Living in fear: why these foreign actors chose to leave the Korean entertainment industry

Since he arrived in Seoul in 2011, Kentucky-born actor Kenneth Fibbe had actively pursued his acting career with an E-6-1 visa ― a special permit for foreigners seeking to engage in profitable activities in the field of music, acting and the arts, among others. Fibbe appeared in a plethora of hit series like "Descendants of the Sun" (2016), starring A-list actors Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, and also on the music video of K-pop diva, HyunA. It looked as if he was living a life that many people would envy.
After a few years, however, he left Korea and returned to his home country. For Fibbe, life in Korea was no longer tolerable. He felt like he would never be protected or respected by anyone, even if he persevered against all odds and rose to the top.

[@rjeanne4683]

I worked as a fashion model and actress in Korea for 5 years. The issues I - and THOUSANDS of other actors and talent faced, not just me - is ENOURMOUS and yes, it IS life threatening. I had to literally escape the country just a few months ago. I was homeless the entire time, even though I was talented and worked on many good, well-paying projects, worked 16-20 hours a day trying to find work when I wasn't on set for 30 hours, and would have been paid a livable salary if foreign casting agencies would have actually paid me. I had people who often helped me out with money or food, too. I was hospitalized twice for manutrition and overworking my body, and I still couldn't buy a single meal most of that time. What Garrison said is 100% true; they almost always take 80 - 90% of your payment and because they forge your signatures on the contracts, and you never see that contract or know it exists - you won't even know it. The agencies who sponosor E-6 visas work together. It's quite literally organized crime, a mafia, and YES, if you ask questions or ask for your contracts (which are always required for every set, ask any Korean talent) you will be blacklisted. I agree with Kelly; I no longer support the E-6 visa and strongly advise against anyone getting one. I can promise you, you will regret it. You can't 'beat the system.' Not to mention that the agencies often sell their female talent in a se-x trafficking ring. They beat you down, make it so you are completely alone, desperate and don't know what is really going on, then suddenly you start getting strange men trying to pay you to sleep with them, or other dangerous situations I won't get into here. Some of these problems exist for the Korean talent as well, such as issues with se-x trafficking, under pay and terrible agent contracts, but that exists in every place and every industry- Hollywood is full of such predatory agencies - so a smart Korean talent can avoid these issues and also legally seek compensation or justice. All of my Korean friends who are talents are doing fairly well for themselves, even if they aren't extremely rich or famous or whatever else. If they see an issue, they can easily avoid it or chose not to work with that agent. However, there is no hope for forigners to do the same. DO NOT go to Korea to work as talent, and if you are in Korea and considering getting and E-6 visa, DO NOT DO IT. Again, you can not beat the system. I spoke with several lawyers in Korea about what was going on and they couldn't believe it - they told me that only with a team of 10+ lawyers and a couple hundred people on board, could they even figure out how to help punish these criminals because it is such a complicated web. We have tried and thankfully, we are getting the word out there, but change is a long, long way to come. To put it into perspective, I earned about 5,000 USD total my entire time in Korea. Yes, the entire 5 years I lived there - I only earned about 5,000 USD.

[@kellyfrances4943]

R Jeanne, This was painful for me to read. I appreciate you sharing such a personal and painful part of your past this way. It's upsetting that you endured such a scary, damaging quality of life for so long. I wish you could have received adequate support back then (though I'm relieved you received "some"), and I'm sorry to learn that nothing more substantial was available to you. I hope that wherever you are now, you feel happy and fulfilled. I hope you're healthy and can look back and find meaning apart from your hardship and pain, as that's a great deal of time, and we can't "have time back." The very act of sharing experience is significant and generous. Thank you. Wishing you health, happiness, and inspiration wherever you are in this big/small world

[@ProgessivesBwhitetho]

whered you sleep?

[@rjeanne4683]

@@ProgessivesBwhitetho wherever I could. Sometimes I got to stay at someone's house for a week or two but lots of times I was on the streets. Parks and subway atations. Sometimes I could afford a goshiwon for a month but that was only twice :(

[@ProgessivesBwhitetho]

@@rjeanne4683 thanks for the response i hope your doing well, I want to bike korea homeless

[@rjeanne4683]

@@ProgessivesBwhitetho ah I would recommend looking into planned traveling, there are lots of places and things you can do to stay safe that a person in my position can't. Its not really the same thing.

[@gabdongipark]

and then people dont understand why some fans are against kids being into entertainment industry

[@idongesitx1873]

The crying child was so sad. I’m happy the mom was there

[@sodalite5294]

Who some people? I seen a lot of complaints about underage kids working for entertainment

[@gabdongipark]

@@sodalite5294 i dont understand your question

[@infinitebeing1119]

It is easier for these corporations to brainwash kids and teenagers with dreams and fantasies.

[@WanglembaElangbam-xj7yl]

Leave my K-pop alone Jerk

[@SA-dx5sx]

It’s also in journalism as well. I wrote and article and sent it to the editor of the Korean times regarding tourism and English towns in Jeju. It was a well researched piece. I got an email back from the editor saying that they couldn’t use it. Two months later when English towns became national news, my article was published under some Korean writers name. I wrote to the editor saying it was plagiarism and was told to shut up or people would visit me to shut me up. I then went to the lawyer and filed a lawsuit against them. But the courts threw it out. After that I got a visit from some local thugs who thought they could intimidate me. Both short and fat so I wasn’t. I continued to make noise, and then my boss from the education department called me in an threatened me that I would lose my job if I continued to make noise. I did the midnight run that night and left Korea. The people of Korea are the biggest racists I have ever met and the way they deal with foreign residents is disgusting. Don’t bother going there. The Korean times doing this series are a bunch of hypocrites, pretending to care about foreign talent. What more than likely happened is that word has got out and they are trying to do damage control

[@rjeanne4683]

Ooof. I agree, I am glad there is finally some reporting going on from Korea Times, but I had been trying to get word out for years with them. They also didn't talk about the truly dangerous and awful things, and interviewed people who actually did okay for themselves in Korea. I know the people personally and they were the few who actually made a smigeon of money and did okay. Its far worse than this reports and its.... you might be right about damage control. I love Korea but, I don't know if I can ever go back. It was so horrible. And I'm sorry your work was plagerized. I am not suprised the courts threw it out (this happened to me to when I tried to do something about various issues).

[@naleenidas8444]

@@rjeanne4683 Wow! So what they show in their dramas abt prejudice & behind the scene maneuverings by the prosecution office isn't a joke after all? More so towards foreigners!

