One Hundred Label Hits Back at $3.46M Pay Dispute News

• One Hundred Label denied reports regarding unpaid settlements to artists like EXO’s Baekhyun and SHINee’s Taemin.
• The agency criticized the media report for inaccuracies and announced it will pursue legal and arbitration measures.
• The dispute has sparked renewed scrutiny over transparency and payment practices within K-pop agencies.

K-pop has long been defined by several issues that have emerged alongside its global popularity. Recently, news circulated that South Korea’s One Hundred Label has not yet cleared payment of some high-profile K-pop artists. However, on Jan 2, 2026, the company openly refuted the charges and declared that it would take legal steps against the media source that carried the original report.

One Hundred Label Refutes Payment Allegations

The disputed reporting, published by The Fact, claimed that singers such as EXO’s Baekhyun (INB100), SHINee’s Taemin (Big Planet Made Entertainment), and The Boyz (directly under One Hundred) did not get full settlement compensation for their efforts.

The publication further stated that One Hundred Label owes over ₩ 5 billion (~ $3.46 million USD) in outstanding payments for their services. Each artist is expected to receive about ₩ 1B (~ $700,000), with EXO members Chen and Xiumin receiving several hundred million won extra.

Nevertheless, industry sources like allkpop note One Hundred's official statement defining the outstanding payment issue as “a matter that is currently being discussed and adjusted in a normal manner according to each artist’s contract terms and activity status.” 

The company further emphasized that it has no difficulties with its performers and that all parties are keeping their schedules uninterrupted. It also denied the risk of financial instability, highlighting that One Hundred and its subsidiaries are on an upward growth track as a result of their aggressive investing.

One Hundred Label Dispute Puts K-pop Contracts in the Spotlight

The label criticized The Fact's reportage for lacking sufficient fact-checking before publishing. They cautioned that the item could hurt artists' reputations and promised to file a mediation request to Korea's Press Arbitration Commission, apart from other legal actions (as mentioned).

The issue emerges as K-pop agencies' financial and contractual practices increasingly become the subject of scrutiny. Recently, in one of the industry’s famous contract controversies, NewJeans member Danielle was ousted from her group.

Industry watchers have expressed concerns regarding artists’ work patterns, event schedules, and how their tour and release settlements are calculated and distributed, especially when advance payments and tiered subsidiary arrangements are involved. 

These flaws were raised in The Fact's report, but have not been independently validated beyond the disputed article. For the time being, the disagreement remains unresolved, with conflicting accounts from both the agency and the media source. 

While One Hundred Label insists that the settlement process is within contractual guidelines, the charges have raised larger questions about transparency and accountability in K-pop's agency system. It is unclear whether regulatory agencies or legal action will help to clarify the claims. 

What is obvious, however, is that such disagreements continue to fuel calls for greater control in an industry whose worldwide growth exposes the forces lurking behind the scenes. Noting such industry practices, South Korea has introduced new changes in trainee contracts in 2026, which is a relief amidst such issues in the K-pop scenario.