Mnet Compensates 11 of the 12 Contestants Victimized by 'Produce 101' Voting Manipulation
Mnet has finally compensated 11 of the victims of their voting manipulation during the "Produce" series.
Keep on reading to know more.
Mnet Compensates 11 of the 12 Contestants Victimized by 'Produce 101' Voting Manipulation
On August 2 KST, Korean media outlet, Munhwa Ilbo, reported and confirmed that 11 of the 12 contestants who were victimized on Mnet's "Produce" series, where two of the series' producer-directors were sentenced to prison after being found guilty of manipulating the votes in each season, were finally compensated.
'Produce 101' season 1 debut group, I.O.I
Previously, Mnet had conducted a meeting and made an agreement with 11 of the 12 contestants who were directly affected by Mnet's process of manipulating votes. The 12 contestants were identified and publicized as victims by the Seoul District Court back in November of last year during the trial and appeals of both Mnet and the producer-directors, PD Ahn Joon Young and CP Kim Yong Bum.
According to Munhwa Ilbo, Mnet had decided on the amount of compensation based on the actual amount of damage, taking into account the expected profits that could have been obtained if the 11 contestants were selected as part of the debut group. Regarding the exact amount of the compensation, Mnet said, "We cannot give the specific details."
READ ALSO: MBK Entertainment Founder and PocketDol Studio CEO Fined for Rigging the Votes of 'Produce 101'
'Produce 101' season 2 debut group, Wanna One
In the case of the one contestant who has not yet been compensated, Mnet revealed that they have not yet reached an agreement with the victim, as there is an ongoing disagreement over the amount of the compensation between Mnet and the contestant's agency.
Mnet said, "The amount requested by the agency for which the compensation for damages has not been completed is based on unrealistic grounds, blurring the meaning and scope of the compensation. But we will still do our best to compensate the victim."
'Produce 48' debut group, IZ*ONE
Meanwhile, at the end of 2019, Mnet apologized for the issues caused by their audition and survival programs. Around 30 billion won (around $26 million USD), including the past and expected profits from the "Produce" series, was used as a fund to compensate the victims.
In addition, another fund was raised for the development of the music ecosystem of Korea. In April 2020, a committee was launched in which people in the academia, legal circles, industry experts joined to protect the rights and interests of viewers to improve the quality of future broadcasts and content.
READ ALSO: Produce 101's Ahn Jon Young and Kim Yong Bum Indicted For Manipulation Charges
'Produce X 101' debut group, X1
List of 12 Victims of Mnet's Voting Manipulation Revealed
During the trial hearing of PD Ahn Joon Young and CP Kim Yong Bum back in November 2020, the Seoul District Court had revealed the names of the contestants who were forcibly eliminated and were victims of voting manipulation from the "Produce" series.
The list included contestants from the first and second season of "Produce 101," "Produce 48," and "Produce X 101":
"Produce 101" Season 1 - debut group I.O.I
1. Kim Soo Hyun - eliminated during first-round voting
2. Seo Hye Rim - eliminated during first-round voting
"Produce 101" Season 2 - debut group Wanna One
3. Sung Hyun Woo - eliminated during 1st round voting
4. Kang Dong Ho - eliminated during fourth round voting
"Produce 48" - debut group IZ*ONE
5. Lee Ga Eun - originally fifth place, eliminated during fourth round voting
6. Han Cho Won - originally sixth place, eliminated during fourth round voting
"Produce X 101" - debut group X1
7. Anzardi Timothee - eliminated during first-round voting
8. Kim Kook Heon - eliminated during third round voting
9. Lee Jin Woo - eliminated during third round voting
10. Goo Jung Mo - originally sixth place, eliminated during fourth round voting
11. Lee Jin Hyuk - originally seventh place, eliminated during fourth round voting
12. Geum Dong Hyun - originally eighth place, eliminated during fourth round voting
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Written by Robyn Joan