[@kellyfrances4943]

Your story doesn’t surprise me, though it certainly horrifies me. I have had a similar thing happen to me, and I've known of similar events when people stood firm in defiance as you did. What you did takes a great deal of courage. Most of the time, that kind of defiance doesn’t happen. I was once pressured (and to an extent, kinda blackmailed) into signing away my right to royalties over the televised ESL franchise I literally created, with minimal contribution from JEI. The script for Full Sentence English was initially given to me as “an idea we all hate and know will fail but our President and VP like it so we have to do it anyway” - and “No one has any real expectations of this succeeding so don’t worry.” I felt I had a good idea, and it was something I’d never seen done before. I was given license to rewrite the pilot initially and that led to me re-writing the entire show and changing the concept (but we kept the lame title). To this day, the franchise generates spin-offs. It was a monster amount of work - and work I chose to do because of my personal work ethic. By then, I’d interned at EBS as a writer and worked closely with a director for a few years who mentored me in ESL program production and it was the sort of challenge I'd hoped for. I also couldn’t stomach the idea of “doing crap work so knowingly”. I didn’t get any extra compensation, but that wasn’t the primary value I sought. To be fair, I fully expected to be appropriately credited at the time and our crew supported that notion because they were apparently as naive as I was. My actions required approval from their GM, and were no secret. That show launched a franchise, and that franchise became a best-selling program. I even idiotically fell for the GM pretending she was interested in hiring me again, and asking me to mock up new ideas - only to be painfully ghosted. 🙄It’s a complex game that is tricky to play because we all live in a state of compromise just to exist in it. On the one hand, it was pure joy creating and hosting the work. On the other, any refusal to let myself be screwed would’ve just invited them to find another (and possibly more damaging way) to shut me down and I knew it. This was about money. I had no leverage. I’ll never forget looking her staff in the eye as they handed me the documents and telling them, “K I know that you know I’m being screwed out of royalties I deserve here and I don’t believe you want to hurt me or have much real choice because your leadership sucks, but watching you try and lie about this makes me sick so how about I just tell you I don’t hold you responsible and we cut the shit?” One PD started crying that day and another was shaking and couldn't look at me. We enjoyed a good relationship on set and I could see they hated what they’d been commanded to do. They also knew I worked my ass off to make them look good. I was angry and hurt for a time, but ultimately, I know it was my work. I credited myself correctly on IMDB. It was still very painful, even though I knew it wasn't personal. This is how it is. I admire what you did and I’m horrified it led to the loss of your Korean life.

[@kellyfrances4943]

Regarding the team that made this, I must respectfully disagree, but I completely understand why you'd feel that way doubt "the entity that hired them". Anyone would. The Korea Times’ management didn’t initiate this work. This topic was submitted to the Korea Press Foundation as a proposal by a woman who partially grew up in America and takes special interest in the abuse of minorities and in women's issues. She did an exposé on expat rape that went viral. Teams can choose topics to propose, and in some cases, they can choose topics, but they answer to editors in the end. They shape their career through the types of content they pitch. Her editor approved the project after she secured that funding. To her credit, she endured (and was defiant of) a pretty crazy amount of hate mail over some of the segments in this project - notably the first because of the implications that certain business people in Busan felt it made. She spent a significant amount of her personal time trying to assist the couple portrayed in Segment 1 in getting out of the incredible mess they were in, and that is one of several reasons I will forever be grateful to her. She helped me circulate the GoFundMe I made for them using the Korea Times network (which I’m sad to say failed miserably). She spent 9 months preparing for this and encountered more than a few obstacles. Few journalists ever really wrap their heads around this topic as It’s complex, and there's a ton of history to it. This series was her brainchild, and it seemed to arise after she asked to do a short interview with me for a small piece that turned into a 4-hour discussion, after which she joined chat groups to start learning and asked for a lot of literature and information. I've worked with many writers in Korea, and this type of effort is exceptionally rare. The Korea Times is a gov't owned machine, but the people there shouldn’t be automatically condemned because of the crappy choices made by their management. I know I wouldn’t want to be held accountable for that while I wrote for them, and I once worked as a guest health columnist there. While nothing about your story surprises me, I believe wholeheartedly that the intentions of this team are sincere, and I was blown away by the work ethic of the lead PD's video production team. I was also extremely impressed by the respect they showed my members and myself, and I’m not easily impressed. This type of content can get painful and emotional, and she was incredibly patient and generous with me at times when I expect she was busy as hell. I am stunned we were given this opportunity and feel very grateful it was that team that led it.

[@kellyfrances4943]

@@rjeanne4683💓 I’d like to address your reply in depth, and I’m grateful you shared. This may not be apparent (and my guess is it isn't apparent at all based on other replies), but there are 3 other videos in this series and the first 2 involve some of the most heartbreaking situations I have known. We were somewhat limited due to the dynamic this gentleman's story illustrates well: if you resist exploitation, you're going to pay for it, and anonymity wasn’t an option we could offer participants. If you check out parts 1 and 2, I believe you'll agree they're compelling. I was asked to help find interviewees, and the task was difficult. Thanks to the prevalence of fear tactics, we largely lacked the luxury of choice. I Initially felt reluctance - it took me time to feel confident with the lead producer - who eventually gained my full trust or I assure you, I would not have participated as I did. I felt concerned anyhow due to the consequences participants potentially faced. I feel a degree of responsibility for my group members and appreciate that trust is put in me. That, and a few months earlier, I watched the awful BS that those who participated in DAKA’s press conference faced. Openly opposing a system you currently work in is no small feat -as you well know. I’m stunned we had the ability to create video 3. I'm also inspired by the bravery... Part 1 discussed 2 political refugees who ended up desperately leaving Korea for Qatar after checking every box possible and getting no where, and then (I recently learned) were screwed by their new employers 2 weeks into the job :( The Korea Times helped me circulate a gofundMe that wasn't very successful (but we are doing what we can to support them). The second is about a trafficked sex worker from The Philippines. Every writer and/or team at The Times is distinct. While I can only speak about what I experienced, I was blown away by the dedication I witnessed. PD Minyoung worked for 9 months to wrap her head around these issues. BTW, this is the link to the website housing all videos and related stats - www.koreatimes.co.kr/interactive/foreignartist and I think it should've been included in the description. They commissioned an external website to avoid political tension, specifically because the gov't owns The Korea times and the team had no wish to hold back. The media was not always an ally - in that, you're painfully correct. I recall the brutal fallout that Gloria Kim (our very first writer) faced by netizens. She even ended up being dragged into court by an agent (who lost). Frankly, I couldn't believe she came back for more or came to us wanting to write at all. She told me she had a foreign friend who shared their story, and she wanted to do something about it. She wrote at least 7 or 8 articles by the time she left her paper and seemed sincerely motivated by a desire to help bring awareness about these issues. She and the lead PD here are treasures, but Gloria Kim got the subject in the news enough to inspire JTBC to help elevate the issue's credibility, and it took her multiple articles to do it. Before her, we had no reason to expect anything from the media - and expat abuse isn't a popular topic in Korea. I'd never seriously considered pushing stories - the gov't owns the majority of papers and Ohmynews essentially told me to f*ck off. The media was no friend of ours until around late 2020 and the I credit the change to a unique individual whose motives I still don't fully understand but massively appreciate. This project has limitations - and I understand and share your frustration. Lives are incredibly nuanced. There's a great deal of my story that couldn't be told here. I know you know me in the context of our social media connection - and I am extremely grateful for knowing you. ^^ I intentionally try and leave a lot of "me" out of what I do in the group unless my experience is relevant to something someone is facing. I believe I enjoyed success, but I also endured some very ugly and dangerous things. We ended up excluding some of those experiences out of concern they may detract from the message. Consistency is strong - many of our experiences overlap. I spent my entire adult life in Korea, and I certainly wasn't always successful - that took time and work. My residency spanned 20 years, and the team had 10-15 min to cover data from 7 people. I've definitely had some very bleak years. I have a complex relationship with Korea, but love is part of it. To be real, I think part of my success was tied to timing. It was a much different environment when I started, and that's when I laid down roots. That was sheer luck. Despite it, I had some pretty awful shit happen to me. Finding people to participate in USA was challenging - especially since any actor in America who is part of SAG literally can't admit to taking work in Korea. Considering the obstacles, I think we were lucky. One gent even flew to LA on his own dime, and the incredible attitudes of everyone that participated overwhelmed me. I wasn’t expecting such generosity, nor did I expect organizations to take this as seriously as they did, and thank goodness because we couldn’t pay anyone for a thing. We did our best, and I did my best, but looking back, there are many things I would have done differently. This was a learning experience. I wish you could have joined us. It's wonderful having your contribution to this page, and you stand out in my memory as being both brave and extremely willing to try and help others. Knowing all you've endured, I am all the more moved that you found the energy to do that. Moved, grateful and humbled…this got long, but you possess unique context and insight, and you’re one of the people this was made for. We did our best to represent the struggles of others with what we were given. I hope I get another shot at it someday - I’ve learned a lot and there’s definitely room for improvement. Advocating for change in Korea is extremely worthy to me.💓

