Singer Ben is embroiled in a legal dispute with his former agency over music revenue settlement.

At the same time, both his private life and contractual issues are receiving attention as he has just completed divorce proceedings after three years of marriage.

According to Star News on the 4th, Ben filed a lawsuit against his former agency Major Nine for a deposit of approximately 700 million won, and the first hearing is scheduled to be held on July 23rd at the 14th Civil Affairs Department of the Seoul Central District Court.

After Ben’s exclusive contract with Major Nine ended in January 2023, he requested a settlement for future profits from the music and albums he released during the contract period, but the agency did not accept it.This led to a full-blown conflict, and he filed a lawsuit in May of that year.

The court recommended an agreement between the two parties in September of the same year and referred the case to mediation, but the mediation failed in November.The case was then transferred to a new trial division in September 2024 for retrial.

In the entertainment industry, the issue of dividing the remaining music revenue after the end of a contract often becomes a source of conflict.It is also known that there were differences in interpretation of settlement timing and rights between Ben and Major Nine.

Ben debuted in the group Bebe Minyong in 2010, and after turning solo in 2012, he received much love for his ballad hits such as “180 Degrees,” “In Love,” and “Thank You for Breaking Up With Me.” He has also been active in participating in many drama OSTs.

Meanwhile, Ben also experienced a major change in his personal life.He married W Foundation Chairman Lee Wook in 2021, but divorced in February 2023.It was a breakup after three years of marriage and six months after giving birth.At the time, Ben’s side stated, “I decided to divorce due to my husband’s fault,” and Ben took custody of the children.

Afterwards, Ben appeared on TV CHOSUN ‘Now Alone’ in November 2024 and revealed his feelings at the time, saying, “I hate lies the most, but(my ex-husband)broke my trust.”

Ben, who is going through a two-pronged crisis of a music source revenue dispute and divorce, is drawing attention to what outcome he will face in this legal battle.


Reporter Lee Su com jin sujinl22@donga

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.