Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- X1, a project boy band formed through a TV audition show, will be dismantled as management agencies failed to reach a unanimous decision on the resumption of the group's activities which have been suspended since two main producers of Mnet, a popular TV music channel, were arrested for their role in a vote-rigging scandal.

Mnet said in a statement issued on Monday that it would "respect" the positions of X1's agencies that dismantle the band. At talks with Mnet officials, nine agencies decided to disband the band due to the lack of unanimity.

The meeting came after South Korea's top entertainment and media contents company, CJ E&M, promised to provide full support for IZ*ONE and X1 to resume their activities. "All responsibilities lie with us, and we will support everything related to the resumption of activities by IZ*ONE and X1," CJ E&M CEO Huh Min-hoe said on December 30, apologizing for the scandal that sparked widespread anger from fans.

The future of IZ*ONE, a project gird band formed through a separate audition show, remains uncertain. Mnet, run by CJ E&M, a key distributor and exporter of Hallyu (Korean cultural wave) in Asia, said that IZ*ONE's agencies were all positively considering resuming the group's activities.

In early November, police arrested two producers of Produce X 101, a boy group survival reality show, on charges of rigging votes cast by fans in favor of particular contestants. One producer told investigators that Produce 48 votes were also rigged. IZ*ONE's nine members from South Korea and three from Japan debuted in October 2018 after they were selected through Produce 48, a girl band audition show.

Mnet has played a crucial role in discovering many talented K-pop artists. Produce 101 has been a preferred stage for trainees who wish to become a K-pop idol. Viewers choose 11 members out of 101 trainees from different entertainment companies and independent trainees through online and live voting with multiple elimination rounds.