Baekhyun Reportedly Establishes His Own New Agency Amid Contract Dispute With INB100

EXO’s Baekhyun has reportedly established a new agency while he is in a dispute with his current agency, INB100, over his exclusive contract.

According to an exclusive report by Bizhankook on October 30, Baekhyun established B.ON Entertainment on September 18.

The report says B.ON Entertainment registered Baekhyun’s home as its head office address at the time of its founding, but changed the address on October 22. The company was established just three days after the court granted the injunction request that Baekhyun, Chen, and Xiumin (CBX) filed against INB100 to suspend their exclusive contracts.

On September 15, Civil Division 50 of the Seoul Central District Court accepted the trio’s request. As a result, their exclusive contracts remain suspended until the first-instance ruling in the lawsuit seeking confirmation that the exclusive contracts are void.

A person identified as “A,” who handled management work at a previous entertainment agency, has reportedly joined the new company as an in-house director. A is said to have previously worked on a business with Baekhyun.

However, a representative of B.ON Entertainment reportedly told Bizhankook that it is true CBX are working together through the new company, but that no specific contract has been signed yet.

As for why the company was created, the representative explained that it was considered for matters such as settling the proceeds of small events and handling taxes. They reportedly expect specific activities to begin after March next year.

Earlier, Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin had notified One Hundred CEO Cha Ga Won‘s side that they were terminating their exclusive contracts, citing reasons such as unpaid settlement money. When CEO Cha Ga Won’s side did not comply, they reportedly filed the injunction request to suspend the exclusive contracts.

INB100 is an agency Baekhyun founded in 2023 for his solo activities. Chen and Xiumin, who were also under SM Entertainment, joined and continued their individual activities there. In 2024, INB100 was incorporated as a subsidiary of One Hundred. Reportedly, in March and April, Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin’s side demanded answers about the agency’s unpaid settlement money and contract violations, but did not receive satisfactory replies, so they decided to terminate their exclusive contracts and sent certified mail.

Artists under One Hundred’s subsidiary Big Planet Made Entertainment have also notified the company of the termination of their exclusive contracts, citing unpaid settlement money.

Baekhyun was rumored in April to be moving to Galaxy Corporation, home to Taemin, who left Big Planet Made Entertainment that month. Galaxy Corporation denied it, saying, “The reports about discussions of an exclusive contract with Baekhyun are not true.”

Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin also notified their former agency SM Entertainment of the termination of their exclusive contracts in 2023, which led to a legal dispute. The two sides later reached a settlement, but conflict reportedly resurfaced over the distribution of profits from individual activities. The three did not take part in the production or promotions of EXO’s 8th full-length album “REVERXE,” released on January 19.

The first hearing in the lawsuit between Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin’s side and INB100 seeking confirmation that the exclusive contracts are void is scheduled for November 4.

Source: (A)