[@RahelSings]

As someone who was working under a 3-year contract as an actor model in Seoul I am very happy to see this series about the conditions of work there for foreigners. I do hope that Korea will take it seriously and make the necessary changes to treat everybody fairly.

[@kakeruleonhart7124]

They will not 😂

[@kittyss2371]

Tjey cant even accept equal rights for women.. Let alone foreigners..Korea is just a hypocritical country...

[@CoolNumber1]

NOthing to do with Korean, just the culture program to be like this. Even korean suffer too.

[@kyotoeve]

When you think about how they overwork and mistreat their own Korean entertainment,it probably won't happen for awhile and as SK and a few other countries are very image importance based Noone will speak up because it's expected to keep up face.

[@blackolantern5666]

@Rahel. It's Korea not America. They can do whatever they want. 🤷🏿‍♂

[@cityofcresendo121]

“The job was more important than the lives of these two men” I don’t think I would cope very well in that environment!

[@idongesitx1873]

I wonder if he has gone to therapy.

[@RahelSings]

A huge thank you and credit to Kelly who works tirelessly to support fire nurse in Korea who end up being exploited and have nowhere to turn. Thank you for bringing this to light as you have been doing for years

[@pixierainbow7]

I was always surprised when idols said they worked nonstop on a set for like 18hrs or something absurd without sleeping. This explains a bit of why it's concerning when young idols join the industry.

[@aron-c8207]

Yeah, in Korea, labor conditions and politics are still in 1970's. Workers rights advocates still get hostile treatments.

[@aldekorea]

Thank you Korea Times for starting to show these issues about Korea and not only the good things. This way not only the life and rights of foreigners but also of Koreans can improve. The first step of solving a peoblem is acknowledging it, sadly talking about negative things about your country or family is not very keen to Korean culture, but maybe there’s some change ahead and things can be improved.

[@yinyang4537]

I think you missed this : @SA-dx5sx It’s also in journalism as well. I wrote and article and sent it to the editor of the Korean times regarding tourism and English towns in Jeju. It was a well researched piece. I got an email back from the editor saying that they couldn’t use it. Two months later when English towns became national news, my article was published under some Korean writers name. I wrote to the editor saying it was plagiarism and was told to shut up or people would visit me to shut me up. I then went to the lawyer and filed a lawsuit against them. But the courts threw it out. After that I got a visit from some local thugs who thought they could intimidate me. Both short and fat so I wasn’t. I continued to make noise, and then my boss from the education department called me in an threatened me that I would lose my job if I continued to make noise. I did the midnight run that night and left Korea. The people of Korea are the biggest racists I have ever met and the way they deal with foreign residents is disgusting. Don’t bother going there. The Korean times doing this series are a bunch of hypocrites, pretending to care about foreign talent. What more than likely happened is that word has got out and they are trying to do damage control

[@PumpkinMozie]

Holy crap, the Kia commercial story is both shocking and yet also completely unsurprising. Shameful.

[@andricrypto2852]

I am aware that the Korean entertainment industry is toxic, but hearing them from people who experienced it as individuals is just eye opening. No wonder few of Korea stars are stressed and miserable.

[@hnguyen218]

"GOT TO KEEP GOING, KEN. FIGHTING!" 😭😭😭

[@MrWadewynn]

problem is, unless you are a top tier actor/actress in the film industry in most countries, you have little to no bargaining power. That's why most actors/actresses don't whistleblow until after they have enough social capital where their words matter and have weight with the public. If you are essentially a cameo or a glorified extra, most people won't give you the time of day in Korea let alone Hollywood. I'm glad they're shedding light on this , but I don't think it will change anytime soon. Even in the ESL industry, there are less teachers who are willing to put up with bullshit, but most schools or hagwons refuse to change conditions, so basically schools would rather be without teachers for months than hire with better conditions in Korea. What does happen though is that teachers who wouldn't normally get hired due to being from a specific country or having a specific accent will get hired more often which is kind of of pro. But the problem is, foreign actors in Korea aren’t considered highly expendable since they are stars in any of their work.

[@rjeanne4683]

I agree with most of what you said, but I also think this video doesn't show the reality. I know the people in the video personally and they generally did okay. But at the end, what you said about them not being considered expendable, I TOTALLY disagree with. My exeriance was that we were considered more expendable and the 'agents' didn't care less if we left or not. As long as they could exploit us as much as possible. I knew only one person who consistently could pay for a small apartment, as a model, and she was the only female senior model in Korea. So, she wasn't expendable. But everyone else is VERY expendable.

[@MrWadewynn]

@@rjeanne4683 that was a typo, i meant to say they were expendable

[@indierok]

Good content, but how about adding Korean subtitles so it could be shared and communicated within the domestic industry?

