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Two Korean music producers arrested in Japan for allegedly possessing cocaine, marijuana

Published: 25 Feb. 2026, 13:40 Updated: 25 Feb. 2026, 19:23

Simon Jakops, the head and executive producer of the entertainment agency XGALX, left, and fellow agency producer and singer Chancellor were arrested on suspicion of drug possession in Japan on Feb. 23. [SCREENSHOT]

Japanese authorities arrested two Korean music producers affiliated with the entertainment agency XGALX on suspicion of drug possession on Monday.

“We take the concern caused by the arrest of our producers very seriously,” the company said in an official statement on Tuesday. “The specific details related to the case have not yet been confirmed. We are doing our best to verify the facts and are fully cooperating with the investigation.”

The company continued, “Once the facts are clearly established, we will promptly and transparently provide an additional statement. We apologize for any concerns and inconveniences.”

Simon Jakops, whose real name is Park Jun-ho, is the head of XGALX and a former member of the boy band Dalmatians. He currently works as a producer for the Japanese girl group XG.

He was arrested along with fellow producer and singer Chancellor, whose real name is Kim Jeong-seung, on suspicion of violating Japan's Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act, according to Kyodo News.

The two were taken into custody at a hotel room in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, early on Monday on suspicion of cocaine possession. A total of four people were reportedly present at the scene, including the two producers and two employees of a local agency.

Local police had been investigating the case after receiving an anonymous tip in March last year. During the arrest, officers reportedly seized several packets of cocaine and one packet of marijuana. Police are investigating how the drugs were acquired and the circumstances surrounding their acquisition.

Jakops, who has a Korean father and a Japanese mother, debuted in 2009 by participating in Korean hip-hop artist MC Mong's song, the name of which translates to “Juliet's Father Who Opposed Romeo.”

He adopted the stage name “Simon” in 2012 when he became a member of the boy band Dalmatians. He started working as a producer in 2014 and founded XGALX in 2018. The agency represents artists such as XG, Chancellor and Hikaru.

Chancellor, a graduate of Berklee College of Music, was previously active as a member of the producing team Double Sidekick. He married a flight attendant in 2022 and welcomed a daughter in October 2025.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]