When three members of K-Pop group Dongbangsingi or TVXQ dropped out of the quintet after suing the SM Entertainment for unfair contracts in 2009, the exclusive contract so-called ' slave contract' has become an issue.
The legal battle between the boys and the management agency has been settled in more than three years as both sides agreed not to interfere with each other's business, but not the uncomfortable truth that incident revealed - forced sex and exploitive contracts. It is still prevalent in the entertainment industry.
Although some raised up their voice, many more turned their blind eyes to it as they feared to be kicked out of the business and lose fame.
Entertainment companies have their say. According to a man working for a major entertainment agency, stars are not born but it is his company that makes stars. It goes to hunt for star-to-be teenagers, and put them under a rigorous training, and that costs a large amount of money. Management agencies spend tens of millions of won and several years on average to train them until they earn their name.
"Trainees should be protected from the exploitive contracts by law. When I see them suffering, I feel really bad. The situation should be seriously dealt with," said Kim from the business. Last October, the Fair Trade Commission set out a guideline banning so-called “slave contract” between the management agencies and pop art trainees.
According to them, entertainment agencies should make public their measures to protect human rights of their entertainers, divide profits fairly and make standard form of contracts. In 2009, actress Jang Ja-yeon made headlines all over the media.
She killed herself after leaving a note, calling for fairness to entertainers, some females like her forced to have sex. Against the seemingly endless sexual exploitation all she could do was end her life.