SANGGYUN
SANGGYUN can no longer stay silent. Frustrated, angry, and exhausted, he shares his truth.
South Korean artist KIM SANGGYUN, former member of JBJ and currently one half of the duo KENTA & SANGGYUN (formerly JBJ95), published a powerful and unexpected message on Instagram. In it, he pours out his frustration and anger over the legal obstacles preventing the use of the name “JBJ.” His words are raw, emotional, and shine a light on the troubled history behind the duo.
“It’s been a long time since we worked on a song together…”
SANGGYUN starts by expressing genuine joy at reuniting with his former stage partner, KENTA, in the studio. After JBJ’s disbandment, the two formed JBJ95, and today, they are back with new music. But behind the reunion lies a harsh reality.
“While listening to Taehyun hyung’s show, I couldn’t say everything I wanted to, so I wanted to speak directly to our fans here,” he wrote, highlighting an urgent need to speak openly, away from curated appearances.
The “JBJ” Name Stolen: A Shocking Block
What should have been a simple musical comeback turned into a legal trap. The name “JBJ”, full of memories and emotional weight for both the artists and their fans, can no longer be used by the members who created it.
“Before we could even work together again, so much happened behind the scenes,” SANGGYUN revealed. W”e weren’t allowed to use the name ‘JBJ’ for this song. That’s why our names are just listed as features, because a third party, who isn’t even a former member of the group, filed for the rights to the name after JBJ disbanded.”
According to him, the rights don’t belong to CJ ENM, Kakao, or any of their former agencies. Instead, they are now held by a person they don’t even know, possibly connected in some way to their previous agency, with whom they had a long history of conflict.
“It makes me sick. It’s disgusting.”
SANGGYUN doesn’t hold back. His anger and disappointment are palpable in every line of his statement.
“I’ll be honest with you, dear fans, it makes me sick. It’s disgusting. To see all the precious stories we created with sincerity, with the members and you, our fans, now treated like a simple way to make money… It drives me mad.”
He goes so far as to say that he feels like “finding that person and smashing their head,” harsh words, of course, but meant as a vivid metaphor for emotional exhaustion, not literal intent. This is a desperate outcry from an artist who has lost control of the identity he helped build.
The heavy legacy of the legal battle
This declaration also follows the duo’s long legal struggle. In 2021, KENTA and SANGGYUN filed a lawsuit against their agency, Star Road Entertainment, for lack of support, no manager, no stylist, no makeup team, and for being forced to cover their own expenses despite their exclusive contracts.
In 2022, the court ruled in their favor, terminating their contracts, but also ordering them to pay millions of won in compensation to their former agency. A partial victory, shadowed by financial penalties.
In his post, SANGGYUN takes a stand against the rumors that have followed them ever since:
“About the ‘95 lawsuit — there have been so many rumors saying we lost on purpose or skipped schedules just to break our contract. I want to make this clear: our request for termination wasn’t reckless. It was a legitimate action, based on real reasons.”
“If we stay quiet, people just think we’re stupid.”
Beyond the battle over the JBJ name, SANGGYUN calls out the entire system, one where “rights holders” profit off something they had no hand in creating.
“How long do we have to keep suffering in silence because of these so-called ‘rights owners’ who think they’re part of the entertainment business?”
His message is also a call for transparency. He promises to soon share all the facts “clearly and in order,” so that the path they’ve walked together with fans won’t be forgotten or dismissed.
SANGGYUN ends with a disarmingly honest admission:
“I really don’t like writing messages like this. I’ve never done it before. But lately, my emotions have become overwhelming. Thank you for understanding. I’ll do my best in the situation we’re in.”
As raw as it is heartfelt, his message reminds us that behind every K-pop group are real people, artists and creators caught in the machinery of an industry that too often treats names and memories as mere business assets.
Fans are now eagerly awaiting the release of this new track, which marks the emotional return of the Kenta & Sanggyun duo. But the drama surrounding the “JBJ” name could become a symbol of something much larger, a battle for recognition, justice, and the right to own one’s own story.
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: SNS 8EOMATOM
