FTC revises entertainment contracts to protect underage artists

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

The Korean entertainment industry continues to be bombarded with issues like the ’spread leg dance’, which drew criticisms over inappropriate choreography for underaged artists.

It inspired the Fair Trade Commission to announce on June 17th that revisions would be made to standardize certain clauses in entertainment contracts.

Going forward, entertainment agencies must guarantee the protection of basic rights for their teenage artists. This will be done through the 18th Amendment, which established three new clauses:

The first clause makes it mandatory for entertainment agencies to protect the physical and psychological health of their artists, their right to education, their personal rights, their right to sleep and rest, and their right to freedom of choice.

The second clause prohibits entertainment agencies from asking their underage artists to dress in revealing clothing and dance provocative choreography for the purpose of attracting attention.

The third clause prohibits entertainment agencies from forcing their artists to work for an excessive amount of hours. The FTC explained that the amendment was a reflection of the opinions of the Celebrity Entertainment Management Association, the Korea Entertainment Producer’s Association, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

The Korea Times commentary:


The popularity of boy- and girl- bands like Girls’ Generation is pushing K-pop to new heights, but there are also increasing concerns over the sexualization of young celebrities.

Fair trade body bans sexualizing teen stars

Government officials are attempting to prevent the revealing styles of teenage pop idols as they warn against the media’s portrayal of young women as sex objects.

The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) Friday announced a new guideline for standard contract terms between production companies and artists, which include preventing underage singers from dressing in excessively sexual clothing. Management shouldn’t deprive the boys and girls in showbiz from their educational opportunities either, the FTC said, and needs to protect them from long working hours.

It bears further watching whether the proposed standards will result in any real improvement in the treatment of young artists. The FTC’s guideline is just that it is up to the management companies to either adopt the suggestions or simply ignore them.

And as for problems related to sexualizing young celebrities, the FTC avoided specifying how ``excessive’’ should be defined. And the guideline doesn’t say whether companies should seek the consent of singers and their parents or guardians over the use of overly-mature outfits. Nor does it mention cosmetic surgery.

"The existence of the standard contract terms will provide a base for young artists and their parents to fight back against management companies over sexualization and deprivation of school hours. The guideline also benefits entertainment agencies in resisting inappropriate demands from broadcasters," said an official from the FTC’s consumer policy division, while admitting that the proposal is far from a solution.

"We believe that this guideline does have declaratory meaning as lawmakers continue to debate the specifics of a protection law on teenage entertainers that was first proposed in December last year," she said.

The popularity of boy and girl bands has been driving the rapid growth of Korea’s pop industry, which enjoys immense popularity in Asia and has now set its sights on the United States and Europe. However, the boom has also been accompanied by mounting concern over the sexualization of young girls.

"No one would argue that the young entertainers should have their rights to study and rest protected. But there is no possible way to decide what is excessively sexual and what is not, especially when many of the bands are trained specifically for an international audience," said a spokesman from one entertainment agency.

Last week’s successful Paris performance of Korean pop groups that included Girls’ Generation and Super Junior has the domestic media excited about a possible "Western invasion," but the journalistic response in Europe was mixed, voicing admiration and discomfort.

Le Monde, the influential French daily, observed that the K-pop stars were groomed as export items with support from a Korean government that is desperate to promote a young and dynamic image of the country. The newspaper also noted that Korean management companies haven’t been shy about having their young stars undergo plastic surgery.

Korean source: Mydaily via Naver
Sources: Allkpop & Kim Tong-hyung @ The Korea Times

Comments

[yolleh.livejournal.com]

I think it's about time this happened, I just hope it'll actually bring some change though.

[mizukigirl.livejournal.com]

IA

[mycorrhizoid.livejournal.com]

So all of the idols born in 1992 or later count as underage, right? I feel like these guidelines aren't specific enough to help much - what counts as provocative? What counts as excessive work hours?

[feel-my-mind.livejournal.com]

This is only news article explaining the bills/contract clauses. The actual contract clauses most likely contain specifics.

But I agree with the other poster, provocative is probably showing your bellybutton.

[noneko.livejournal.com]

Hey now, SNSD are no longer underage. I don't get why they always use them in these articles.

[babysponge.livejournal.com]

I KNOW, RIGHT. I just commented something like that then I saw this. I agree with this so much. I mean, like, why not 4Minute? lol

[freezing-flames.livejournal.com]

THIS -.-

[erbalurbal.livejournal.com]

They are saying groups like snsd are making other companies desperate for success internationally and they are willing to sexualize their young idols to appeal to western standards. They aren't saying snsd are doing anything like that.

[noneko.livejournal.com]

I'm aware. I just find it amusing that these types of articles always have pictures of SNSD, even if they have nothing to do with the article itself.

[xalexandriam.livejournal.com]

tbh, the dancing doesn't really bother me. I only get uncomfortable when you have camera people on tv shows doing these extreme crotch shots on the performers during those particular dance moves.

As to the rest of the new standards, I think it's good that there's some sort of across the board standard for underage artists. But they should be applied to ALL artists. Underage idols aren't the only ones who suffer from sleep deprivation, etc.

[stopthedisco.livejournal.com]

I only get uncomfortable when you have camera people on tv shows doing these extreme crotch shots on the performers during those particular dance moves.

lol ia.

[opal.livejournal.com]

I agree with your comment.

I also think that the management companies won't really abide by this anyway.