[@kellyfrances4943]

Thank you - that's a great idea. We've had a lot of Korean language coverage during the past couple of years, and we felt celebratory about the notion of a multimedia English project that might act as a cautionary tale for the west. Still, I agree entirely that much may be lost by excluding Korean subtitles. I'll pass on that feedback. Happy new year, and thank you for your feedback!

[@feonjun]

I'm Asian American. My family and I immigrated to the U.S. in 1979 when I was 11 years old. However, I still have the *ASIAN WORK ETHIC,* but the kind of *BE A MAN* approach by Asian supervisor and employers is unhealthy. There's a reason western countries have work place safety measures and laws in place. Employees should are not slaves.

[@pikachuthunderbolt3919]

Westerners value humans as they have already gone through worst . So don't waste time in funding why they value humans

[@sexymom430]

If you let these employers run over you they will. When your body is worn out, and you can’t mobilize anymore your employer will kick you to the curb and find someone new. Bump that Junk! Take care of yourself and live❤

[@ifeifesi]

Lol, what the heck is Asian American? Surely you know specifically what country in Asia you are from😂😂😂😂

[@Mel1999]

I think it is a great video. I must say however I think the issue of how foreigners get treated in Korea isn't only in the entertainment industry. In general being a foreigner in korea is really hard when you try to work and build a life. You often get ignored or mistreated at work but also outside of work. If you live outside of Seoul, things are a lot tougher too. I have lived her for over 3 years and have reached a point where I had enough and have decided to go back to my home country. I really hope that people that will come to Korea in the future will have a more realistic view of the country instead of some fantasy. Documentaries like this one are a real eye opener for anyone planning to come.

[@kenna-nw4fs]

Facts. I'm really impressed this was made and they did a good job even if it feels like a lot got left out that shouldn't have. This was good work and I hope the effort to teach people about what's really happening keeps up. I agree that people live in fantasy land too much when they head to Seoul and that can be dangerous, especially if they're not prepared or really qualified to begin with and riding a dream. People need to make decisions with solid info, and this is accurate. So is what you wrote. Really encouraging to see this.

[@TheMadameKarnak]

I had heard about "idol" treatment that was sketchy, but this was an eye-opener

[@James-sn5mg]

That happens pretty much in any countries if you go as a foreigner.

[@sushispicelatte]

appreciate Korea Times for doing these video series.

[@cventer838]

It sounds like torture, but the norm to Korean entertainment. Motherhood can be grueling and exhausting, looking after your kids around the clock and throughout the night, but the rewards are different. The only time in my life I was able to stay awake for 48 hours was when my husband had covid, but instinct kicked in. It's abuse, honestly. Although South Korea is such a technologically developed country, there is a lot of room for improvement concerning human rights and work ethics. Korea has a lot of beautiful people and a lot of talent. No person can work for 20 hours per day. You'd burn out or drop dead from exhaustion if you lived like that.

[@Yellow-Rose]

Agree with every word you said! very important points you made.

[@malikaudauky2889]

While this is the last episode of your exposé specifically on entertainers, I genuinely hope you expand your digital journalism project even further.WELL DONE!

[@kellyfrances4943]

Thanks so much for the support and encouragement! I agree - the video production team at The Korea Times is extremely talented. Lead Producer Minyoung Lee seems particularly interested in women's issues, expat issues, and stories that are often underrepresented. She's been a treasure for our community, and I'm a fan of her storytelling style. She secures the trust of those she works with admirably. I don't believe we could have pulled this off nearly as well had she not been so gifted in earning trust and so tenacious in learning about this highly complex issue - it's a tough issue to truly understand - a real mess. Ms. Lee spent about 9 months absorbing information before she booked flights - and she's a professional who never seems to run out of energy for her work. I would gladly welcome the opportunity to work with her and her team again. I suspect there will be more to come on this topic as the upcoming year will bring about controversial change, not least due to the introduction of 2 new visas, which you can read about here if interested. www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/culture/2022/12/135_341740.html?fbclid=IwAR2vmZE2Ypr8G94h0h5bbdiktsq_PYnMWtLK5HFCOGmN-9KdCSWITJqktIo There've been mixed reactions, and it's tough for us to know what types of changes these might inspire. Regardless, I feel that change is a good thing for us now, and I look forward to seeing how things unfold. Happy new year, and thanks again for the feedback and positivity!

[@Kiki-en9vm]

Koreans only want you to talk about how good they are in everything but not their dark side or where they are making mistakes.

[@user-ws6tw2zc6j]

Most Korean movies or dramas are about criticizing the problems of Korean society. It's not hiding, but rather expressing it more.

[@kellyfrances4943]

@@user-ws6tw2zc6j I think that's an interesting point, especially when I consider Korean horror movies - many of which are centered on just that (and very effective). It's troubling how many people seem inclined to jump to unhelpful and/or offensive generalizations in this discussion. That doesn't lead anywhere productive. Thanks for your input, and best wishes.

[@kellyfrances4943]

I appreciate your feelings and that the actions discussed in the videos are painful, but I believe it's human nature to want to emphasize the positive aspects of ourselves. It's uncomfortable for anyone to "talk about their dark sides." I hope people identify that this isn't a "black and white" matter and that this video doesn't discuss Korean culture. This is a crisis, but there are reasonable ways to improve what's happening, and in the meantime, prevention through media exposure is a step in the right direction. These discussions help spread awareness. :) Korea has plenty that is worth exploring and celebrating. As it is with all places, there are many different sides - and some are quite beautiful. Thanks for watching.

[@yaya5tim]

It sounds like you're just misinformed or didn't keep up with the news, Koreans call their country Hell Chosun or Hell Korea, implying they have so many social issues going on. They're also curious why foreigners come, do they not knowing every thing in Korea and only watch K drama and listen to K pop?(sounds like you right there) East Asian countries all have their problems with government, while Korea calls itself "Hell Korea", Taiwan calls themselves "Ghost Island", life for foreigners in Japan isn't easy too, white people or European looking people do have a privilege compare to other foreigners but it still limits you.

[@Poppy_love59]

You all need to do a better job of outreach into areas of the Korean entertainment industry about these issues as well. For instance there are currently tens of thousands or possibly even hundreds of thousands of young and older people who want to move to Korea to be closer to or even involved in the Idol scene and the number of nightmare cases that I have heard of is incredible. There are predatory agencies in Korea which exist solely for the purpose of grooming young kids to be turned out into the porn Scene and prostitution as well. Many of these kids are foreigners who have no idea, nor do their parents have any understanding of the implications of the contracts which they are signing. They also don't understand the ramifications of failure to adhere to those contracts can be both civil as well as criminal. It is a national disgrace for Korea to allow these things to continue and Korea should well be aware that the fame they have attained through the Hallyu concept can also turn very ugly if these types of abuses continue and go unaddressed by the Legislators and Courts. Equal and fair treatment for all foreign entertainment personnel should be the hall mark of the Korean entertainment industry rather than the exception.

