Actress Song Ji-hyo's former agency fails to pay 900 mil. won in commissions

Song Ji-hyo reportedly used her personal credit card to cover expenses after Uzurocks failed to pay actress 900 million won (US$ 675,000) in commissions. Yonhap

By Woo Da-bin

Actress Song Ji-hyo and her former agency, Uzurock, are locked in a bitter dispute over unpaid dues.

According to Song Ji-hyo's spokesperson, Uzurocks still owes the actress 900 million Korean won (US$ 675,000) in unpaid settlements, as friction continues to mount between the two parties.

In a phone interview with the Hankook Ilbo on May 17, Song's spokesperson said “The total amount owed by Uzurocks is around 900 million Korean won. We filed a lawsuit for unpaid commissions on May 2 through our legal representative and a court decision is pending.” The spokesperson added “No one from the agency has contacted us. Song is of the opinion that something like this should never happen in the industry.”

Uzurocks employees have also filed an appeal of their own to the Ministry of Employment and Labor regarding unpaid wages. A representative of the workers said “The actress had to use her own personal credit card from her earliest days with the agency to cover various expenses such as meals and parking fees. There were also instances when Uzurock employees had to pay out of their own pockets as well.” The outstanding payments include fees for appearance, advertising, worker salaries and outsourcing.

The termination of Song Ji-hyo's contract with Uzurocks was first announced on April 24, at a time when the agency was mired in allegations over unpaid wages to its workers and artists due to solvency issues. In a statement, the company acknowledged its mistakes and apologized for failing to provide adequate support to the artists under its employ.

Woo Da-bin (ekqls0642@hankookilbo.com) is a reporter at The Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times. This article, previously published in The Hankook Ilbo, has been translated as part of a news-sharing program.