Settled
VIVIZ members Eunha, SinB and Umji sign with agency Uncover; new team name weighed
In short
Eunha, SinB and Umji of the group VIVIZ have signed exclusive contracts with the music agency Uncover, the company said on October 5. Uncover said it has not settled whether the three can keep the VIVIZ name, as talks with their former agency over the existing name failed to reach agreement, and that a new team name is being considered. The team name and detailed activity plans will be announced later.
Why it matters
The signing gives the three members a new agency after they left their previous company, and Uncover gains a well-known act. Because the VIVIZ name is unresolved, the trio's future branding and release plans remain open, and the outcome of the naming talks will shape how their earlier catalogue is used.
Key facts
- Uncover said on October 5 that it signed exclusive contracts with Eunha, SinB and Umji. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- Whether the three will keep the team name VIVIZ has not been decided. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- Uncover said talks with the former agency over use of the existing name ended without a final agreement because of differences over the proposed conditions, and that a new team name is being considered. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- The team name and specific activity plans will be released later, Uncover said. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- The three debuted in 2015 as the group GFRIEND and later re-debuted as VIVIZ. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- Yonhap reported that the members had won a court injunction against former agency Big Planet Made Entertainment over unpaid settlement. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Uncover said it signed exclusive contracts with Eunha, SinB and Umji, and will support them as a team. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- The team name is undecided; Uncover said it is considering a new team name and will announce the name and activity plans later. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- Uncover said negotiations with the former agency over the existing team name stalled on differences over the proposed conditions. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- Eunha, SinB and Umji debuted in 2015 as GFRIEND and later re-debuted as VIVIZ. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the three will continue to perform as VIVIZ. Uncover said the name is not decided and that a new name is under consideration; the name and plans will be disclosed later.
- The year the three re-debuted as VIVIZ. Hankook Ilbo says 2021, while Yonhap says March 2022, and Dong-A Ilbo's summary is truncated at 2022.
- The dispute with the former agency. Only Yonhap names Big Planet Made Entertainment and reports the injunction over unpaid settlement and the court's decision; no other document states this.
- Newsis's own coverage of the signing. Newsis's article text concerns a separate defence story about a DMZ landmine incident, so its report on this event is limited to the headline.
What local media are saying
Business mediaThe Korean daily and news outlets covered the signing as a straight announcement on October 5, quoting Uncover's statement and, in most cases, adding that the VIVIZ name is unresolved and recapping the members' GFRIEND and VIVIZ history. Newsis carried the same headline even though its article text dealt with an unrelated defence story.
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Official sourcesThe Yonhap news agency reported the same Uncover announcement and added that the members had won a court injunction against their former agency, Big Planet Made Entertainment, over unpaid settlement; it noted Uncover is the agency of the group CLOSE YOUR EYES.
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Timeline, local time
- Chosun Ilbo reports that Uncover said it signed exclusive contracts with Eunha, SinB and Umji. [ 1 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports the signing and that no decision has been made on keeping the VIVIZ name, with Uncover considering a new team name. [ 2 ]
- Newsis publishes a headline reporting the signing and the consideration of a new team name. [ 3 ]
- Yonhap reports the signing, the unresolved team name, and the members' earlier injunction against former agency Big Planet Made Entertainment. [ 4 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports the signing and the unresolved team name. [ 5 ]