[@user-hh3fh1xy9s]

뭔 개소리지?

[@RahelSings]

In all honesty I really doubt that Korea has even the desire to squelch the corruption in the industry. The influx of money from the idol worshippers and the bribe money is all too good for too many people. As long as they can just showcase a bad guy every now and then they can keep on pretending all is well - nothing to hide. Foreigners really DO need to do MUCH more in outreach and to raising awareness big time. It has to come from the foreigners somehow. The other issue is there are so many now flocking to Korea for idol wannabees. These newbies on the scene really don't care about being exploited. So there are way too many "fish in the sea" for the corrupt entities to choose from and this enables an endless cycle of ongoing corruption and exploitation.

[@rjeanne4683]

yes. Yes yes yes. I am so worried about the new 'Hallu' visa that targets young people. What made me decide to leave Korea is when I found out that there isn't any way to not be exploited. The agentcies are a mafia that control everything. I found out because a Korean guy wanted me to sign to his Korean company as his actor, and we couldn't make it happen- I got the information on HOW visas are sponsored and realized its all been done illegally. Agents are forging immigration documents.

[@le96g]

I have this gut feeling that South Korea just treats foreigners so badly. Specially non-asian ones, but still treats the asian ones badly too, just less.

[@serenajourneys]

actually from wht i heard they dont like south east asian people. they prefer white or fair skin people

[@fffw1826]

@@serenajourneys Yup. They look down on other Asians (SE Asians, South Asians, and Central Asians). In general, they're narrow-minded. But ironically, they go to my country to make a living. Korean in my country is the 13th-largest population of overseas Koreans according to South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2018 (around 78,676 persons). Maybe 80,000 - 100,000 Koreans in my country make a living this year.

[@le96g]

@@fffw1826 Right? There are A LOT of koreans here in Brazil from a long time immigration wave. Still, if I go to South Korea some will give me a side eye 🤧

[@fffw1826]

@@le96g Right. They're not immigrants but expatriates in my country. They will return to S.Korea after they're retired or after their job contracts end. TMI, Brazil, S. Korea and my country are G20 members.

[@xxLonniExx]

Yep, they treat everyone like trash, even their significant others, lol.

[@cathechung]

This is a problem for Korean talents too so it's not surprising. Many Korean talent agencies take advantage of people in vulnerable situations (either due to being naive, lack of knowledge or language barrier), just look at all the idols and singers who were children and signed their life away to be stolen from and gaslit. A huge scandal just a few months back was a widely popular singer who believed he never made any money from his songs and was told he was a negative asset by his CEO. Talents are expected to work with 2-3 hours a sleep between filming at times, even at top levels. There are so many foreigners who consume entertainments based on fabricated worlds of Korean fantasy, almost to the point of fetishing it, that they decide to uproot their life and move to a country they don't really know about. Do your research people. Korea was a war-torn country risen from the ashes by policies set in place by a military dictatorship that relied on nationalism and uniformity. Of course there will be issues.

[@shubhashrichoudhury7266]

❤❤❤

[@xxLonniExx]

Yep, corporate music sucks.

[@rjeanne4683]

I think an important point here is that foriegners don't have rights in Korea, and they aren't able to make good choices. The industry is awful everywhere, but on E6, even if you learn your lesson and try to avoid exploitation, its impossible. Whereas a Korean national can learn and stay away from it. Although I do think corruption and exploitation is more prevalent in Korea all around for sure.

[@lauriehinton6289]

They treat their own actors citizens worse

[@rjeanne4683]

I see what you mean, but what's really important to remeber is that on the visa, you aren't allowed to 1. Work any other job for money on the side (part time work of any kind) so you can't support yourself when there isnt any work 2. Forigners don't see the contracts and the casting 'agents' forge signatures and take as much money as they want and this is the practice - it is NOT this way for Koreans. 3. Forigners can not unionize. 4. The agents work together in a type of mafia, so you'll be black listed at best if you try to help, and there is no single agent that ISNT doing this to the forigners. And 5. The agents have a huge hand in se.x trafficking in Korea- using the desperate and trapped forigners on E6. Basically, its all the horrible things about the Korean ent. Industry, but 10 times more inescapable.

[@abcd-jk4zb]

To think JYJ are still banned for rebelling against this industry is what breaks my heart.

[@wackojim]

A very interesting documentary. Thanks to all those who took part in its production, and I hope Kelly, Garrison and the other actors featured are now leading peaceful and fulfilling lives.

[@kellyfrances4943]

Thank you so much for the feedback and warm wishes. I appreciate you watching and wish you the same ^^

[@wackojim]

​@@kellyfrances4943 You're welcome Kelly! Thanks for the well-wishes. Best wishes to you! 😀

[@Kiki-en9vm]

Is hard to connect with anything in Korea,you will always be an outsider, not that you want to be an insider,but just a sense of belonging,but it doesn't exist,and working mentality is different,they never tell you anything on the work flow, communication different.

[@graceababan]

Thank you for brining this issue forward. I this will be the cause for more conversation & change.

[@kellyfrances4943]

Thanks so much for watching and for your support and encouragement ^^

[@moonsandsunsets]

Thank you for your courage and I applaud you for taking time to actually address some comments to further educate the viewers.

[@kellyfrances4943]

I appreciate your thoughtful comment and support. Wishing you the very best

[@Osmanthus550]

I'm glad this is being talk more about.

[@julietar4441]

no wonder chinese idols don't renew their contracts and leave their kpop groups🤧

[@ellenmcdaniel1550]

This also might explain why some Korean actors/singers do movies or join pop groups in China. It's sad that China seems to be treating Korean talent better than Korea does...

[@TrinhNguyen-sh4fj]

Honestly, even Koreans are mistreated but it is a bit worse for foreigners.

