'I was bullied by my agency': foreign entertainers and notorious agencies

[@believeinhope1]

If a company is asking you to leave your passport in the company's office, that's already a red flag. NEVER EVER leave your passport to ANYONE. You got in to the country with the passport, you leave with your passport. Never without it.

[@ttl5842]

yes! Definitely agreed, I used to get an offer from a company in Japan, ask me to leave my passport. The boss bully me, I run away in 2 months. I was lucky that I had refused to give my passport to the boss. the boss think I am not so submissive. The submissive girl is more easy to control!

[@GalileeGrandma]

Thank you for covering this issue. We have all been exploited by most agencies. The problem is that the Korean authorities seem to know this however as much as is revealed and known there seems to be no action to improve the situation. Foreigners have no backing, cannot form a union and continue to be exploited even as this is being exposed.

[@Prisca12345]

Simone, has such a beautiful voice and kind heart😊

[@marialuciafreire887]

The real Korea isn't like a sweet kdrama.

[@cozyjetlag]

after a couple other agencies I finally found a good one. Couldnt believe how nice and real the manager is, I think I‘m lucky that he is such a good guy, but I know many other models/actors pay a high agency fee like 10-50% and also the 10%VAT and 3.3% tax from each job! It seemed like modern slavery but once you find a good one you can become more peaceful and focus on your career :) all the best to my colleagues!

[@Dalmoon98]

I also live in korea and have spoken to Renee a bunch of times.. sad to hear this happened to her :(

[@littlemisshowei]

I have such a bittersweet relationship with Korea. I mostly had a great time living there. But I was also faced with the reality that living there might not be sustainable long term. Being there as a student is safer and more fun than being there as a worker, specially in the entertainment industry. If you’re serious about living and working in Korea. My biggest advice is probably to learn the language, the culture, do extensive research and don’t go there with rose-colored glasses. But that’s valid for any country too. If you’re going to live in a country for more than 6 months, I believe learning a good portion of the language and culture is the respectful thing to do. Adapting to the culture of the country you chose to live in actually makes it easier for people to accept you, but even for you to be able to understand context cues or spot abnormal or dangerous situations faster or more easily. For the 2 the years I lived in Korea, I attribute my being able to have a mostly positive experience a lot to the fact that I learned some of the language and a lot of the culture. But I also agree that in the long run, Korea can be a suffocating country to live in. Whether it’s towards Koreans themselves, or foreigners, the work/school culture just tend to be very exploitative. And there’s many other social issues. But it’s like that in many countries, it’s just that S. Korea is idealized that being confronted to the reality of it can be even more shocking/traumatic to some people.

[@adeleennis2255]

The biggest thing I came out of Korea with was that you will never be good enough as a foreigner to be fully accepted. You can’t be skinny enough. You can’t be pale enough. You can’t be perfect enough in appearance. You can’t know enough of the language, culture, or history. Even if you marry a Korean, have children together, and become a Korean citizen, you’ll still be a foreigner; you’ll never really be accepted as Korean.

[@staceyk.210]

This seems to be what I would call a On-Going Problem in Korea 🇰🇷 for foreign entertainers!! The agencies and companies will take advantage of you!! So it's best to be on your Guard!!And if you don't take the time to do your Research you could end up in a bad position there!! This video provided great Intel and I wish Simone the Very Best🙏🏽💯🙏🏽

[@stefi9994]

I wish I've seen this earlier with my friend's Renee words " Your bad experience with your agency doesn't define your life in Korea", before I left for the exact same reason. My heart is still there but so are my traumas and I don't know what to do anymore. I don't think I will ever be able to go back yet I dread for it so much.... *sigh*

[@ornellasigning124]

So they kinda wanna *own you* terrible 🤦🏾‍♀️lot of courage to them just want pple to be wiser in the future

[@katdog3522]

only support and love for you Renee

[@lilmamagc]

Renee is the sweetest thing in this world. How dare they do this too her

[@louniece1650]

The underbelly is always there. Always.

[@wearelikethetreesofcherryb2960]

Thankyou for sharing your story

[@ysub2435]

In particularly in korea, the rich companies believed they are God themselsves They have the power to whatever they want to you.

