Korean Entertainment Management Association (KEMA) advocates for Eunjung's rights

[girlsday.livejournal.com]

Regarding T-ara Eunjung's receiving of an unilateral notice of termination from the drama production company, the Korean Entertainment Management Association (KEMA) has expressed its position.

The KEMA on the 23rd published to the media an article titled "Opinion on the Unreasonable Unilateral Breach of TV Drama Contract"

According to this article, for the success of Five Fingers, Eunjung had given up her other schedules, including overseas activities, showing her sincerity to fully participate in the drama production, but the production team of "Five Fingers" on the 21st, requested with no legitimate reason, that Eunjung leave the drama on her own accord, mentioning that if she did not comply with the request, they would put pressure on Eunjung and her agency.

Eunjung's side did not understand this, and requested for a reason for withdrawal, but the production team only referred to the modification clause of the contract stating that the situation was not in the best interests of the drama production.

The KEMA stated "If it is necessary to change the cast during drama production, it should be be discussed with the actor under the premise of mutual understanding and negotiation, but the production team and SBS on the 22nd did not relate any information to Eunjung about her withdrawal, but announced her termination through the media"

It also stated "Through various evidence and proof, this association has verified and is shocked by this oppressive act of the production team."

The KEMA said "This association works to improve the practices of drama production and to develop a healthy industry by eradicating old practices. Therefore, from a few years ago, starting with the problems of unpaid acting fees, this association has worked to improve such unreasonable contracts and practices." "Such efforts can been seen in the 'Drama Production Standard Acting Contract' project developed along with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

KEMA's article concluded by stating "We will advocate for Ham Eunjung's rights to restore her reputation as she has been unreasonably harmed as described above. To ensure that all relevant parties in this incident will not be harmed, we anticipate a reasonable solution from the drama production team."

Diadem | Sports Chosun

Comments

[timetobegin.livejournal.com]

So, it seems that for once, CCM wasn't lying. In that case, I feel sorry for Eunjung. It is understandable that the sponsors of the drama would want her off, but that's no reason for SBS to be rude.

[colour-of-faint.livejournal.com]

We will advocate for Ham Eunjung's rights to restore her reputation as she has been unreasonably harmed as described above

What about Hwayoung's rights when she was being/still is being put through the ringer at the mercy of CCM?

[shunluv.livejournal.com]

yeah im waiting for someone fighting for Hwayoung right :P
what about how she get fired from the company unfairly which is so much more worse than Eunjung who think she can just go back to work like normal very short time after the incident..

[gyuri.livejournal.com]

because it was totally eunjung's decision to go back to work.

[eishastan.livejournal.com]

Hwayoung doesn't have an agency backing her up, that's why.

She was the original victim in this situation, but now she is just alone without any help, it's sad.

[sadistic-dance.livejournal.com]

She'd have to prove it and it'd basically be her word against her entire agency.

[colorful-ice.livejournal.com]

they don't want her they fired her because she is going down and she was going to take the drama (and whoever worked in it) down with her and t-ara

is it really hard to understand that?

[devilsatin.livejournal.com]

that's not the point

[twinkystar16.livejournal.com]

it's all because of sponsors threatening to pull out their support to the drama if she stays on
eunjung's tarnished image=nobody wants to buy the sponsors products
but still it's a douchey unprofessional move from SBS..they should have replaced her earlier ever since the scandal broke out if they wanted to do so

[kazu-kumaguro.livejournal.com]

yep, though I still feel that CCM is so hypocritical.

[mich04elle.livejournal.com]

eunjung's tarnished image=nobody wants to buy the sponsors products

yep that's how money works

[honeebs.livejournal.com]

Oh I see so her rights and reputation you care about but not the HY's!?!

[mingobus.livejournal.com]

Don't dramas usually have protection clauses within their contracts? Like termination without notice for staff that ruin their image.

I can't help but think that seems really off and shady a large broadcasting company would threaten an idol and her company. If you think about it from a business standpoint, in the grand scale of things, this drama is like chump change. So why would they risk their reputation to threaten an idol who is getting a ridiculous amount of bad publicity lately?

[very-pinku.livejournal.com]

I think this isn't about her personally but something necessary for the whole industry.
They can't just drop actors/actresses without prior notice and mutual agreement.
Korean entertainment businesses suck at planning so this is a necessary move to assure that things NEED to be planned accordingly instead of rashfully reacting and suddenly doing something without thinking of the consequences.

[devilsatin.livejournal.com]

This is so upsetting! Disappointed in SBS :-(

[illustratedd.livejournal.com]

who cares! fuck bullies.

[straykim.livejournal.com]

THIS.

[devilsatin.livejournal.com]

http://www.allkpop.com/2012/05/korean-government-steps-in-to-prevent-entertainment-agencies-from-defrauding-trainees
http://www.viki.com/channels/3301/posts/6513-banned-from-appearing-kang-ji-hwan-sweet-scandal-on-the-first-step-of-coming-back
http://asianfanatics.net/forum/topic/752894-production-companies-owe-korean-stars-22-b-won-in-unpaid-fees/

etc

[gjigji.livejournal.com]

That was unprofessional of them. How does that make other actors feel? What's the worth of a contract to them? I haven't been following this actress or the scandal she's in but there's no point in adding insult to injury. They could have still terminated her but done it better. This just adds them to the bigger ball of trouble. Like Katamari Damacy.

It casts even more bad light on the industry.

