On August 20, 2026, the legal representative for former Xdinary Heroes leader and drummer Gun-il released an extensive official statement regarding his sudden departure from the group and his exclusive contract with JYP Entertainment.
Represented by attorney Seong Jae-hwan of Law Firm Juwon, the statement offered a formal response to the recent controversies surrounding private conversations, while challenging the agency’s earlier claim that his contract had been terminated by mutual consent.
While expressing deep remorse for the disruption caused to fans and his former bandmates, the legal release outlined Gun-il’s stance on the nature of the allegations, the circumstances surrounding his mental distress at the time, and his desire to reach an amicable resolution with JYP Entertainment without immediately entering into legal litigation.
The legal update comes in the wake of significant changes for Xdinary Heroes, following an online post by an individual claiming to be Gun-il’s former girlfriend.
In the aftermath of the initial agency announcement on August 13, 2026, the group was reorganized as a five-member band, leading to the cancellation of their scheduled appearance at Japan’s Summer Sonic 2026 festival.
Legal Representative Issues Apology and Clarifies Circumstances Behind Private Remarks
In the official statement, Attorney Seong Jae-hwan conveyed Gun-il’s sincere apologies to the public, supporters, and fellow band members.
The statement acknowledged that Gun-il had used inappropriate language during a private phone call, while emphasizing that his expressions were born out of severe psychological pressure rather than hostility toward genuine fans.
The official statement from Law Firm Juwon reads:
“We deeply apologize for causing concern to Xdinary Heroes fans and the members of Xdinary Heroes because of this incident.”
Expanding on the context surrounding the leaked private conversation, the legal representative explained:
“Using inappropriate language in a private setting can never be justified under any circumstances.
At the time, he was under considerable psychological strain from some online posts and excessive invasions of privacy.
In the course of opening up about his feelings during a private phone call, he used inappropriate expressions.”
Also, the legal team firmly refuted several online rumors that had gained traction following the initial leak.
After conducting a thorough review of the relevant records, the attorney clarified that Gun-il had not engaged in systematic or repeated verbal abuse toward fans, nor had he disparaged his fellow band members or dated other individuals concurrently during the relationship.
The statement emphasized that the harsh expressions used during the private call were directed specifically at severe invasions of privacy and malicious online harassers- including past incidents involving stalking at the group’s dormitory and a GPS tracking device attached to his vehicle- rather than the group’s broader fanbase.
Disputed Contract Termination and Future Steps with JYP Entertainment
A central point of the legal release focused on the discrepancy between JYP Entertainment’s previous press release and Gun-il’s actual stance regarding his departure.
While JYP Entertainment had previously stated that the exclusive contract was terminated through mutual agreement, the statement from Law Firm Juwon directly refuted this characterization, asserting:
“The artist did not voluntarily leave the group, and he did not agree to terminate the exclusive contract.”
The legal representative elaborated that, based on their review of the case, valid legal grounds for an immediate unilateral contract termination did not exist.
However, the statement clarified that Gun-il does not wish to initiate an immediate legal battle or prolong fan distress, stating:
“wishing to spare his fans any further distress, he intends to continue discussions with the agency in good faith.”
Regarding potential civil and criminal legal action against the author of the original online expository post, the legal team noted that while the post contained multiple falsehoods that constitute legal grounds for defamation claims, no formal lawsuits will be filed at this time in accordance with Gun-il’s explicit wishes.
Moving forward, Gun-il hopes to resolve the remaining contractual matters calmly through continued dialogue with JYP Entertainment while taking time to reflect on his past conduct.
