C9 Entertainment’s K-pop act, CIX, will significantly transform. One of the group’s most famous members, Bae Jin-Young, exited the act after his contract with the music agency expired.
After competing in Mnet‘s reality survival program, Produce 101 season 2, Bae Jin-Young debuted in K-pop through the group Wanna One. Jin-Young ranked 10th in the finale of Produce 101, gaining over 807,749 real-time votes.
After Wanna One disbanded, Bae Jin-Young joined CIX in 2019 as the lead dancer and center of the group. The K-pop star also made his solo debut in the same year with the single album Hard to Say Goodbye. The debut solo project sold over 63,987 copies within the first week of its release, showing the singer’s lost-lasting popularity in South Korea.
How many members are left in K-pop boy group CIX after Bae Jin-Young’s exit?
CIX will not disband and will move forward with only four members: BX, Seunghun, Yonghee, and Hyunsuk. The group’s agency, C9 Entertainment, noted: “First of all, after holding discussions, the company and Bae Jinyoung have decided to end our exclusive contract on August 1, 2024.
We would like to express our gratitude to Bae Jinyoung, who has worked hard as a member of CIX. Please continue to support him on his future path. As a result, CIX will continue as a four-member group. They are currently preparing to release new music and performances later this year.”
Meanwhile, CIX debuted in 2019 with their first extended play, Hello Chapter 1: Hello, Stranger, on July 23, 2019. The EP sold over 73,790 units within the release week, making the group chart number 2 on South Korea’s Circle Album Chart.
Generally, K-pop groups from small agencies take a few years before ranking in the top five of the Circle Album Chart. So, CIX’s successful debut impressed fans. Since its debut, CIX has released over six extended plays, two studio albums, and several hit singles.
As per music charts, the group’s most successful release was the 2021 EP, Hello Chapter Ø: Hello, Strange Dream, which ranked one on the Circle Album Chart. Followed by the EP, the group also snagged multiple awards, including the Male Idol Rising Star Award in the 2022 Korea First Brand Awards.
