(Belated) Happy 1st anniversary, FIFTY FIFTY!
One of 2023’s most successful K-Pop acts, rookie group FIFTY FIFTY had just celebrated its first-year anniversary last November 18, 2023. Member Keena, despite being the only one remaining from the original line-up, did not skimp out to thank the group’s fans for all of their support.
In a hand-written letter posted on FIFTY FIFTY’s official fansite on the day of the group’s anniversary, Keena expressed her gratitude for Hunnies and apologized for the numerous controversies in the past year.
She also reflected on how she had grown in the past year and promised to show more of herself through the group’s future performances and music.
“Hello. This is FIFTY FIFTY’s Keena.
It seems like it has been so long since I’ve greeted Hunnies, so I’m very careful as to how to start. But today I’ve mustered up the courage to convey my sincerity. The first thing I want to tell Hunnies is that I’m sorry to have made Hunnies suffer through my insufficient actions. I also want to say thank you to Hunnies who have trusted in me and waited for me, despite not knowing when all of it would end.
And Hunnies! Today it’s been a year since we’ve met. I can’t believe that I’m writing that word even. The past year has been one where I’ve been able to grow, learn from and experience many things. In each moment, what helped me to get up was the thought of Hunnies. I think that I spent every moment with you guys. In the future, as a way to repay you, I’ll make you guys happy each and every day again, through good performances and good music, as FIFTY FIFTY’s Keena.
Hunnies, I love you so much. Thank you.”
FIFTY FIFTY debuted on November 18, 2022, with the mini album, “The Fifty”, which contained 4 tracks—lead single “Higher”, “Tell Me”, “Lovin Me”, and “Log In”. In early January 2023, The Recording Academy selected FIFTY FIFTY as part of their “K-pop Girl Groups To Watch in 2023” listicle, describing the group as having “displayed various colors and a vocal maturity that is both hard to find and crucial to have.”
On February 24, 2023, FIFTY FIFTY released its first single album, “The Beginning: Cupid”, with its title track “Cupid”. The song had become a commercial success following a fan-made sped-up version of it going viral on TikTok. Since then, the girl group had reached several highs in their career in just a span of a year—breaking personal records on Western music charts, appearing on the soundtrack of one of Summer 2023’s most beloved movie, “Barbie”.
The group’s career had skidded into a halting stop when the group had filed to suspend their exclusive contracts with ATTRAKT.
On August 28, 2023, the Seoul High Court dismissed the FIFTY FIFTY members’ injunction, siding with ATTRAKT due to the “lack of evidence”. Following this, Keena withdrew her lawsuit and returned to the agency.
On October 23, 2023, ATTRAKT announced the termination of the other FIFTY FIFTY members, Saena, Aran, and Sio, which had been effective since October 19, 2023. Then on November 2, 2023, the agency announced that FIFTY FIFTY will be re-grouping and re-organizing with 3 new members to join Keena.
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