You may have seen how the girls of MADEIN radiated so much powerful energy on stage and how these rookie idols captivated you with their charm and promises. Yet, behind those stylized visuals and polished choreography, something just doesn’t…sit right. There’s too much scandal going on about MADEIN: Gaeun speaks out, and Suhye is now on hiatus. And behind this MADEIN controversy stands the agency, 143 Entertainment.
While no one can claim to know everything unfolding behind closed doors, we now have enough information to ask one critical question: What is really happening inside 143 Entertainment?
Join us as we dive deeper and question the 143 Entertainment and MADEIN scandal controversy in the report below.
First Alarm of 143 Entertainment & MADEIN Controversy: The Gaeun Scandal
When MADEIN debuted in September 2024, they were introduced as a seven-member multinational girl group with promising global appeal.
But just months later, member Gaeun unfollowed her agency and its CEO on social media. She was quietly placed on indefinite hiatus and then removed from the group altogether, officially for “health” reasons.
What came next then eventually reframed everything.
In November, JTBC’s investigative program “Scandal Supervisor” broadcast audio recordings allegedly involving a rookie idol and her CEO, in which the CEO demanded she “be his girlfriend for a day” in exchange for letting her quit group activities. The clip included descriptions of forced kissing and inappropriate physical advances lasting over two hours.
Though names were blurred, fans quickly identified visual clues that pointed toward MADEIN and Gaeun. A week later, 143 Entertainment denied all claims, stating there had been “no forced sexual contact” and dismissing the allegations as false.
But the public had already taken notice.
The Game-Changer: A Hidden Apology Comes to Light
Then, in April 2025, a private apology letter surfaced. Dated October 25, 2024—weeks before Gaeun’s hiatus—the letter showed CEO Lee Yong Hak admitting to “sexual misconduct” toward a then-redacted group member. He pledged to take full responsibility, regardless of his legal status as CEO.
This letter appeared after @nugupromoter posted a letter that contradicted the company’s denial. It raised urgent questions about transparency, internal accountability, and the treatment of young artists under contract.
Shortly after, Gaeun held a press conference at the Korea Press Center with support from the Hanbit Media Labor Rights Center. There, her legal team and former staff members detailed how she, still a minor at the time, had been called into the CEO’s office, verbally abused, and molested.
Her mother also spoke publicly, and the team presented real documents. The case turned from rumors into an official case in the hands of the law.
Then Came Suhye Hiatus: The Second MADEIN Member Steps Back
On May 14, 2025, another MADEIN member, Suhye, announced an indefinite hiatus.
This time, there was no JTBC broadcast. No press conference. Just a brief statement from 143 Entertainment, saying Suhye was stepping back “for personal reasons.” The company emphasized that the decision was made so she could “return in a better condition” and asked for the fans’ understanding.
“Hello, this is 143 Entertainment.
We deeply appreciate the ongoing love and support you’ve shown to MADEIN.
After careful discussion, Suhye has decided to step away from group activities for the time being, due to personal matters. This decision was made with the hope that she can return in a healthier and brighter condition in the future.
We ask for your kind understanding during this time and promise to provide Suhye with the full support she needs to rest and recover.
Please continue to send her your warm encouragement so she may return with a smile.”
143 Entertainment Official Statement, May 14, 2025
Once again, the “personal hiatus reasons” just seemed too familiar. And coming on the heels of MADEIN Gaeun’s scandal, and amid continued media scrutiny of CEO Lee Yong Hak, the timing just raised eyebrows.
Is this a coincidence—or another red flag?
The agency didn’t link Suhye’s hiatus to the ongoing legal investigation, but Korean media did note the connection. Outlets like Sports Chosun and Hankyung mentioned the CEO’s “forced molestation allegations” in their reporting about Suhye’s hiatus, making it clear the public sees the issues as related.
Gaeun Scandal Controversy & MADEIN Suhye Hiatus: What’s Happening Inside 143 Entertainment?
If this were just one case, the industry might dismiss it as a “misunderstanding.” However, the facts we have right now, especially after Gaeun’s scandal controversy and MADEIN Suhye hiatus, have suggested that something is definitely happening inside 143 Entertainment.
Let us once again take a closer look at all the facts:
- Two members out of seven have now stepped back from MADEIN activities.
- One has publicly accused the CEO of serious misconduct.
- A private apology letter confirms some level of wrongdoing.
- Former staff supported the claims during a press conference.
- Fans have protested, filed petitions, and launched hashtags demanding investigation and reform.
- And yet, 143 Entertainment continues to maintain its innocence, offering only vague statements, while denying most of the allegations as “one-sided” or “inaccurate.”
Even without drawing conclusions, the trend is deeply concerning.
A Deeper Issue Within the Korean Entertainment Industry
Let’s not accuse anyone, let’s be clear about this first. And let us not speculate beyond these facts. But all the scandal controversy involving MADEIN and 143 Entertainment has triggered more questions, especially now that Suhye is also going on hiatus under “personal reasons.”
There’s a pattern here, and it’s both too familiar and concerning amid all the ongoing controversy involving the group. And when an underage member speaks out, and another soon after goes quiet, the public has the right to ask: What is really going on inside the company?
The scandal controversy between 143 Entertainment and former MADEIN Gaeun was one of the most outrageous issues in K-pop, especially because it involved alleged sexual assault against minors.
That, along with MADEIN Suhye hiatus, are enough grounds to question: does 143 Entertainment have proper system to protect these underage artists? How do they handle internal complaints? And what happens when the issue involves the CEO themselves?
And beyond 143 Entertainment, we can also ask the same questions to the entire industry in South Korea.
Because the 143 Entertainment and MADEIN controversy becomes even more concerning when it happens almost during the same timeline as Kim Soo Hyun’s alleged underage dating scandal and “Under 15” bizarre practice.
Hence, we are supposed to question not just 143 Entertainment, but the whole system itself.
Beyond MADEIN Suhye Hiatus & 143 Entertainment Scandal Controversy
We may not have all the answers, and we may never know everything happening behind the walls of 143 Entertainment. But with two MADEIN members stepping away, it’s time to stop brushing these signs aside as coincidence.
This isn’t about scandal-chasing or placing blame without proof. This is about recognizing patterns that feel all too familiar: young idols asked to stay quiet, agencies issuing vague statements, and fans left worried, confused, and powerless.
After all, K-pop has always been about perfection on the surface. But we all know that a good reputation is never about flawless stages or synchronized dance moves. It’s on those moments of how the company protects the artists when the camera stops rolling and no one’s watching.
That is why with all the scandal controversy going on MADEIN, along with Suhye sudden hiatus, 143 Entertainment owes fans more explanations. And beyond that, the company, along with hundreds of others, owes a real system that both artists and fans can trust.
Because every time an agency chooses silence over safety, reputation over responsibility, and denial over change, they don’t just fail one idol. They fail the future of K-pop itself.
So, to every fan reading this: don’t look away. Keep asking questions. Keep paying attention.
And to the industry: the world is watching. And this time, we won’t forget.
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