Korean Singer CL Faces Legal Trouble As Unregistered Agency Case Is Sent To Prosecutors

The Korean entertainment world woke up to a legal update that’s making headlines for two very different reasons. While 2NE1 member CL now faces a deeper probe over allegations linked to an unregistered agency, actor Kang Dong-won has walked away completely cleared of any wrongdoing.

Seoul’s Yongsan Police Station confirmed on January 22 that CL’s case has been formally sent to prosecutors for further investigation. The referral has been made without detention, but the development places the singer under legal scrutiny for allegedly operating an unauthorised entertainment agency.

The investigation stems from allegations that CL ran her one-person company, Very Cherry, for more than five years without registering it with authorities. The agency

was reportedly established in 2020 but was never declared under the Popular Culture and Arts Industry Development Act, a requirement for artists conducting business activities in South Korea’s entertainment industry. Police have forwarded the case to prosecutors under the same Act.

At the same time, authorities confirmed a clean slate for Kang Dong-won. The actor, who was also named in the original complaint, has been cleared of all allegations after investigators found no evidence linking him to any illegal or unregistered agency activities. As a result, the case against him has been officially closed.

The controversy began in September 2025 after a private citizen filed a complaint alleging that several celebrities had set up entertainment agencies without following mandatory registration procedures. Apart from CL and Kang Dong-won, the complaint also named trot singer Song Ga-in and first-generation soloist Kim Wan-sun. The claim stated that these agencies operated outside the legal framework, leaving them outside the protections offered by the law.

Under the Popular Culture and Arts Industry Development Act, running an unregistered entertainment agency can attract serious penalties, including up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million KRW, which is approximately USD 14,500.

The update has sparked concern among CL’s fans, particularly over the possibility of legal consequences if prosecutors decide to move forward with charges. The case now rests with the prosecution, which will determine the next steps.

Meanwhile, Kang Dong-won continues to stay busy on the professional front. The actor is currently seen in the JioHotstar series Tempest. His filmography includes popular titles such as Temptation of Wolves, Maundy Thursday, The Taoist Wizard, Secret Reunion, Kundo: Age of the Rampant, The Priests, A Violent Prosecutor, Uprising, The Plot, Peninsula and Master.

As the legal process unfolds, all eyes remain on how the prosecutors will proceed in CL’s case.