Police Raid Woollim, Starship, and MBK In Connection With “Produce X 101” Vote-Manipulation Controversy

It has been revealed that police raided Woollim Entertainment, Starship Entertainment, and MBK Entertainment for a search and seizure in connection with Mnet‘s Produce X 101 vote-manipulation controversy.

According to sources from both the entertainment industry and police, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s cyber division team carried out separate search and seizures at the offices of Woollim Entertainment, Starship Entertainment, and MBK Entertainment today, October 1.

X1 contains Cha Junho from Woollim Entertainment, Song Hyeongjun and Kang Minhee from Starship Entertainment, and Lee Hangyul and Nam Dohyon from MBK Entertainment.

Starship Entertainment has released their statement regarding the investigations, stating they will sincerely comply with police investigations.

We understand that police are investigating CJ ENM over the alleged manipulation of the rankings in Produce X 101, and with that, comes an investigation into the partner companies involved.

We will sincerely act on the police’s request for an investigation.

— Starship Entertainment

Following the results for the show, netizens dug into the vote numbers that were revealed, and discovered a pattern among all of the votes. They accused Mnet of rigging the votes for the members they wanted to debut, and a politician even demanded an investigation. Mnet then apologized for falsifying the vote numbers, but claimed the vote results were still the same. In the end, Mnet agreed to undergo police investigation to reveal the truth.