[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] Amid public criticism from a fan site for singer and actor T.O.P, which announced it was shutting down after nearly 20 years of operation and cited a lack of communication and inadequate support for his activities from his agency, the agency has issued an apology.

.

T.O.P’s agency, Top Spot Pictures, released an official statement on the afternoon of the 10th, saying, “We deeply apologize to the fans who have waited for us all this time for failing to sufficiently share news about his activities and communicate with you, and for causing you disappointment and regret as a result.”
They continued, “We are taking the feedback recently shared by our fans very seriously,” adding, “Going forward, we will listen more closely to your feedback and actively incorporate it into the artist’s activities and overall management.”
The agency also expressed its intention to improve its communication system with fans. “We will reevaluate our methods of communication with fans and provide updates through official channels as soon as improvement plans are finalized,” they said, promising, “We will return with a better image so that we can repay the love you have shown our artist.”
This statement was issued following the announcement on the 9th by TOP’s fan site, “Choi Seung-hyun.com,” that it would be ending its operations after approximately 20 years. The fan site did not merely announce the closure of its operations but also strongly criticized the responses from TOP and his agency.
Launched on August 24, 2006, Choi Seung-hyun.com is a fan site that has documented and supported T.O.P.’s career. However, in a recent official statement, the site announced its closure while raising issues regarding the artist’s activities and communication with fans.
The fan site specifically pointed out that, despite TOP releasing an album for his fans, there was a lack of stage performances and direct communication with them. Furthermore, they claimed that fans had shouldered a significant portion of the responsibilities that should have been led by the agency, such as album promotion, fan support, and responding to inquiries. The implication is that the agency’s attitude of taking fans’ voluntary dedication for granted is the problem.
They also explained the circumstances behind the cancellation of the exhibition “OFF GRID: NEW GROUND,” which had been in preparation. The fan site emphasized that the cancellation was not due to backlash over online dating rumors but rather to low participation rates and the financial burden of operating costs.
According to the fan site, the exhibition was planned based on an expected participation of about 300 people, but only about 20 people applied during the first week. They explained that proceeding under these circumstances would have required them to bear additional costs amounting to several million won. The fan site criticized the agency for failing to adequately consider the fans’ difficulties during this process.
As the controversy spread, the agency issued an official statement acknowledging the fans’ grievances. However, this statement did not include specific explanations regarding the individual issues raised by the fan site or any plans for future activities. The agency stated that it plans to develop improvement measures and announce them through official channels.
With the agency’s official apology following the fan site’s announcement that it would cease operations after supporting TOP for approximately 20 years, attention is now focused on whether there will be tangible improvements in communication and support for his activities moving forward.