[@julietar4441]

@@ellenmcdaniel1550 that's a whole different problem actually. The way contracts and work visas, specially the one mentioned here are made, makes it difficult for some foreigners in the entertainment industry to work in Korea, and even though some contracts makes artists earn less than they should, or makes them work more in general for both foreigners and Korean people, the reason why many Korean trainees decide to go to China to debut is because the standards are way lower to do so, and have more chances of debuting abroad. Cpop and Kpop requires artists different things in order to debut. Cpop is like Jpop in this sense, the public enjoys seeing the growth of their idols, in Kpop we expect the idols who debut to be impecable already, you can tell the difference just by watching the tv shows that makes trainees contest to debut. If you compare Chinese or Japanese with Korea competition programs you can tell the gap between the trainees and how each of them focus in different aspects. A clear example is boy's planets or produce 101. Chinese and Japanese trainees focus on different areas, like charisma, and even though they do practice singing and dancing it's a bit different ad more calm focus, Koreans target vocals and dance moves. Not to mention that it's starting to be a trend to debut more and more younger idols in Sk, so it'd be harder for a trainee in their 20's to debut in Sk while it's not seeing bad to have a bit "older" trainees in China and Japan

[@summervallejaverde3452]

Korea has forgotten where they are, what they are and who they are back in the days the least where they rooted from. These things should've been taught in school to be able to make it's citizens grateful and compassionate. Everything must come in a proper upbringing from home and a proper education at school by then the country and the citizen will grow and spread the values of being the light and salt of this world. Arrogance and greed will always have a returned karma

[@evefoodie8798]

Sadly, I feel like this is probably the reality for most actors in Korea and not just for foreigners. I've heard time and time again that work culture in Korea is very problematic and many of my Korean friends choose not to live in Korea for this reason even though they love everything else about Korea.

[@33Jenesis]

I lived by Los Angeles Koreatown for 30 years. I grocery shopped there, did my hair there, took kpop dance lessons there, had korean doctors there. One of my best friends for 20+ years is Korean. I asked korean people I know why they came and if they wanted to move back (I was planning to move back to my country after I retire). They told me the same; lack of fairness, personal freedom, choice, and safety. They are happy to be Americans.

[@evefoodie8798]

@@33Jenesis Yes. When you visit Korea, you'll notice everything is super efficient and advanced. It's a super nice place to live. The price for that is paid by all the working professionals slaving away at relatively low wages.

[@rjeanne4683]

I keep commenting this, but something important to remember for forigners specifically is that they have no rights. They can't get help or work a second job, and even if they try they can't avoid being exploited to the max on the E6 visa. At least Koreans can unionize, work a secomd job if they need. I agree its bad for Koreans too, but its more extreme and terrifyingly bad for forigners.

[@evefoodie8798]

@@rjeanne4683 On the other hand, locals have no other home country they can return to if they're unhappy with the work conditions.

[@mia.__]

Yes, it is. I think the difference is that Korean nationals have a bit better options as compared to foreign workers.

[@bibiworm]

It’s toxic to the extent of horrifying. Run for your life.

[@yoonhur4701]

You don’t hear this from Korean actors themselves out of fear of retaliation from their superiors. Not surprised to hear this, because as many know, many Korean actors have committed suicide.

[@kellyfrances4943]

That's incredibly grim to consider, but you're correct that Koreans know the consequences and accept the status quo, but they suffer from the nature of the industry and its norms. There are different types of Korean performers - different levels and different states of autonomy. Some are controlled by agents or media networks who register and represent them, some are pure freelance and some have deals with smaller managers. A VERY small number are fully independent - and that very thing is distinct enough for them to have fame among their peers for It as it means they control everything aspect of their career. I've only known one individual of this nature in my time in Korea. They were greatly admired for it, and for good reason. In fact, it literally became part of their branding. I peronsonally believe that reform would benefit most participants - and I know of several agents that share this sentiment. The next year will be interesting as we see 3 new "for profit" visas launched by the gov't and we advocate for inclusion in the new laws created for artist protection.

[@lindaknaras8828]

So sorry they went through so much trauma and have to deal with there behaviors

[@johnirby8847]

I was in internet/print ads and billboards from 2009 to 2015 in South Korea, and I was always paid. The agent didn't want to pay, but I very gently reminded him he was a tiny man in a high-rise office, if he fell, who's to say he didn't jump from stress 😉

[@user-lw8tq3qs1p]

Imagine a life that people can't find a job in the home country so claim "I'm A ModEL" in Korea 😅😅

[@johnirby8847]

@@user-lw8tq3qs1p I had a job in every country. This was to make more money. Most people have a job before they do any kind of modeling.

[@user-lw8tq3qs1p]

@@johnirby8847 when you can't do the modeling in your home country it says a lot :]

[@johnirby8847]

@@user-lw8tq3qs1p I do in my own country. What are you talking about man?

[@user-lw8tq3qs1p]

@johnirby8847 yeah sure 😆 😂 🤣

[@eunnice67]

And this is just barely scratching the tip of the darkness in the entertainment industry. Wait till the sexual abuse of minors time bomb goes off, no one is ready for it.

[@idongesitx1873]

I’m hoping that the girl group ‘new jeans’ is unscathed. Most or all of the girls are minors and one of their debut songs was called ‘Cookie’ and had many s:xual innuendos . Korean entertainment keeps getting younger and ageist.

[@rjeanne4683]

Yes. This video doesn't even touch on it, but the agents also use their models for se.x trafficking. They get them desperate and then try to sell them off.

[@marckye1]

The dictatorship of agencies in Korea is quite astonishing! They are more famous than their own actors and singers. I've followed Super Junior since 2007. They are the kind of artists that should have accumulated a lot of money. Each one of them. But when you see their houses, it is nothing like I imagined. Maybe because I have the imaginary of Brazil. Brazilian artists at the same level as them will always have really fancy luxurious places like mansions, penthouses... Agents here are really important but we, as fans, barely know they exist. We all know they are part of the whole system but they are not famous. Actually, some artists open their own agency and will manage themselves their own careers like Anitta does. The idea that an agent would get 90% cut of the income is just surreal. In Korea, right now, if you really pay attention to how the entertainment business works, it is pretty much like the golden era of Hollywood when the big studios controlled everything even the way actors would live, what would be their image to the public.

[@33Jenesis]

Super Junior is under SM, an agency notorious for signing kids under long contract with renewal option already in place. The profit sharing % under SM has always been high for SM and low for talent (and they have to share among members). I don’t think it’s any different for its new idols.

[@marckye1]

@@33Jenesis I think that maybe only BTS and Blackpink could broke that.

[@annbower6278]

It looks like the golden rules that Korea should had remembered is not to offend those whose services in whatever capacity from investment towards projects to the foreign cast/crew in the entertainment industry is not being followed. Exploiting the foreign cast/crew/investors is bad business & that gets around to other countries entertainment industry leaders.

[@Tran-ll2it]

Reminds me of old Hollywood with the horrible abuse that wasn’t considered illegal

[@trulalongtru]

If you are Vietnamese, always remember, that Vietnam is much more interesting then Korea. I have never met so many creative people anywhere. Vietnam will soon become the same number one trend as South Korea (I'm not Vietnamese)

[@user-pb2kp6wb9x]

This simply reinforces the many stories I've watched, heard and read about the toxic culture of Korean entertainment industry. Every time I looked at any actors or Kpop idols, I always wonder what these people had gone through to be where they are right now. I assume they must had gone through some exploitation, abuse or something.

