Ok Joo-hyun, a former member of girl group Fin.K.L and now a musical actress, issued a second apology over allegations that her agency operated illegally without registration. But with a police investigation underway, concerns are growing about whether she can continue her future activities. The same controversy has also set online discussions ablaze for Sung Si-kyung, who has been in his 20th year since debut.
On the 12th, Ok Joo-hyun posted on her agency TOI Entertainment's official social media that "When I established a one-person agency on Apr. 1, 2022, some procedures were omitted due to ignorance of administrative procedures, so I failed to complete registration in time," and bowed her head, saying "This was a negligence resulting from my inexperience, and I have no excuses." She added, "After realizing the mistake, I immediately followed supplementary procedures and completed the registration application on Sept. 10, and I am currently awaiting approval," and "From now on I will carry out all procedures thoroughly with the help of experts." She also emphasized transparency by directly releasing the registration application documents and the certificate of completion of education.
But the public reaction was cold. Critics say the explanation that a veteran singer with 27 years since debut "did not know administrative procedures" lacks persuasiveness. Some internet users continued their criticism, saying, "It's nonsense to claim you didn't know after being in the industry for nearly 30 years," and "Even after a second apology it still looks like shirking responsibility." Others, however, sent sympathetic views, saying, "If she admitted the mistake quickly and followed corrective procedures, we should watch now," and "Let's not pile on too much."
The issue is the possibility of criminal punishment. Under the current Act on the Promotion of the Popular Culture and Arts Industry, operating a popular culture and arts planning business without registration can be punished by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won. In fact, Ok Joo-hyun's case will be investigated by the Namyangju Northern Police Station in Gyeonggi after a complaint was filed through the national petition board.
Meanwhile, the fallout widened when it was revealed that singer Sung Si-kyung's one-person agency had been operated without registration for 14 years. Sung Si-kyung's agency SK Jaewon was established in Feb. 2011 and has not registered as a popular culture and arts planning business to date, and the representative is Sung Si-kyung's older sister. Sung Si-kyung is the agency's sole artist.
Sung Si-kyung's side issued an apology immediately after the controversy erupted. The agency said, "We established a corporation under the laws in 2011, but we did not recognize that the Act on the Promotion of the Popular Culture and Arts Industry was enacted in 2014 and created the obligation to register planning businesses," and "As a result, we did not complete the registration process. We deeply apologize for our lack of awareness and preparation regarding the related laws." It added, "We are currently proceeding with the registration process immediately and will finish it quickly to faithfully comply with the legal requirements. We sincerely apologize for causing concern with this matter and will operate with greater responsibility going forward."
Internet user reactions are mixed. On one side, critics said, "It's hard to believe Sung Si-kyung didn't know for 14 years," and "After Ok Joo-hyun, another similar case reveals poor management across the entertainment industry." On the other side, opinions emerged that "Sung Si-kyung acknowledged it immediately and entered the registration process, so his attitude is mature," and "Since the law changed, it seems they genuinely didn't know the regulations, so there's no need to be overly harsh."
With Sung Si-kyung following Ok Joo-hyun in revelations of unregistered agency operations, voices calling for a full inspection of the entertainment industry's overall management system and legal compliance are growing louder. Attention is focused on whether this will lead to criminal punishment or be resolved quickly through remediation and improvement.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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