There are dark secrets hidden behind the glamour of our loved idols. The concept of ‘slave contracts’ is quite famous in Korean pop culture. It refrains them from making large profits. Numerous icons claim that they are treated as an enslaved person. They are debarred from dating, meeting friends and families, and earning profits from their sales. They are even asked to clear their practice dues once the production house launches them. However, countless Korean idols sued their production houses for similar reasons.
1. The Members Of JYJ
JYJ boy band filed a lawsuit against their production house, S.M. Entertainment. They charged their production house against unfair contracts that were affecting their payment. They openly spoke about their restrictions and slavery attitude. They were depressed about their irresponsible behavior and unfair charges.
2. Han Geng
The member of Super Junior, Hangeng, filed a lawsuit against their production house, S.M. Entertainment seeking termination of his contract. Super junior comprises 13 members, with Hangeng as the only Chinese associate. He did it because his productions stood between his dream to become an actor. He even charged them for tight break-free schedules, heavy penalties, and unfair profit splitting.
3. Lai Kuan-Lin
Lai Kuanlin sued Lai Kuanlin Cube Entertainment in 2019 for numerous reasons. However, one of the primary reasons was his tight scheduling without his consent. His initial attempts to seek justice were dismissed, but this didn’t stop him from making another attempt.
4. Kang Daniel
In 2019, Kang Daniel appealed to the court for the termination of his unfair contract with L.M. Entertainment. This dispute resulted in the depression of Kang Daniel due to 2 months-long trials. The conflict ended with a mutual agreement for the sake of minimal damage. They officially withdrew the complaints via their legal representatives.
5. B.A.P
B.A.P. sued their production house, T.S. Entertainment, to seek justice against an unfair contract. They publicly brought up their feelings and problems. They had even sold their set of sneakers and newspapers to pay fees for legalities. They were mistreated and born significantly less out of profits.
6. Block B
Block B sued their corporation, Stardom Entertainment, due to late payments. They accused C.E.O. of stealing money from Idol’s parents. However, they lost their side at Seoul Central District court due to a lack of evidence and the company’s reassurance about unpaid money.
7. Former Members Of E.X.O.
Kris Wu, Tao, and Luhan sued S.M. Entertainment at different times. All three shared several common reasons: poor health management, tight schedule, and restriction from acting.
8. Jun Hyo-Seong
Hyosung filed a case against T.S. Entertainment, seeking justice for her unreceived payments. She also pointed out her transferring contents without her consent. She was also charged back for rejecting roles that caused them a loss of 1.4 billion. She won her battle, and as a result, her contract was terminated.
9. Kim Samuel
Kim Samuel seeks legal trials against his production house, Brave Entertainment. He calmed that its C.E.O. had been using him for his benefit without his consent. He won the lawsuit in Seoul Central district, which led to the termination of his contract. He was also freed from the counteraction done by the offenders.
10. INX
INX won against their production house against their agency at Seoul District courts. They charged their agency with lousy treatment, lack of support, and payment. The judge declared their contract invalid as their agency never fulfilled its duties.
