Members of South Korean boy band M.I.B perform onstage during the Mnet 'M CountDown' at CJ E&M Center on April 18, 2013 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo : GETTY IMAGES/ Han Myung-Gu)
M.I.B.'s entertainment agency, Signal Entertainment, has confirmed the disbandment of the popular South Korean hip hop quartet. The agency confirmed the news via an official statement released on Jan. 4.
The contracts of three of its members, Young Cream 5Zic, and Sims, ended in October 2016, while Kangnam's contract is ending this coming March, Soompi reported. According to Signal Entertainment, the disbandment was grounded in their belief that it would be better for the M.I.B. members to work individually, considering their distinct music styles.
In its official statement, Signal Entertainment said, "We've decided not to renew with Young Cream, 5Zic, and Sims. The members' music styles are all different, so we decided that it would be better for them to work individually." Signal Entertainment also revealed that the group was disbanded in as early as October 2016, when the contracts of the three members ended.
The agency refused to mention anything about Kangnam's contract renewal, stating that it was too early to say anything. As of this writing, Kangnam is the only member who is still under the agency. Signal Entertainment said that since his contract would expire next year, they still could not tell anything about his future with the agency.
Rumors about M.I.B.'s disbandment surfaced last year, when Kangnam rose to fame as a solo artist. Concerns over the quartet's stance as a group came into question when its members started to drift apart to focus on their individual careers.
On Sept. 24, 2016, Korean media outlets began reporting on the looming disbandment of M.I.B. While the group had not yet broken up that time, several outlets assumed that the group was already unofficially over. However, Signal Entertainment released a statement the following day, dismissing the rumors.
"We are confused to see reports like this since we have never mentioned anything about disbandment. They are not disbanding and have nothing against promoting as a group," said the agency.
The agency explained back then that although the M.I.B. members were pursuing their individual activities and not promoting together, rest assured that they would return as M.I.B. soon. That time, Kangnam was busy with his appearances in Korean variety shows and had just made his official solo debut in Japan, according to Allkpop.
Watch M.I.B.'s "Dash" music video here:
