IZ*ONE to resume music career next month

K-pop girl band IZ*ONE will return to the music scene next month, resuming its high-profile music career that was put on hold amid a vote-rigging scandal involving the band's native audition show last year.

"Mnet and the management agencies of IZ*ONE members decided to resume their activities in respect of the members and their fans who wish for a career resumption," Mnet said in a statement.

The music channel said the girl band will return to the music scene next month, saying the exact timing of the return will be announced soon.

The band suspended its career in November, postponing the release of a new album scheduled for the month as chief producers of Mnet's "Produce" audition series came under a police investigation over allegations they fixed the results of the vote-based audition show.

IZ*ONE debuted in 2018 through the show's third season and boy band X1 also suspended its career the same month, having debuted last year through the show's fourth season.

"I ask (fans and the media) to warmly embrace the artists ... because the artists, management agencies or trainees (who competed in the show) have nothing to be blamed for in regards to the latest incident," Mnet said.

X1, meanwhile, decided to part ways earlier this month and some members of the band are gearing up for solo activities. 

Protesting the disbandment, hundreds of angry fans waged a protest rally in front of Mnet's headquarters in western Seoul on Wednesday, demanding the resurrection of the boy band. (Yonhap)