Korean IZ*ONE Fans Demand Contract Extension & Threaten To Boycott With Protest Trucks Outside CJ ENM
IZ*ONE Fan Union, a collective of IZ*ONE fans from DC Gallery, are sending protest trucks to CJ ENM headquarters following confirmation of the group’s upcoming disbandment.
According to a recent press release from Mnet, IZ*ONE will officially disband as originally scheduled in April, just weeks after their upcoming online concert, ONE: THE STORY. Mnet, Swing Entertainment, and Off the Record Entertainment are said to have taken each IZ*ONE members’ agency’s wishes into account in order to make the final decision.
While many fans have decided to make peace with IZ*ONE’s disbandment, others are pushing for the agencies involved to reconsider. Korean fans from popular social platform DC Gallery, for example, have sent protest trucks to CJ ENM—the parent company of Mnet, Swing Entertainment, and Off the Record Entertainment.
Two main messages are being displayed outside the company headquarters. The first asks CJ ENM to extend IZ*ONE’s time as a group with all 12 members intact.
Continue with future promotions while maintaining the 12 members.
— IZ*ONE Fan Union
The second threatens to boycott all activities under the IZ*ONE members’ respective agencies in the future if CJ ENM does not respond to the union’s requests.
If you do not respond, we resolve to boycott all their activities.
— IZ*ONE Fan Union
The protest trucks come alongside a list of demands and complaints sent from DC IZ*ONE Chu Gallery to CJ ENM’s music division. According to the statement, fans believe that IZ*ONE’s disbandment should have been announced through the official fan café rather than social media. On top of that, DC IZ*ONE Chu Gallery states that Mnet deceived fans by planning an online concert before informing them of the disbandment news.
1. The news that IZ ONE’s contract will end should have been made through IZ*ONE and WIZ*ONE’s official communication channel, the official fan cafe instead of media.
2. Without any announcement that this is IZ*ONE’s last online concert, Mnet’s unilateral announcement is tantamount to deceiving WIZ*ONE at a time when online concerts and related MD sales have become irrevocable or difficult.
— DC IZ*ONE Chu Gallery
The fan collective went on to state that they’re disappointed and angry about the agencies’ decision to terminate IZ*ONE’s contract according to “their own respective interest” despite the group’s immense success.
3. CJ and Mnet has constantly expressed their full support towards IZ*ONE’s activities through various media reports, and WIZ*ONEs have also gathered fandom power supporting 12 members since IZ ONE’s debut. This is clearly proven by achievements that have been made, including the ranking 1st in girl group album sales chart in 2020.
— DC IZ*ONE Chu Gallery
Going forward, they have called on Mnet to retract its statement and for each of the members’ individual agencies to get their own statements. On top of demanding a contract extension and promising to boycott the agencies, the union also asked for the concert to be postponed and threatened to cancel their ticket purchases.
While DC IZ*ONE Chu Gallery is standing firm, opinions from international IZ*ONE fans are mixed. Some are calling on global WIZ*ONEs to put faith in Korean fans and support them in fighting for IZ*ONE to stay together.
Kwiz, knows what they are doing. They know better than us for these agencies will not listen if we go as smooth as you like. Will it hurt more our girls? The reason why fu is more aggressive because the girls were given false hope too then sudden changing their minds.
— Miolee wizone 4ever (@Miolee12) March 11, 2021
However, other fans are concerned that the IZ*ONE members could feel hurt or discouraged upon seeing the protest trucks given that their disbandment has already been decided. Many are also concerned that postponing the concert would not be fair to the members who have spent time preparing and may not get another chance to greet fans from around the world.
kwiz im begging you please dont let the girls see or even know about the trucks please
— hopia (@intherainsol) March 11, 2021
It also appears that many Korean WIZ*ONEs may be against the decision to send protest trucks to CJ ENM headquarters. While DC IZ*ONE Chu Gallery states that their statement is the only “official” WIZ*ONE statement, the collective represents only a portion of IZ*ONE fans.
majority of kwiz are also against it its most likely the dc gall’s decision i hate that they decided it on their own without thinking about the girls feelings
— ً (@iHugCw) March 11, 2021
As such, some are calling on Korean fans who oppose the boycott to send more trucks with encouraging and supportive messages to the members.
CAN THE OTHER RICH KWIZ SEND ALSO A TRUCK THAT SENDS SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE GIRLS???
— kat 💚 (@wijuLand) March 11, 2021
According to reports, IZ*ONE Fan Union intends to continue sending trucks to CJ ENM headquarters over the coming week. Read the collective’s full list of demands below.
Even in this situation, WIZ*ONEs had to hear about the termination of IZ ONE’s contract through media reports instead of the official fan café. WIZ*ONEs are disappointed and cannot suppress anger to CJ ENM and all of member’s agencies (Starship, Yuehua, Woollim, WM, Urban Works, 8D, Stone Music and Vernalossom) on their actions to terminate IZ*ONE’s contract on their own respective interest.
WIZ*ONEs hereby express its position as follows:
- WIZ*ONE are fans of the 12-member girl group IZ*ONE and strongly demands that the current 12 members remain unchanged and continue their activities in the future.
- WIZ ONE strongly demand that Mnet immediately withdraw its official statement made on 2021.03.10.
- WIZ*ONE requires official individual statements from Starship, Woollim, WM, Urban Works, 8D, Stone Music, Yuehua and Vernalossom on their future activities by 12:00pm on March 12.
- WIZ*ONE will decide to boycott all future activities planned by each agencies (Starship, Yuehua, Woollim, WM, Urban Works, 8D, Stone Music and Vernalossom) after members return to the original agency. This specifies that it is a boycott of each agency, not a boycott towards the members.
- WIZ*ONE strongly urges the postponement of the IZ *ONE online concert scheduled on March 13-14.
- “WIZ*ONE” oath to cancel the purchase of the MD and CGV tickets of the online concert.
Lastly, any other statements other than this statement are not WIZ*ONE’s official statement, and WIZ ONE will continue to support and support IZ*ONE as one.
— DC IZ*ONE Chu Gallery
