The entertainment industry's "invisible partner," trust in managers is wavering. As allegations of fraud by singer Sung Si-kyung's former manager surfaced, past cases in which stars such as BLACKPINK Lisa, Cheon Jeong-myeong, Jung Woong-in, and Son Dam-bi suffered financial losses at the hands of managers or acquaintances are being reexamined.
#. Sung Si-kyung "I trusted him like family…" betrayal by a manager of 10 years
First, Sung Si-kyung parted ways with a manager he had worked with for more than 10 years. His agency SK Jaewon said on the 3rd that it had confirmed the former manager engaged in conduct that betrayed the company's trust while employed and that it is currently investigating the scale of the damage. The manager was a key figure who managed performances, advertising and YouTube content, and was known to fans as "Sung Si-kyung's right-hand man."
Sung Si-kyung posted on social media that he experienced his trust being broken by someone he trusted and that it was not easy even at his age. Fans reacted, saying it seemed like an incident that exploited Sung Si-kyung's nature and that the manager risk has become too great.
#. Cheon Jeong-myeong "He even deceived my parents"…the breakup of a 16-year relationship
In fact, the Sung Si-kyung case is not the first. Actor Cheon Jeong-myeong also confessed that he was defrauded by a manager he had worked with for 16 years. He said the manager borrowed money from his parents and even embezzled funds, and that the shock was so great he considered retiring. He also revealed the pain, saying he could no longer trust people and even developed social phobia. Internet users expressed sympathy, saying that after 16 years they must have been like family and that it was cruel, and that it seemed trust no longer existed in the entertainment industry.
#. Jung Woong-in "I lost all my assets and even faced threats from loan sharks"
Actor Jung Woong-in revealed that he lost all his assets to a manager's fraud and had to kneel before loan sharks, adding to the heartbreak of the story. He recalled that he took out a car loan in his name and even used private loans, and that eventually his house was slapped with a seizure notice. He said he knelt for the first time in his life to ask loan sharks for debt relief. Internet users empathized, saying that losing all one's assets and resorting to private loans was serious and that being betrayed by the closest person must have hurt more.
#. BLACKPINK Lisa "1 billion won fraud"…betrayal that used "trust"
Even global group BLACKPINK's Lisa was no exception. It was revealed that a manager who worked with her from early in her debut defrauded her of around 1 billion won under the pretext of a real estate investment. YG Entertainment confirmed that Lisa was defrauded by a former manager, apologized that it caused great concern to the artist and fans, and said some amount was recovered. Lisa was unable to hide her shock, saying she was victimized by someone she trusted like family.
#. From Son Dam-bi to Kim Jong-min and Baekga…manager fraud "domino"
Son Dam-bi experienced an incident in which a manager stole all the household items to pay gambling debts. She confessed that movers were called and they took everything from furniture and clothes to underwear, and that after that incident she found it difficult to trust people.
Singer Kim Jong-min also revealed he suffered repeated fraud by managers, including having appearance fees siphoned off. He said he had fallen for investment fraud multiple times and that trust often became poison. KOYOTE member Baekga also lost hundreds of millions of won after trusting a close senior and jumping into a real estate investment.
# "Trust became poison"…internet users "we need to change the system"
These incidents have pointed to manager risk in the entertainment industry as a structural problem. In a system where managers handle both celebrities' schedules and finances, personal ties become a lax security net.
Internet users offered various opinions, saying this is not an individual problem but an industry-structure problem, that contract management and audit verification are needed, and that managers should be required to undergo certification procedures or ethics training. In particular, they noted the need for a systematic structure.
Amid this, Sung Si-kyung said he would remain steadfast, saying "this too shall pass." But manager-related incidents erupting across the entertainment industry warn of the dangers of a structure maintained solely by trust. As continued damages are disclosed, voices from fans and the industry have grown louder saying other stars need safeguards.
[Photo] OSEN DB, broadcast screen
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