[asnindie.livejournal.com]

I freaking love Katamari Damacy.

[http://users.livejournal.com/reminisce__/]

ngl, sometimes I wish I was the Prince so i could roll up the k-ent industry and throw it into the sky...so this allusion and comment is very appreciated.

[straykim.livejournal.com]

Obviously, this has to do with the scandal T-ara is facing. Though the company that terminated her contract should have just come out and said so.

[mighty-romance.livejournal.com]

I wholeheartedly agree with this. While I understand why SBS and the production team thought it'd be best if Eunjung was no longer associated with their project, they went about it the wrong way. Regardless of how people feel about whatever role she may have played in Hwayoung's dismissal from T-ara, Eunjung was by all accounts professional and 100% committed to her role in the drama and she did not deserve to be dismissed from the drama like that. It was completely unprofessional on SBS & the production team's part.

[ayeveee.livejournal.com]

They should've just come clean with why they wanted to do it. In a way I'm kind of glad they're doing it because the members look so stressed.

[8jj6.livejournal.com]

SBS can end Eunjung's contract but this unilateral decision should come at a price like a fine of some sort. Shouldn't that condition be built into the contract though? SBS was inconsiderate and rude but they didn't do anything illegal as long as they pay Eunjung for the breach of contract. I think SBS knew this and decided the fines and other ramifications for dropping Eunjung is worth not having her in the drama.

[aleexnews.livejournal.com]

"but the production team of "Five Fingers" on the 21st, requested with no legitimate reason, that Eunjung leave the drama on her own accord"

really? how is the whole controversy T-ara just had and is still going through 'no reason'? the production team did a shitty thing if they didn't say it to CCM or Eunjung first, but they're acting like this girl's life is over when she has a tarnished image so this was gonna happen from day one.

now eunjung has been kicked out of the drama and yet still manages to take down the drama and the staff with her scandals.

[gyuri.livejournal.com]

how is it eunjung's fault that SBS decided to handle this unprofessionally and terminate her contract w/out telling her? (unlike CCM who told Hwayoung upfront, Eunjung found out through a news article)

two wrongs don't make a right.

[aleexnews.livejournal.com]

its not directly her fault but this all happened bc of her group's scandals, otherwise sbs wouldn't have had any reasons to pull her out. if CCM was smart they would've pulled her out from the beginning seeing the backlash they were getting

[asnindie.livejournal.com]

Incredibly unprofessional of SBS, they just shouldn't be allowed to unilaterally kick someone out, that's straight out in breach of terms. I hope they get punished for that since it could very easily leads to more problems later.

As for KKS, you reap what you sow bitch.

[turtles-tszx.livejournal.com]

I actually feel sorry for T-ARA for having KKS as their CEO, the man does not know how to handle PR crisis at all and only making it worse . The group name and image will be tarnished forever and the sad thing is that knowing KSS he will probably debut a new group to replace T-ARA in a few months or so.

[liliumlied.livejournal.com]

Even though the entertainment industry in Korea is big and quite successful (kpop, dramas etc...), it is still lacking a lot, i mean, sometimes I really find that many things are not handled very professionally. Here, in this case, SBS is one of the biggest tv station and yet they can't make good decisions and act quickly but efficiently like a pro should.

[http://users.livejournal.com/reminisce__/]

I remember reading some academic articles about Korean business contracts, and due to some severely different cultural values (not orientalizing, they brought up their own self-exceptionalizing values like han, etc), the word 'contract' is very different from what we take for granted here in the West. Not to mention that our entertainment industry has had a lot of different crazy upheavals to push for entertainer's rights, when K-ent is very very young.

[muzegrey.livejournal.com]

The sponsors control everything, TBH.

[xblackchristmas.livejournal.com]

is this picture of her after she found out she was being dropped?
:/

[devilsatin.livejournal.com]

it's from the press conference last week

[asth77.livejournal.com]

it's unprofessional of SBS but I'm glad she's out of the drama tbh...

[luvey.livejournal.com]

idk, even in the US an actor can be fired or replaced with very little notice. usually there is a monetary compensation involved for the artist and the artist's agency. if the sponsors were going to pull out, there would have been barely a drama to begin with.

i don't think the drama ruined her reputation, it was her agency's CEO and his antics.

[lysblack.livejournal.com]

amen to this.

i think that she should have been warned and received a compensation, but people should be this fussy voer her losing a role suddenly.

[lysblack.livejournal.com]

while i am glad that someone is looking out for korean actors, who work insane unhealthy hours and are badly paid, when properly paid at all. while i do believe that sbs could have handled this matter in a batter, and more civilized way it's not like they are firing her for no reason whatsoever just because they changed their minds, the production wanted to keep her, they fought to keep her, but there was a point that the advertiser said it was either eunjung or the whole drama so sbs had to step up and remove her from it.

i still think she had to be warned before hand instead of finding out by the media. and dude, even if they had discussed with her and she said she didn’t want to leave the drama, they still could kick her out in a way or another, they were the bosses after all, they are the ones in charge of who leaves and who stays. while sbs was shitty by the way they handled it ccm should stop acting all ignorant over what was their reason when they know it too well and it’s their fault.

this is a moment, which i doubt will happen, that ccm and kss should sit down, fight for eunjung rights but not over dramatize or start the insults and rumor spreading like they always do or they could easily piss off sbs's ceos and with that end up having their artists banned from the company.

and i really hope that this will not hurt the drama and the actors and workers involved becuase they are not at fault.