Ahn Joon-young, the program director who served two years in prison for rigging and manipulating the results of the survival audition program “Produce X 101,” has rejoined Mnet.
Mnet is a TV channel under CJ ENM which produced the successful “Produce 101” seasons 1 and 2, “Produce 48” and “Produce X 101.”
Program director Ahn Joon-young is arrested on Nov. 5, 2019 (Screenshot from TV Daily video)
K-pop boy band X1 (Twitter)
These programs gave birth to K-pop groups I.O.I, Wanna One, IZ*ONE and X1.
Ahn Joon-young rejoined Mnet’s music division, according to Korean media outlet YTN.
His investigation by the police stemmed from the results of the “Produce X 101” TV show in July 2019.
After the airing of the TV program’s final episode, fans complained that there was a pattern in the difference in votes of the 20 finalists.
The controversy led to an investigation that resulted in the indictment of Ahn Joon-young, producer Kim Yong-beom and six other people on Dec. 3, 2019. Through their lawyer, Ahn and Kim admitted most of the charges.
X1 debuted in August 2019 but disbanded on Jan. 6, 2020 due to the vote rigging controversy.
The members of X1 were Kim Yo-han, Kim Woo-seok, Lee Han-gyul, Cha Jun-ho, Han Seung-woo, Song Hyeong-jun, Cho Seung-youn, Kang Min-hee, Son Dong-pyo,, Nam Do-hyon, and Lee Eun-sang,
Ahn Joon-young was accused of manipulating the results of the viewer paid text voting in the “Produce” programs and receiving money from five entertainment agencies from 2018 to 2019.
On Nov. 5, 2019, Ahn Joon-young and Kim Yong-beong were arrested by the police.
On May 29, 2020, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Ahn Joon-young to two years in prison and a fine of 37 million won (about $28,035) for fraud and breach of trust. Kim Yong-beom was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison.
He appealed his sentence but the Seoul High Court affirmed his sentence in November 2020. He went to the Supreme Court to appeal but it was denied in March 2021.
Ahn Joon-young completed his sentence and was released from prison on Nov. 4, 2021.
Kim Yong-beom returned to CN ENM in 2022.