[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] Geon-il, who left the band X-Dinary Heroes in the wake of a privacy controversy, has come forward to refute claims, stating that he did not agree to the termination of his exclusive contract with JYP Entertainment (JYP).

Seong Jae-hwan, Geon-il’s legal representative and attorney at Juwon Law Firm, stated in a press release issued on the 20th, “We wish to set the record straight regarding the relationship between Geon-il and his agency,” adding, “Geon-il did not voluntarily leave the group, nor has he agreed to the termination of his exclusive contract.”
He continued, “Given the circumstances and nature of this matter, it is difficult to conclude that there are grounds for terminating the exclusive contract,” adding, “We intend to continue dialogue with the agency in an amicable manner.”
Furthermore, he noted, “The post that sparked this issue contains numerous inaccuracies, and the damage inflicted on the artist as a result is by no means trivial,” adding, “While we believe this is a matter that warrants civil and criminal action, we do not plan to take legal action in accordance with Geon-il’s wishes.”
Finally, Attorney Jeong conveyed, “Geon-il would like to once again deeply apologize for causing concern and fatigue to his fans and fellow members due to this incident, and he hopes that the upcoming procedures will be resolved amicably and promptly.”
Previously, controversy erupted online after a post by a netizen identified as “A,” who claimed to be Geon-il’s ex-girlfriend, surfaced. A alleged that while they were dating, Geon-il used profanity to disparage fans and expressed dissatisfaction with his activities. A also released what appeared to be recordings of phone calls and screenshots of messenger conversations with Geon-il.
As the controversy grew, JYP issued a statement on the 13th, stating, “We determined that it would be difficult for Geon-il to continue participating in group activities, so we decided to terminate his exclusive contract by mutual agreement,” and added, “Geon-il is leaving X-Dinary Heroes and ending his activities with the group.”
Due to Geon-il’s sudden departure, X-Dinary Heroes did not participate in the Japanese music festival “Summer Sonic 2026,” held on the 14th and 16th, and canceled the fan meeting scheduled to take place at Korea University’s Hwajeong Gymnasium from the 18th to the 20th of next month.
While Geon-il has stated that he never consented to leaving the group or terminating his exclusive contract, JYP has yet to issue a further statement.