▲ This photo and hand-written letter is screenshot from the social media post of Bada of K-pop girl group S.E.S. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- Bada of first generational K-pop girl group S.E.S. has issued a public apology following allegations of false advertising, while her management agency announced plans to take legal action regarding the incident.

 

In a statement released Tuesday via its official website, her agency Wave Nine said, "We sincerely apologize for the concern caused by the promotional video related to a product introduced through a YouTube channel."

 

The agency acknowledged its failure to properly vet the content in advance, stating, "Given the artist’s public influence and the trust placed in her, we should have exercised greater caution and conducted a thorough review before her appearance. We deeply regret and apologize for not fulfilling that responsibility."

 

Wave Nine explained that the video in question was a scripted advertisement produced by an external agency. "Although we should have examined and verified the product’s distribution channels and quality, we failed to do so. This oversight led to Bada’s participation in the video, for which we accept full responsibility," the agency said.

 

According to the agency, Bada had no prior knowledge of the product and merely followed the provided script, which included the line, “I first saw this product back when I visited Australia. It was already quite popular there,” along with corresponding captions.

 

"There was no intention to deliberately mislead or deceive consumers," the statement continued. "However, we sincerely apologize for the confusion and mistrust that have resulted. We take this matter seriously and accept full accountability."

 

The agency also confirmed that it had notified the YouTube channel of its decision to terminate all collaboration and requested the removal of all related content featuring Bada. "Going forward, we will strengthen our internal review system and implement stricter due diligence procedures, including legal consultation, for all content involving our artists," it added.

 

Wave Nine further revealed that legal action is underway: "We are currently working with legal counsel to prepare civil and criminal proceedings, as we have found evidence suggesting the production company and cosmetics brand provided false information and avoided their verification responsibilities. We will take firm measures if Bada was used as a tool for false advertising or if her reputation was damaged."

 

The controversy arose after Bada introduced a cream product allegedly from Sydney, Australia, on a YouTube channel. The product had previously been criticized for exaggerated claims, and the video quickly came under fire, leading to it being made private.

 

Bada also issued a handwritten letter of apology the same day, stating, "I deeply apologize to everyone who was disappointed by this incident. I will strive to act with greater responsibility in the future."

 

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