and I can’t even believe his name is being dragged into something like that right now. Ugh… this is ridiculous.”
• “Recently, users on that site said a lot of things about a male dating show contestant, too. But it turned out to be complete nonsense. It’s almost laughable.”
• “Wouldn’t it be better to just reveal the actual person instead of causing harm to multiple people? The rumors are only multiplying.”