K-pop has always captivated Kiera Grace Madder. The 17-year-old has been a fan of the synchronised choreography, fashion-forward outfits and distinctive sound for as long as she can remember.
In 2022, when she was 15, Madder auditioned for a reality show that would earn her a spot in girl group VCHA, a North American-based project by JYP Entertainment – one of South Korea’s top talent agencies, home to K-pop talents like Twice and Itzy.
But last summer, less than a year after officially debuting, all six teen members of the group pulled out of a performance and went quiet on social media.
Then, a lawsuit filed last December against JYP USA in Los Angeles County Superior Court revealed that Madder – who went by the stage name KG Crown – had left VCHA, alleging child labour law violations, abuse and exploitation.
Following the lawsuit’s filing, JYP USA stated on social media that Madder had made “unilateral public statements containing false and exaggerated claims”. The agency declined to comment further.
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Madder, identified as “K.M.” in the court documents, signed a contract with JYP at age 15. As part of VCHA, she began an intense training regimen, travelling between JYP’s Seoul headquarters and Los Angeles to rehearse.
In Los Angeles, the six girls shared a Beverly Hills mansion, where Madder alleges they were under constant surveillance. According to the lawsuit, staying in the home was “optional”, but Madder said she felt pressured to live there by the JYP staff.
A live-in employee monitored the girls, and video cameras watched and recorded all conversations, Madder said. She called the surveillance a “tool aimed at controlling our eating, movement and behaviour”.
JYP allegedly held complete control over the trainees’ schedules, even on days off. To leave the house, group members had to submit their plans ahead of time and get approval. This included Madder asking permission to see her mother on weekends, her suit alleges.
“I honestly felt like it was a prison, and the house staff was the prison guard,” Madder said.
Madder’s lawsuit alleges the company “controlled [her] diet and pressured [her] to eat less”. Their meals were “restricted to small salads”, she alleged, and their weight was monitored. Madder recalled being denied meal breaks and water during rehearsal and alleges she was forced to work long days on little sleep.
“The skinnier you are, the more respected and prettier you’re viewed. It’s ridiculous,” she said.
Madder also alleges several instances of training while injured. The lawsuit describes a dance instructor who “singled” Madder out, making her repeat a move more than 100 times without stopping for a break, which allegedly caused a tendon tear in her shoulder.
She was also forced to rehearse despite hip and leg injuries, her lawsuit claims. The court filings include photos of her in hospital gowns and receipts for medical treatment, along with images of bruises that she said she sustained during dance training.
In a text conversation from last May included in the suit, Madder wrote: “They changed me and I lost all my good.”
The next court hearing is set for June 20.
“I’m praying the judge can see the light in the situation and let me go,” Madder said. “I don’t want clout. I want to be free. That’s what I want: freedom.”
