Hotel Lotte Co. is to award a concert production agency damages for canceling a concert featuring the internationally renowned rhythm and blues singer Ne-Yo, a Seoul court ruled Tuesday.

The Seoul Central District Court found that the hotel had canceled the concert after organizing it, ruling in favor of the complainant. It ordered Hotel Lotte to pay 200 million won ($170,000) in damages to the concert production agency, whose name was not revealed. 

According to the findings, the agency, which had been working with Lotte since 2012, pursued in 2014 plans for a concert in Korea featuring rapper 50 Cent upon the request of Hotel Lotte. When the rapper became unavailable, the agency contacted Ne-Yo and spent over 100 million won in securing a contract with the singer and renting a concert venue.

Hotel Lotte, however, notified the agency it would not be able to invest in the concert, after which the agency filed a lawsuit.

Hotel Lotte is part of Lotte Group, the country’s largest retailer and fifth largest conglomerate which is currently under investigation for alleged slush funds and embezzlement.

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)