Rookie Singer Megan Lee Has Contract Dispute with Agency 6 Months after Debut

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

Just six months into her debut, rookie singer Megan Lee has run into problems with her agency’s exclusive contract.

Megan Lee is currently signed with g.o.d Kim Tae Woo’s agency Soul Shop Entertainment, and on November 25, it was revealed that she submitted a request for an injunction on her contract to the Seoul Central District Court.

A source from Megan Lee’s camp stated that the contract is unfair, including issues with breach penalties, the agency abusing its power to put down unfair terms, and the agency unilaterally setting a schedule for the artist without consulting her. “We had set a schedule abroad with permission from the agency, but the agency then went ahead and signed a contract with the musical ‘All Shook Up’ on their own. They used Megan Lee’s bank seal without her permission,” the source said.

Soul Shop Entertainment released an official statement the following day on November 26, stating that their contract with Megan Lee is in no way unfair. The agency said, “The contract is set for a period of five years from her debut date. This is actually a shorter period of time than the average contract length as outlined by the Fair Trade Commission.”

“Aside from album and record sales, all profits are split with Megan Lee fifty-fifty; compared with other celebrities, this is not unfair at all for a rookie singer.”

Soul Shop went on to explain that with a performance coming up on December 7, Megan Lee said she would not be participating in the practices for musical or the musical itself. “We received an offer from an American agency in May and sent Megan Lee’s audition video, but we hadn’t heard back in four months. She participated in the ‘All Shook Up’ audition after receiving an offer, and we signed with the musical on September 12. Only in October did we receive word from the American agency, saying that Megan Lee made it to the final audition round for an American drama.”

The agency said that after notification from Megan on November 16, she left the country for the American audition, and missed her musical schedules. After returning to the country on November 19, she notified no one and resumed practice for the musical. At the time, Megan Lee’s mother contacted not the agency, but the musical production team directly through e-mail to let them know about the lawsuit and her inability to do the musical.”

Meanwhile, Soul Shop Entertainment artist Kil Gun also has presented issue regarding her contract, saying that she has not had any music releases or schedules for the year and four months that she has been with the agency.

Soompi, naver 1, 2, 1theK (원더케이)

Comments

[phililen3.livejournal.com]

One word: COMMUNICATION

[jesymphony.livejournal.com]

mte what a mess that would have been solved with some sit down conversations.

[jjang-intae.livejournal.com]

"she has not had any music releases or schedules for the year and four months that she has been with the agency" then what was her debut????

[hyunbiased.livejournal.com]

That was a complaint by veteran singer Kil Gun (Kill Gun) who hasn't released any music since 2008, not by Megan Lee..just trying to clarify^^

[hipployta.livejournal.com]

That unilateral stuff does not work anymore because artists, especially foreign ones, will be like "Bye"

[tempestdance.livejournal.com]

Soul Shop Entertainment responded through an official statement and said,
The contract's length, as specified in the contract, was signed to be 5 years from her debut date. Compared to the 7 years marked by the Fair Trade Commission, this is shorter.
Excluding her song and album sales, all of her profits after the expenses are taken out, the [label and Megan Lee] split the profits 50% to 50%, and we would like to state that this is not at all unfair to the rookie Megan Lee even when compared to other artists.
The label getting the monopolistic rights to management is not different from the standard contract specified by the Fair Trade Commission.
Megan Lee's mother Lee Hee Jung did not notify the label and emailed the musical company King and I Company on November 21, 2014, by herself saying that [Megan] will not be attending practice or the performance. This was 7 days before the performance.
The core of this situation is as below.
On May 11, 2014, an American entertainment agency asked Megan Lee to audition, and the label sent Megan Lee's audition video to the USA, but until 4 months later on September 2014, the label received nothing about the audition. Soul Shop received a request [for Megan] to audition for the musical 'All Shook Up', and she auditioned publicly on September 1, 2014, and signed the contract on appearing in the musical on September 12, 2014.
Afterwards, on October 21, 2014, Soul Shop Entertainment was told from the American agency that she will be participating in the final audition for a USA drama without conferring the label.
After, Megan Lee sent a one-sided notification to the label on November 16, 2014, went to the United States, and was accepted in the final audition, which conflicted with her musical schedule. On November 19, 2014, Megan Lee came back to Korea, did not notify the label, and continued her participation in the musical practice.
During this time, Megan's mother didn't tell our company, but instead, the musical production company through a one-sided email telling them that she will not be attending practice, the performance, and of the lawsuit. Because of this, the musical producers, the musical participants, and our label found ourselves in a helpless situation that we could not respond to.
As a label in the public entertainment business, we are very sorry to relay another bad news. The label will do our best in the following lawsuit. Once again, Soul Shop Entertainment apologizes for worrying everyone.

http://www.reddit.com/r/kpop/comments/2ndsqw/megan_lee_files_lawsuit_requesting_nullification/

[fiercediva.livejournal.com]

The thing is that she's not a completely nugu kid like most rookies signed to a Korean agency. Looking at her IMDB resume, she has a pretty decent resume for someone working since age 10, has residuals coming in from some national commercials, has her SAG/AFTRA cards which means she is used to the protections and work and mandated pay standards of the U.S. entertainment industry. Most times opportunities arise here where you are not going to have the luxury of an advanced heads-up if you get cast in something. If her Mom is her de facto manager aside from her Korean agency, I don't blame them if the preference is for sure money at home, especially if they thought the Korean agency gave them clearance to schedule things abroad.

[seroquels.livejournal.com]

Messy =/

[littlefox12.livejournal.com]

Seems like management is trying to make it sound like they treat Megan Lee better than the typical nugu, but that doesn't negate the fact that they signed a legally binding contract under her name without her explicit consent. That seems like a violation to me.