Musical actress Ok Joo-hyun, formerly of girl group Fin.K.L, acknowledged negligence amid allegations that her agency operated illegally.
TOI Entertainment/Title Role Co., Ltd., the agency led by Ok Joo-hyun, said on its official social media on the 10th, "It is clearly our fault that we did not complete registration for the popular culture and arts planning business in time. However, we want to say that we never intentionally avoided legal procedures or operated the company illegally."
A representative said, "When we were preparing registration three years ago at the company's founding, we even completed online training, but it appears an omission occurred in subsequent administrative procedures. We are currently identifying the cause and will immediately take corrective steps to complete the registration," adding, "We will use this incident as an opportunity to manage administrative procedures more thoroughly and do our best to avoid losing trust."
Ok Joo-hyun established a one-person agency in April 2022. It is reported that her close junior, musical actress Lee Ji-hye, is also operating under TOI Entertainment. However, on the day, one media outlet reported that TOI Entertainment was an illegally operating company that had not registered as a popular culture and arts planning business.
Under the Act on the Development of the Popular Culture and Arts Industry, entertainers operating as sole proprietors or individuals must register as a popular culture and arts planning business. This is an essential requirement for profit-making activities. Violating this can result in up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won. All business activities, including contract signing while unregistered, are also considered illegal. If caught, operations can be suspended and criminal penalties may follow.
In response, the agency appears to have hurried to contain the situation and issued an active explanation. The agency emphasized, "The phrase 'cut off contact' raised in some reports is not true. We simply could not respond quickly due to performance schedules, but we did not avoid communication."
Below is the full statement from Ok Joo-hyun's side.
Hello, this is TOI Entertainment/Title Role Co., Ltd.
We sincerely apologize for causing concern to many people due to recent reports.
It is clearly our fault that we did not complete registration for the popular culture and arts planning business in time. However, we want to say that we never intentionally avoided legal procedures or operated the company illegally.
When the company was founded three years ago, we prepared for registration and even completed online training, but it appears an omission occurred in subsequent administrative procedures. We are currently identifying the cause and will immediately take corrective steps to complete the registration.
Also, the phrase "cut off contact" raised in some reports is not true. We simply could not respond quickly due to performance schedules, but we did not avoid communication.
We will use this incident as an opportunity to manage administrative procedures more thoroughly and do our best to avoid losing trust.
Sincerely, TOI Entertainment/Title Role Co., Ltd.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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