Rapper Jubitrain (real name Joo Hyun-woo, 46) has rebutted the claims made by Lee Ha-neul (real name Lee Geun-bae, 54) of the group DJ DOC and announced a strong response.
Jubitrain's agency Basecamp Studio released an official statement on the 21st, stating, "Lee Ha-neul and his agency Funkytown claimed in an official statement on April 20, 2025, that 'the matters concluded through the investigation process with Lee Ha-neul and announced by Jubitrain and his agency Basecamp Studio through the media are all false.'
They continued, "We have concluded that we can no longer remain silent in the face of Lee Ha-neul and Funkytown's repeated and malicious actions. As a company responsible for protecting the integrity of public cultural artists and the public cultural industry, we express deep concern and regret over the reality that they are indiscriminately spreading false information at the level of 'cyber racketeering' and publicly disclosing it through official statements."
Jubitrain's side responded to Lee Ha-neul's claim that "he has continuously engaged in illegal activities including fraud, embezzlement, and obstruction of business that disrupt the company's operations," stating, "Lee Ha-neul has not been able to file any lawsuits against our representative or artist Jubitrain despite his continuous claims over the past year." They added, "There has not been a single case where our representatives have been criminally charged due to Lee Ha-neul's lawsuits, and of course, there have been no investigations. Lee Ha-neul is spreading clear falsehoods through the media and personal SNS, claiming that 'he is also suing representative Lee and Jubitrain, and that both parties are currently in a lawsuit' to the public who are unaware of these facts."
They also explained that regarding the claim of unfair dismissal, three labor agencies, including the Western Branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Seoul Regional Labor Commission, and the Central Labor Commission, did not recognize any of Lee Ha-neul's claims due to insufficient evidence and contradictory statements, resulting in all victories for Jubitrain's agency representative. Furthermore, charges such as 'fraud', 'business embezzlement', 'destruction of electronic records', 'obstruction of business', and 'habitual drug offenses' were all dismissed.
Jubitrain's side also refuted Lee Ha-neul's claim that "he has been sued four times and received a non-indictment for the defamation case, but is currently under re-investigation due to the other party's objection," stating, "Our representative has been sued a total of five times based on case numbers, and approximately eight lawsuits based on charges (e.g., false accusation, defamation for spreading false information) have all been sent to the prosecution." They added, "There are still ongoing criminal lawsuits being pursued through Jubitrain."
Lee Ha-neul's side has stated that "he is currently suing Jubitrain and his agency representative Lee for fraud, embezzlement, destruction of electronic records, and obstruction of business, and plans to add additional charges for defamation and threats, as well as insult."
Jubitrain's side also countered, stating, "On December 19, 2024, the police concluded 'insufficient evidence and no charges' regarding 'fraud', 'business embezzlement', 'destruction of electronic records', and 'obstruction of business'. The prosecution also processed the return of records." They continued, "Lee Ha-neul's side has raised objections. Recently, it has been revealed through reports and material evidence from individuals around Lee Ha-neul that he and agency representatives conspired to manipulate allegations as if Lee and Jubitrain had embezzled funds, and we have submitted all statements, affidavits, and text messages regarding perjury instructions exchanged with Lee Ha-neul to the investigative authorities."
Jubitrain's side stated, "Despite the investigative authorities already concluding 'recognition of criminal charges' for all cases filed against Lee Ha-neul, Lee Ha-neul and Funkytown continue to make false claims to the public through media outlets, stating that they will proceed with additional lawsuits for defamation, threats, and insult due to the dissemination of false information, as if the investigative authorities' judgment is not factual." They warned, "We believe that such irresponsible actions hinder the development of public cultural arts, and we will hold Lee Ha-neul and Funkytown legally accountable without any leniency."
Since last year, Lee Ha-neul and Jubitrain have been engaged in legal disputes over unfair dismissal and drug allegations. Recently, the Mapo Police in Seoul sent Lee Ha-neul to the prosecution on charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act. In this regard, the representative of Jubitrain's agency, Mr. Lee, claimed on SNS, "Lee Ha-neul has indiscriminately spread false information that I, a non-smoker, am a 'habitual drug offender' to industry insiders and on SNS to shift his criminal allegations onto others," and "Ultimately, all of Lee Ha-neul's criminal allegations have been acknowledged and sent to the prosecution."
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
