4th Gen Girl Group’s Album Delays Spark Scam Accusations and Growing Concerns

This is not the first time concerns for the group have been expressed.

In 2021 and 2022, MBC hosted a survival show titled My Teenage Girl to debut a brand new girl group.

After weeks of competition, seven trainees were selected to debut as part of CLASS:y, releasing their first mini-album, Class Is Over on May 5, 2022. The group released three mini albums in 2022 and made their Japanese debut with a Japanese version of their debut track, “Shut Down.”

CLASS:y | SBS

However, in 2023, the group’s activities slowed down greatly, only releasing two non-album singles. Following the second single’s release in December, the group did not have activities for a massive chunk of 2024.

Many fans were thankful when it was finally announced that the group would return with a physical album in November 2024. On November 14, the group’s music video for “Psycho and Beautiful” was released.

The physical album was initially set to be released the same day but has experienced four different delays. These delays have pushed the album’s physical release back to December 20, after a previous delay said it would come out on December 9.

| theqoo

Even though the album has yet to be released, the group has held fan sign events, with attendees receiving a signed piece of paper due to the album not being available yet. The group’s promotions have also ended, with no physical album sales to contribute to their performance.

| theqoo

Netizens expressed concern over the album delays, criticizing the group’s company for its handling of the group’s first official comeback in nearly two years.

• “Isn’t this just a scam? How is it acceptable to not deliver the product on the scheduled date and keep delaying it?”
• “Are you telling me they sold the album for money but didn’t provide the physical copy and just held fan signs?”
• “It took them two years to release this? Couldn’t they have prepared better? This is way too much.”
• “Shady entertainment companies need to be investigated, their finances audited, and checked for any violations of human rights or unfair practices. Problematic agencies should be shut down. Is the salt farm slavery case the only form of slavery? It feels like there are still so many idols tied to unreasonable contracts and forced to endure one-sided exploitation, starting from their trainee days. The K-pop industry seems like a huge blind spot for human rights.”
• “This can’t just be a mistake—there must be some ulterior motive. How is this the reward for winning a survival show? It’s devastating. Please terminate the contract.”
• “…What? Seriously, the idol industry comes up with the most bizarre ways to deceive consumers. This is insane, I can’t help but swear. If they held fan signs, that means the albums were sold through pre-orders, but now that promotions are over, consumers still haven’t received the product? This company is crazy.”