What Happened to FIFTY FIFTY? The Girl Group Behind Viral ‘Cupid’ Re-Debuted with 4 New Members

Photo by Han Myung-Gu/WireImage

FIFTY FIFTY skyrocketed to global fame in 2023 with their hit song “Cupid,” which dominated social media and music charts. But behind the scenes, the group faced a whirlwind of drama that stunned the K-pop world. So, what exactly happened — and are they still a group?

Keep reading for a full scoop on FIFTY FIFTY.

What Happened to FIFTY FIFTY?

FIFTY FIFTY’s rise was meteoric, but so was their fallout. The group, originally consisting of members Saena, Aran, Sio and Keena, shocked fans when they sued their agency, Attrakt, in mid-2023. The members alleged mistreatment, and that the company had breached its contract with them by “failing to provide accounting data” and neglecting the group’s mental health, according to the Korea Times.

However, in an unexpected twist, the courts sided with Attrakt. By October 2023, Keena withdrew from the lawsuit and returned to the agency, while the contracts of Saena, Aran and Sio were terminated.

The split didn’t end there. As Attrakt announced plans to relaunch the group with a new lineup alongside Keena, the three former members signed with Massive E&C, a subsidiary of IOK Company, hinting at plans for their own comeback.

Did FIFTY FIFTY Re-Debut?

In January 2024, Attrakt held auditions to rebuild the group alongside original member Keena. By August, the new lineup was revealed: Chanelle Moon, Yewon, Hana and Athena. Chanelle and Yewon were already familiar faces from the survival show R U Next? which formed ILLIT, while Hana had previously appeared on We Kid, a children’s music program.

The revamped FIFTY FIFTY officially re-debuted on September 20, 2024, with their album Love Tune.

The Former FIFTY FIFTY Members’ Debut as ‘ablume’

Meanwhile, Saena, Aran, and Sio are busy planning their own return. In August 2024, the trio signed under Massive E&C, and are gearing up for a re-debut under the name, ablume.

“Like a small seed growing into a beautiful flower, the three members aim to find their own unique colors based on their individual charms and potential, then bring them together to create vibrant, diverse music,” the agency said in a press release at the time.

“We look forward to Aran, Saena and Sio showing an even more diverse range of performances and styles to the fans as they have reunited as a new girl group,” said Hwang Choi Han-cho, the CEO of Massive E&C. “We will work hard to provide various opportunities for ablume to connect with its fans both domestically and internationally through social media.”

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