[@peacelife]

The dark side of Korean entertainment for foreigner

[@marcosolegariobaezlopez6615]

We believe that the scenes of abusive acts by the upper social classes towards workers are extreme dramatizations of kdramas, but at the end of the day, these are common practice in all sectors of Korean society.

[@stephanieallangarman5598]

SK it’s TIME ⏳ for the rules, regulations and laws to change for IMPROVEMENT of ALL CONCERNED. 💁🏻‍♀️🌏👀🙏🏽

[@a.l.5653]

Sounds like hell to me.

[@grapesether]

Well I heard some news before how the korean agency treat their talents/artist the reason most of them breakdown and hospitalized over fatigue and lack of sleep.

[@arimariza1]

There’s this “rape culture” which actually exists but not just in Korea but in many places in the world. The problem is how we women are targeted by some man and what should be really thought-out is how police and the different governments deal with it.

[@Kimmy234L]

Foreigners are not allowed to do CPR in South Korea....I discovered this when the Itaewon tragedy happened...... Yep, the entertainment industry in SK is virtually Slave Labour...look how Idols are Kept, Trained, Groomed, Pushed....They OWN their Souls The Acting industry is much the same ...the Government, Agencies and Public own the Actors and Idols .....they are groomed to believe it is Highly Appreciated if the Actors do their own Stunts .....but this is the Korean way, the Stigmas, the Hierarchy Pecking Order....the lack of Anti Abuse Laws are prevalent across the board...that's the society they're still holding onto....but you can see a small shift for change....they need to change, as there's so much coming to light on social media, it doesn't look good for them. Well done on producing this video 👏🏻👏🏻

[@saisai0123]

Are you serious foreigners can't give cpr?

[@Anarion4]

​@@saisai0123 Yes, I also became aware of that when I saw foreigners interviews who where present at the incident. They wanted to help but were not allowed. I still don't understand the logic of it.

[@hanselchoae]

In order to attract talents from all over the world and keep the entertainment industry active and thriving, putting in place all the reasonable system and regulations and improving the work environment in general would be an important thing, it seems.

[@kellyfrances4943]

I agree. I share our Korean political operative’s view (shown toward the end) that appropriate regulation would ultimately benefit ALL parties, and help Korea realize it’s immense creative potential. The govt clearly recognizes the potential gains of diversity as it’s announced at least one new “for-profit visa” with the intent of providing visitors with exposure to the arts for training purposes. I believe inclusion is a great thing in art, specifically - not to mention the practicality of it. While AI may well become a common “go to” in producing audio for devices which utilize multiple languages, artistic diversity and inclusiveness allows artists to grow in exciting, unpredictable ways. Its often a game changer. I find it awesome that people are inspired to be part of the art scene in Korea and sincerely hope to see steps taken that lead to healthier outcomes for expats. Profit is an undeniable incentive, but in order for an industry to be sustainable and worthy of support, it must be healthy. Thanks so much for watching and taking time to comment. ^^

[@Kiki-en9vm]

They treat actors and singers so poorly in Korea,they can do better.

[@xEPICxNESS]

Ngl worker rights in Korea are bad, it is a systemic problem. Child labour, unpaid overtime…etc etc. Thank you for raising more awareness to the international community.

[@Sarah-pj4vo]

.....So it all starts with acknowledging other people's humanity...

[@kellyfrances4943]

❤

[@megsley]

5:00 that poor tiny child

[@allmecats5460]

But most of entertaiment industry in asia like that. Time, salary, right etc don't manage properly.

[@mentaritravel1004]

Korea. Oh my goodness is there anything non toxic ... ?

[@boshintang]

In Korea, contracts only work when the company wants to hold you to something in the contract. Good luck if you're the employee and you want the company to stick to what was agreed upon.

[@hil6578]

Behind the glorious kdrama, scary reality

[@kimseyla7885]

Good

[@balaclava23]

if an artist/actor as big as lee seung gi can get fairly untreated by his agency, and you, as a "nobody" actor/artist also most probably can get unfairly treatment.

[@ichi_san]

Thank you for sharing this... South Korea's dark side is so well hidden

[@rizalmiehishamabdrahim4369]

Subject to law and culture of the land. Countries like Korea and Japan has an overflow of talents/people both local and foreign in entertainment industry thus the bargaining power of the workers are low. Thus the attitude of company for little or no name actor is take it or leave it.

[@judehuppert9422]

한국어 자막도 있으면 좋겠다…

[@kellyfrances4943]

한국어 자막이 있어야 해요. 사과드립니다.

[@JohnMKim-nt2li]

a door closes and another opens up... find the open door...

[@kellyfrances4943]

❤️

[@sexymom430]

And you see why GOT 7 wanted to leave JYP Entertainment. Worked them like dogs and they had to pay for their own clothing, lodging, and food. And now JYP and PSY has a show and some of these kids have been trainees for 5 years. Some said they’ve stayed up until dawn to practice😮 I think I’m over K-PoP and K- PoP and variety shows now just hearing what these kids and foreigners have gone through. 😮😢

[@33Jenesis]

Talent makes money for themselves AND management company. Management isn’t free. In the US when singers and music acts used to be signed under big companies, everything got subtracted from earnings, everything. Musicians complained about ripoff but wardrobe, marketing, limo, dry clean, personal assistant, recording studio, apartment, hotel, private jets, session players (for recording), a bag of potato chips…….every expense got deducted from their share of earning. Got7’s situation is not as simple as your comment. Every idol group no matter from big or boutique agency works long and hard, not just Got7. However Got7’s contract with jype enabled them to get bigger cuts, not just from concerts. In other words, jype didn’t make the usual % from Got7. As for creative freedom, the real issue only JYPE and Got7 know. Why Stray Kids could be free to create right from the get go? It wasn’t because JYPE “learned” from Got7 experience. I am guess it was because Chan is a naturally gifted leader and content creator, also a savvy businessman. Whatever JYPE didn’t bet on Got7, it bet on Stray Kids. For 2+ years it looked like a bad decision, compared to TXT, Enhypen, The Boyz’ popularity in Korea and overseas.

[@ifeifesi]

Same here! Once I learned about the realities of the KPop industry, I lost interest in it. I even cancelled a trip to South Korea as I did a tour to east Asia. The way they treat foreigners too nope, I wouldn't want to be a tourist there rithery

[@Henry-gb8cl]

Sweatshop conditions.

[@balafama2120]

asians love it.

[@Mephiles-fb3xo]

@@balafama2120 Their bosses love it.

[@bldomain]

@@balafama2120 Your mummy loves it

[@kanikagaral7637]

The first lady have a very nice voice. Very soothing

[@jackcantella6666]

Yes, your speakers are broken.

