| Native name | 엠넷의 서바이벌 프로그램 투표 조작 사건 |
|---|---|
| Date | July 19, 2019 |
| Location | South Korea |
| Arrests |
|
| Convicted |
|
The Mnet vote manipulation investigation was a South Korean entertainment scandal involving electoral fraud in several reality competition series produced and broadcast by the television channel Mnet. The incident primarily involves the Produce 101 series and Idol School, which were intended to create K-pop groups with members selected by audience vote.
In July 2019, during the final episode of the Produce 101 series' fourth season, Produce X 101, several viewers suspected that the total votes were manipulated after noticing numerical patterns. On August 1, 2019, 272 viewers filed a lawsuit against Mnet, as their on-site text voting service charged ₩100 per vote, prompting an investigation led by the Seoul Metropolitan Police.
Ahn Joon-young and Kim Yong-bum, producers for the Produce 101 series, were arrested on November 5, 2019. Ahn later admitted to manipulating the rankings to all four seasons of the Produce 101 series. On December 3, 2019, Ahn, Kim, and six other entertainment agency representatives were indicted for charges including obstruction of business, fraud, and bribery. A court trial began on December 20, 2019.
The investigation has affected promotions for the groups produced by Mnet's franchises, with X1 later being disbanded by the agencies and Iz*One going on hiatus, as well as public perception of Mnet's ongoing competition reality series.