Trainee who left group before debut loses lawsuit, must pay ~$12k to agency

[leopolitan.livejournal.com]

A girl group trainee has been forced to pay hefty fine for leaving just ahead of the group’s debut.

As of May 18th, Seoul Central District ruled that trainee Kim is to first compensate 12,470,000 won out of 55,700,0000 won for leaving early.

The agency stated, “The trainee’s one-sided cancellation of contract has caused a loss for our agency.” Reportedly, trainee Kim has signed a short training contract on October of 2013 in order to join the agency’s rookie girl group that was planned to debut last July. However, trainee Kim left during practice and never returned last April. Following another trainee leaving, the agency delayed the girl group’s debut for another five months.

According to the court, “(Due to Kim’s violation of the contract) under the condition of termination, the trainee is to compensate twice the amount that has been invested. The compensation amount is not excessively heavy as well.”

The court has denied trainee Kim’s statement, “Agency ‘A’ required unrealistic weight loss and excluded me from practice due to my physical appearance” as an excuse for early termination of contract. However, the court has also rejected the agency’s claim that Trainee A is responsible to compensate for the five month delay of the girl group’s debut, as the reason behind the delay seems to be because of the other trainee’s leaving and not because of trainee Kim.

Article: Girl group trainee forced to pay 12.47 million won for leaving without authorization

Source: News 1 via Nate

1. [+162, -0] Girlfriend

2. [+153, -3] The only 6 member girl group that debuted this year was Girlfriend...

3. [+93, -7] (Lyrics to Glass Bead) It's not just that the group's debut was delayed, there's a lot of money involved that the company invested so she needs to pay the appropriate penalty.

4. [+13, -8] It's Girlfriend but not a current member, an ex-member who left the company and quit the group. Don't misunderstand.

5. [+10, -3] There's only one 6 member girl group that debuted in January ㅋ

6. [+6, -2] The kids who sang Glass Bead

news1 via koreaboo, nate via netizenbuzz

fyi 12.47mil won is about 12k...and the 557mil is about 510k yeesh

Comments

[cosmopudin.livejournal.com]

7 is such an odd number of girls though.

[leopolitan.livejournal.com]

i think it was meant to be 8 members. 2 trainees left but only 'kim' got sued i guess

[cosmopudin.livejournal.com]

ohh i see

[hipployta.livejournal.com]

6 months was enough for her to be like, "Hell no"

[iznanassi.livejournal.com]

That's a terrible, terrible contract condition.

[fayfayren.livejournal.com]

that contract is terrible. that amount makes me so sad, and it's still less than my tuition per year D:

[lazmy.livejournal.com]

twice the amount invested?!

[racquelle2005.livejournal.com]

well damn...

[a-seagreen.livejournal.com]

Kim is to first compensate 12,470,000 won out of 557,000,000 won for leaving early
what am i reading this right? she has to pay 557 mil won total???

[leopolitan.livejournal.com]

the wording is really confusing but i think the agency sued her for the 557mil amount but the court ruled she only has to pay the 12mil total

[a-seagreen.livejournal.com]

ohh okay, the "first" threw me off. and someone below said 50k, so not as bad as i thought
but i still feel bad for her, it's a huge debt and she's so young (i assume she's only 18-19 like the others)

[leopolitan.livejournal.com]

youre probably right, i think the koreaboo article typoed an extra 0 lol

[yuzuruhanyu.livejournal.com]

ngl im surprised by this ruling, poor girl :(

[sub-divided.livejournal.com]

GFriend's agency should be sending flowers to the girl whose departure caused them to push the debut date back, they've benefited tons from being "rivals" with Lovelyz.

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

WTH

[lovealwaysliana.livejournal.com]

sounds like the tahit trainee who said her parents had to pay the price of a car to get her out of the contract... 12k would fit that