[@adeleennis2255]

Truth! If they’re in a black car, they think they own the damn world.

[@epifanny]

So brave of them to be speaking out especially when they still work there. All the best to them...

[@nicolel7539]

OMG I remember seeing Renee in a few things and wondering where had been. No wonder. 😶

[@bigmig808]

Sounds like there’s an opportunity for jobs as “manager/bodyguard “ for these foreign actors for when they don’t get paid. Everyone understands a good knock on the head or very aggressive persuasion.

[@zohramartini9425]

I'm sorry but we all knew it, people living it here... If it is done to K-entertainers... It is obviously done to migrants

[@sin6388]

Korea is very beautiful country for 6 months. After that it is hell. People will try to force you to learn Korean and culture and behave exactly like them.

[@littlemisshowei]

If you’re going to live in a country for more than 6 months, I believe learning a good portion of the language and culture is the respectful thing to do. Adapting to the culture of the country you chose to live in actually makes it easier for people to accept you, but even for you to be able to understand context cues or spot abnormal or dangerous situations faster or more easily. For the 2 the years I lived in Korea, I attribute my being able to have a mostly positive experience a lot to the fact that I learned some of the language and a lot of the culture. But I also agree that in the long run, Korea can be a suffocating country to live in. Whether it’s towards Koreans themselves, or foreigners, the work/school culture just tend to be very exploitative. And there’s many other social issues. But it’s like that in many countries, it’s just that S. Korea is idealized that being confronted to the reality of it can be even more shocking/traumatic to some people.

[@youngblood3907]

Isn't your idea of living in a country for more than six months and never learning the language and culture a problem? What if a Korean moved to New York City and didn't learn a word of English for 6 months, but insisted on the Korean way of life? and resent the Americans around them, I think that's a problem too. And I think you might be mistaken about "forcing".

[@malikbooker9187]

@@littlemisshowei I agree with this. I also agree with them because many people will try to force you to accept the cons of the country as normal culture. If natives are killing themselves because of that “culture” then don’t force people to learn it

[@lr2ldn]

@@littlemisshowei Okay good for you and your great experience and that you speak the language and you're so awesome and wonderful! That's not everyone's experience and you diminishing other's experience while propping up your experience makes you look like a muppet.

[@ShaylaEnoch]

As someone who's trying to get into the entertainment industry myself in SK, i'm really glad that this issue is being brought up bc this is a very concerning issue that needs to be addressed especially if there's anyone that wants to get into the entertainment world they need to be aware and prepared for what they could be in for

[@november132]

why would you still want to after seeing these videos. don't complain after you've been warned!!!

[@kmariamv]

Is it possible to stay there on another type of visa and have more ownership of yourself / income for those pursuing entertainment? Just seems like too much for those trying there

[@Tvtvtvtvttv]

Why are there no ndas? How amateur.

[@베베라인댄스]

시민언론 더탐사가 압수수색 당하고 있습니다 취재해주세요

[@kunabubbles8035]

It’s Korea/Korean monopolies everyone/everything in their country. Keep saying this country is in the closet communist.

[@malikbooker9187]

It’s always been like that

[@PumpkinMozie]

A lot of foreigners come to Korea because they want to feel special and different and they think that if they just speak a little Korean, then Korean people will fawn all over them and they’ll be famous. 🙄 But reality is a slap in the face when they realize it’s not as easy as they expected. In reality, ESL teachers are also treated very similarly by hagwons, as well as many many Korean workers too. It’s a much bigger problem.

[@stefi9994]

Lol this is not even the problem ?? Most of the time yeah just with those little qualities it IS enough to get through, but NO ONE deserves slavery treatment, bullying and accusations. It really doesn't matter what your talents are. Everyone who goes there to be someone, to do something, knows well they have to work hard for it. Working hard isn't the issue, never was, it's the higher ups with all the power that are the problem.

[@Malalalaika]

This comment was weird.

[@malikbooker9187]

You’re weird for attacking victims

[@oliverjerlynn]

I'm sorry but the company is being bullied too. Yes I know this will be coming too. Bye and have a nice day.

[@badabingbadaboomboomboom3755]

What?