ENTERTAINMENT
K-Pop Industry Faces Turmoil Amidst Public Disputes: Calls for Policy Support and Anti-Tampering Legislation
In their appeal, they urged certain agencies and artists to cease baseless public campaigns to further their interests and called on the government and National Assembly to support policies to eradicate 'tampering,' a major source of conflict.
Recent events, including former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin's press conference, NewJeans member Hani's appearance at a parliamentary audit, and the group's declaration of independent activities, have highlighted how individual disputes are escalating into broader issues affecting the K-Pop industry.
The five music organizations pointed out that conflicts between specific agencies and artists are being publicized without fact-checking, leading to the introduction of regulations that could stifle the industry. They cited NewJeans' declaration of independent activities as an example of how disputes during ongoing contracts threaten the stability of the K-Pop industry. They urged agencies and artists to stop reckless public campaigns and requested policy support from the government and National Assembly.
They emphasized that resolving issues should involve thorough fact-checking and sufficient consultation with stakeholders, rather than public campaigns. They criticized the trend of resolving disputes through public declarations rather than private negotiations or legal procedures, as seen in the past 10 months with Min Hee-jin's press conferences and NewJeans' activities.
The organizations also called for the establishment of anti-tampering legislation, noting that last year's NewJeans press conference exposed private disputes between artists and agencies to excessive media coverage. They warned that independent activities without legal judgment on ongoing disputes could further destabilize the industry.
Furthermore, they highlighted the case of NewJeans, who announced a new agent while still under contract, as an example of how unilateral declarations could undermine the legal protection of contracts, threatening the foundation of the K-Pop industry.
The Korean Management Union, Korea Entertainment Producers Association, Korea Music Label Industry Association, Korea Music Industry Association, and Korea Music Content Association earnestly appeal for the cessation of baseless public campaigns by certain agencies and artists to further their interests and for policy support from the government and National Assembly to eradicate 'tampering,' a major source of conflict.
1. To resolve issues, there must be thorough fact-checking and sufficient consultation with stakeholders, leading to legislative amendments.
In the past 10 months, attempts to resolve disputes through public campaigns and unilateral declarations have become prevalent, as seen with Min Hee-jin's press conferences and NewJeans' activities. The ongoing conflict involving Min Hee-jin and NewJeans continues to persist.
We are not here to discuss the disputes between specific agencies and artists. Instead, we aim to highlight the severe impact of unilateral public disclosures on the K-Pop industry and seek to address the root causes of such disputes.
Due to the high public interest in K-Pop, mere allegations can dominate portals, online communities, and social media for extended periods. These allegations may be accepted as fact without proper verification or rebuttal. This has led to the misconception that the K-Pop industry lacks self-regulation, prompting the introduction of various regulations.
For example, after NewJeans member Hani's appearance at a parliamentary audit in October 2024, a bill prohibiting workplace harassment of artists was proposed.
While artists should be respected in all work environments, it is important to remember the public's criticism that K-Pop artists were used for sensationalism.
We urge the consideration of diverse voices in the industry, including the legal status of artists as workers and the working conditions of other K-Pop professionals, to establish more effective systems.
If related legislation is passed without considering the entire industry, frequent regulations will destabilize the K-Pop industry, and the unpredictable regulatory environment will harm all participants.
As seen in previous cases, K-Pop is a popularity-driven industry, and issues involving specific artists can cause significant controversy. The more popular the artist, the more their issues are generalized as industry-wide problems, leading to excessive regulation.
2. We call for the establishment of anti-tampering legislation, similar to the semiconductor industry's technology leakage prevention laws.
Last year's NewJeans press conference exposed private disputes between artists and agencies to excessive media coverage. Independent activities without legal judgment on ongoing disputes have also emerged. The press conferences and independent activities of prominent K-Pop artists influence public opinion and create confusion, threatening the industry.
We must prioritize addressing 'tampering' allegations, which are often the underlying cause of unchecked public campaigns.
Tampering can undermine agencies that have invested heavily in artists' potential success. However, tampering is often conducted secretly, making it difficult to prove, and there are no legal mechanisms to protect the industry from tampering.
Despite the prevalence of tampering allegations, the K-Pop industry lacks institutional protection and is vulnerable to public campaigns. It is time to recognize the threat of tampering and unite to protect the industry.
If tampering attempts succeed, the entertainment management industry, which plays a crucial role in the K-Pop industry, will collapse. This is not just a domestic issue; foreign capital could intervene, potentially taking over the K-Pop industry. Just as industrial spies exist in the semiconductor industry, the core capabilities of the K-Pop industry, such as production know-how and IP, can be leaked.
The key to preventing tampering is the 'faithful execution of exclusive contracts.' Given the importance of exclusive contracts, institutional support is needed to identify tampering and promote the faithful execution of contracts, similar to the protection of national core technologies in the semiconductor industry.
There is also a need to raise awareness among artists about the importance of contracts. NewJeans, who announced a new agent while still under contract, exemplifies how unilateral declarations can undermine legal protection and threaten the industry's foundation.
We urge the government and National Assembly to recognize tampering-related disputes as a significant risk to the K-Pop industry, one of Korea's key industries.
The K-Pop industry has overcome numerous challenges, such as the illegal download market in the early 2000s and the pandemic in the 2020s, turning crises into opportunities. We hope 2025 will be a year of overcoming internal divisions and achieving harmony and communication, allowing K-Pop to thrive as a proud cultural industry of Korea. We earnestly appeal for the attention and support of the government, National Assembly, and all sectors, and we pledge to do our utmost.
The coalition is composed of non-profit organizations dedicated to the healthy development of the K-Pop industry, and this appeal is made for public interest purposes.