[ghost-whisper.livejournal.com]

their personal rights, their right to sleep and rest, and their right to freedom of choice.

Excuse you, this shouldn't only be limited to young entertainers for frick's sake. smh

[babysponge.livejournal.com]

ikr wtf

[kiminikaeru.livejournal.com]

mte

[donglover.livejournal.com]

so minzy can't slut it up anymore?

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

According to FTC she still can if that's what she wants to do, however, YG cannot specifically request her to do that. Of course since YG doesn't use FTC's standard contract, but has its own contract, it's up to air what they request. (Anyhow in my opinion YG doesn't request her to do all that sexy dancing, but that's what she wants to do.)

[xalexandriam.livejournal.com]

lol YG tells her to not dance as sexy when performing.

[nene718.livejournal.com]

I doubt it'll make any difference tbh. It's up to the management companies to follow the guidelines? yeah, no.

[xalexandriam.livejournal.com]

mte

[babysponge.livejournal.com]

why is snsd always mentioned in korean culture/politics news stuffs idgi

[feel-my-mind.livejournal.com]

because in terms of the general public, they are the biggest group. Everyone knows who SNSD (& Big Bang) are... the other groups aren't nearly as well known.

as far as why they don't use Big Bang, people are more sympathetic to girls. Its ridiculous, but true.

[aya-sama3000.livejournal.com]

I dont think this would make a huge difference but good for you FTC...now lets talk about piracy and why sk isnt making alot of money...

[feel-my-mind.livejournal.com]

Most minors I know would be fine with the sexual dancing. Its their parents that probably wouldn't be.


I like how, even here, they are still just banning young girls from being sexual. Not underage boys. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Big Bang, Tohoshinki and 2PM all started stripping and having "provocative" chereography when some members where still minors. Plus, all the groups I have no idea of their ages.

[cloud-honey.livejournal.com]

This exactly. Boys are allowed to strip and do sexy choreographies but girls are always bashed and sometimes 'banned', no matter the age.

[feel-my-mind.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Thanks.

Its annoying that people are so caught up on the groups mentioned that they can't see this is point. (For example: BEG and Rainbow also had no minors in their group, but where still banned....)

[mycorrhizoid.livejournal.com]

Now, obviously the gender disparity is still a problem regardless of age but . . . wasn't Hyunyoung still considered a minor when A came out?

[feel-my-mind.livejournal.com]

She was 20 Korean, 19 international, though barely so (A music video came out on her birthday and their comeback stage was 2 days later). I was assuming that these laws use Korean ages.

[mycorrhizoid.livejournal.com]

I'm just going off the article that said all of the idols born in 1991 "came of age" last month (http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/6659675.html). Korean ages are so confusing.

[feel-my-mind.livejournal.com]

I think that for like the news year... not the actual date.

Like, you can't drink till your birthday actually says it over there.

It is confusing.

[ryukokoro-oppa.livejournal.com]

When did THSK start to strip and Big Bang even? The most I saw from BB when they were still young was that 'My Girl' vid that Taeyang did. And TVXQ's 'stripping' era, if you want to call it that, was Mirotic...and Changmin was 20.

I don't follow 2pm so I don't know the ages, but I do remember their ripping their shirts off period. I'm assuming that Chansung at least was underage at that time.

[feel-my-mind.livejournal.com]

Good job at reading. I said "stripping and provocative choreography." The later which I have seen plenty from Big Bang and Tohoshinki. (To the standards that the South Korean Media dubs "provocative," not in my opinion. )

You're also really need to realize the age of a minor in South Korea is 20. Not 18.

[feel-my-mind.livejournal.com]

I used those three as an examples, because they were the only ones I know for sure had choreography that would have been deemed inapproiate for girl groups when they were minors. (I'm not a big fan of male groups). You people really need to stop overanalyzing this and realize the comment was made to point out the DOUBLE STANDARDS of the clauses, not to criticize anyone group. As far I'm concerned either laws shouldn't exist or should be equal among male and female.

[obeytheempress.livejournal.com]

I don't think it makes one a conspiracy theorist to acknowledge the double standards between girls being sexual and guys being sexual.

[beatification.livejournal.com]

>>The second clause prohibits entertainment agencies from asking their underage artists to dress in revealing clothing and dance provocative choreography for the purpose of attracting attention.

What's "revealing clothing" and "provocative choreography" and how can we determine whether either one is intended for "attracting attention" only?


ugh

[sundrunk.livejournal.com]

this is stupid if it doesn't protect ALL korean celebs

[confuqued.livejournal.com]

Ikr.

[cher-ex3.livejournal.com]

Vague clauses are vague.

[dilettantka.livejournal.com]

No bare midriffs for Teen Top's next comeback?

:((((((((((((((

[coffee-ika.livejournal.com]

that would suck if not tho haha

[kmrawr.livejournal.com]

lol nothing's gonna change because of this.

[ohbangladesh.livejournal.com]

Finally, yes - implement that shit.

[itangeisha.livejournal.com]

Everything is still in the hands of the agencies so, you believe this will change things? I personally don't.
Where are the parents as intend KT?Your kid is underaged so you have all your rights on them, not an agency jfc...

[lynethia.livejournal.com]

It bears further watching whether the proposed standards will result in any real improvement in the treatment of young artists. The FTC’s guideline is just that it is up to the management companies to either adopt the suggestions or simply ignore them.

This alone took all possible optimism I had away D: