Baekhyun, Taemin, The Boyz each owed about 700,000 USD as unpaid artist settlements at One Hundred Label, nearly 3.46 million USD

02 Jan 2026, 08:22 by Demian09 · allkpop

Chairman Cha Ga Won of One Hundred Label is facing increasing scrutiny as reports indicate that large unpaid settlements owed to artists under his management, including Baekhyun, Taemin, and The Boyz, have continued to mount. The total amount of unpaid earnings is estimated to be close to 5 billion KRW (about 3.46 million USD).

According to an investigation by The Fact, boy group The Boyz, who are directly signed under One Hundred Label, are currently owed about 1 billion KRW (about 700,000 USD), in unpaid settlements. Baekhyun, who is signed under subsidiary label INB100, is also reportedly owed a similar amount. Fellow EXO members Chen and Xiumin are said to be awaiting payments totaling several hundred million KRW each. Taemin of SHINee, who is signed under another subsidiary label, BIG PLANET MADE Entertainment, is likewise reported to be owed more than 1 billion KRW (about 700,000 USD).

Previously, The Fact reported on Chairman Cha Ga Won’s abnormal and questionable company operations, including claims that 10.8 billion KRW (approximately 8.1 million USD), was recorded as costume related expenses and that 72 billion KRW (around 54.1 million USD), was received in advance payments. At the time, concerns were raised over whether artists would be able to continue stable activities and receive proper compensation. Those concerns have now materialized, with unpaid settlements across affiliated artists believed to total roughly 5 billion KRW (about 3.46 million USD).

Financial data suggests this situation was foreseeable. BIG PLANET MADE Entertainment’s 2024 audited financial statement, registered on May 30 last year, shows liabilities of approximately 53.2 billion KRW (about 40.0 million USD), exceeding assets of around 34.2 billion KRW (about 25.7 million USD). This places the company in a state of complete capital impairment. INB100’s financial condition is reportedly slightly better, but it is said to have little remaining cash. The situation did not improve in 2025 and is believed to have worsened.

Chairman Cha Ga Won is the largest shareholder of One Hundred Label, while One Hundred Label is the largest shareholder of INB100. In effect, all affiliated companies are under the control of Chairman Cha Ga Won. These companies reportedly relied on advance payments related to albums, concerts, and performances, as well as fees from events and broadcast appearances. However, from the second half of 2025, even those revenue sources reportedly became difficult to sustain.

As a result, rumors of unpaid settlements involving One Hundred Label artists began circulating within the industry as early as the fourth quarter of last year. Some artists reportedly sought out trusted industry professionals to discuss concerns regarding unpaid earnings and future activities. According to industry sources, several artists have not received settlements since the third quarter.

Taemin joined BIG PLANET MADE Entertainment in April 2024 and began a world tour in August, performing across 29 cities worldwide through April 2025. Given that settlements are typically paid approximately three months after revenue is generated, it is believed that portions of his tour income were never settled. His Japan arena tour, which ran from September through the end of last year, is also reportedly included in the unpaid amount.

INB100, founded by Baekhyun and later joined by Chen and Xiumin, was absorbed into One Hundred Label in May 2024. Baekhyun soon embarked on extensive activities, launching a world tour that began in Seoul last June and extended to 28 cities worldwide. Encore concerts are scheduled from the 2nd to the 4th at Seoul’s KSPO Dome. Despite his heavy schedule, he has reportedly not received payments owed from the second half of 2025 onward.

Other artists, including Chen, Xiumin, and The Boyz, are reportedly facing similar circumstances. Although Chairman Cha Ga Won reportedly secured large advance payments by leveraging the artists’ intellectual property, excessive and questionable spending, including approximately 10.8 billion KRW (about 8.1 million USD), recorded as costume expenses in 2024, appears to have depleted company funds. The company later claimed these were misclassified production costs, but industry observers believe there is little room for financial recovery.

The situation is particularly complex for EXO-CBX. Under an existing agreement, the trio is obligated to pay 10 percent of their individual activity revenue to SM Entertainment, but this obligation has reportedly not been fulfilled. According to The Fact, SM Entertainment sent a formal legal notice late last year demanding payment. However, with INB100 reportedly lacking sufficient funds and the artists themselves not receiving proper settlements, the dispute remains unresolved.

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