[@trulalongtru]

I’m glad that SK is losing its relevance, slowly going out of trends. Isn't there too much talk about Korea.. Korea is everywhere. There are so many interesting countries, with talented designers, singers, unusual culture, cinema, fashion .. But Korea overshadows the talents of other countries and always climbs ahead. But people are so blinded by Korean culture that they elevate the country to the rank of a deity, not noticing the endless horror that is happening in Korea.

[@kenna-nw4fs]

I don't think they're losing their relevance at all. I sometimes wish that was true when I think about the things going on that I know of, and not just bc of this video. I actually think they're gaining relevance, at least for entertainment. I hope things get better, anyhow :( I agree there's a lot of talent there, and that makes it all so much more tragic. Lots of potential for sure. Really hoping for the best for all involved, Koreans or otherwise...

[@upthedown1]

Asian standards not just Korean are Very Very different from ours. Often not humane. To say the least.

[@wilmorelacatan1014]

Really no need to reunite Korea. Both fell from the same tree.

[@marialuciafreire887]

Estou assistindo alguns vídeos de bandas de rock coreano que visitam o Brasil para apresentações. E ficam espantados quando assistem músicos brasileiros, tanto da década de 70 ( ditadura militar) até alguns mais recentes e como as letras usam mensagens diretas, com muita força . Eles dizem que certos palavras ou mensagens poéticas não poderiam ser usadas pois podiam ferir suscetibilidade. Ou sejam são castrados em sua criatividade poética.

[@jannamosby7215]

👏

[@asimweishengoma6866]

I know the guy in blue suit....wow 💙

[@kenna-nw4fs]

Same here :)

[@alifc1082]

Absolutely against any form of abuse! And this could have been an article about the entertainment business in Korea, about work hours... But about foreigners, white English speaking people in entertainment. What about how foreigners are treated, with or without contracts in their countries, in less " entertaining " jobs

[@kellyfrances4943]

I agree with you. This is one of 4 videos in the project and I realize that’s not very clear but not all interviewees were white English speakers. This 4th video aims to contrast Korea's system to America’s specifically because of its effective unionization system, but I appreciate your point. So called “dirty jobs” are tragically handled from the limited information I have about them. There’s actually a very popular Korean language TV show that involves a famous Aussie actor doing 3D jobs. The show’s wild success stemmed on the charisma and talent of its entertaining cast, but in reality, Korea has a healthy population of workers from less developed countries who do those jobs under the misleading title “engineer”. From what I've read and heard, they often risk their lives and I realize Korea is far from alone in this practice. I’ve met many such migrants, but I lack detailed understanding on this as my focus has been the industry I advocate for. The conditions in 3D jobs appear terrible, and I’m glad that there have been documentaries made and articles written about them. If you Google 3D jobs or dirty jobs ("difficult, dangerous, dirty, demeaning jobs" - the translations vary for the words), you’ll find much more coverage than this issue has gotten, and rightly so. You'll find a wikipedia page that covers the issue in multiple nations. I believe that abuse is is not so much an “event”, as much as it's the initiation of a toxic chain reaction. I sometimes feel that people forget that just because "abuse isn't as severe as it could be", it doesn't mean it shouldn't be opposed and/or prevented - and this video discusses forms of abuse, full stop. Many comments seem to demonstrate comparisons to "what could be far worse" - and that's valid to the conversation, though I feel this misses the point that you raised when people are chastised for complaining "if their abuse isn't perceived as severe enough". I also believe that "abuse unchallenged" is likely to flourish, and I see it happening now - though I also feel it's being actively facilitated. I didn't always believe that. Much was excluded from this and 3 people's stories aren't a full representation of the experiences of millions, but I appreciate knowing how the video is interpreted as it's useful. All of this has been a learning process. The first 2 videos examined more dire situations in my opinion (and I introduced the majorities of interviewees to the lead producer), but the root causes the problems are the same - lack of regulation and failure to adhere to the law. One incentive for this 4th segment is the fact that artistic visas are being advertised now, and we hope to educate people so they may make better choices. Thanks for watching and for your thoughtful comment.

[@davidpak7267]

Such barbaric country!! 😱

[@kellyfrances4943]

Actually, it really is a great country. Like all places, there are good and bad elements. Unfortunately, this video focuses on the latter. But Korea has many beautiful things to offer. I appreciate you sharing your feelings and having empathy for those abused within the industry. It CAN certainly be barbaric, and we work to change that. Wishing you the very best, sir.

[@asimweishengoma6866]

The problem is it doesn't seem to change.. from their Gender inequality to the so called Netzens and number of bullying and suicide 😢

[@lisac4225]

As a BTS fan and Alta washing watching skews me a lot of dramas you can tell the culture Korea says that it’s a democratic society but it really is nationalistic and it is so far not from North Korea the more I hear and read about it the more it’s like a Third World country just like middle eastern countries and women should really consider it an unsafe place to be

[@kamalinipradhan8560]

Right 👍👍👍

[@rjeanne4683]

It is VERY unsafe for women. Right on. The crime stats reported don't show REPORTED crimes, only prosecuted crimes.

[@The_Catnip]

Is there anything in Korea that is not corrupt? One of my dream was to visit the country at least once in my life but I don't want to go anymore. Edit: And now it turned out that The Korean Times is a f*cking hypocrite as well...

[@reginacamp9540]

No OSHA in South Korea 😮

[@montanatan2572]

Would you do an expose on koreans/asians trying to find work in America.

[@kellyfrances4943]

If there's a specific issue to "expose" or a story to tell that you think is important, you should pitch it to them - most news outlets seek content that is worth sharing. They're a Korean newspaper, so I imagine it would have to be an issue specific to Korea, but I encourage you to contact them if you believe there's an issue that is not receiving appropriate attention - I'm sure they'd appreciate it. Every writer lists their email address under their articles and they have a general contact email. I once worked as a guest journalist at this paper, and found everyone extremely professional during this past project. I think they have a particularly great production team right now^^. Best of luck to you.

[@mizzhelloo]

Why wouldn't you put Korean subtitles on this video..? It's not like English speaking foreigners outside of Korea can truly do anything about this lol

[@kellyfrances4943]

That's a fair question. Unfortunately, we didn't include the fact that some Korean agents are openly selling artistic visas to people overseas using social media, and prevention of harm is a big goal for us. English coverage was important as there's lot of Korean language articles on these topics, but very little in English. I personally hope that aspiring artists can have appropriate education and warning before considering work in Korea, but many of the ads I see on social media advertising artistic visas target "anyone with or without experience". I definitely think we should have included Korean subtitles, but it's an English language newspaper and they possibly have a protocol to follow. I plan on asking about it. If it was up to me, there would be. Thanks for your comment, and best wishes.

[@rjeanne4683]

Its a good point. Good question.

[@kenna-nw4fs]

For sure it would've been much better if they had subtitles but it also makes sense that they wanted to warn english-speakers about going there since a lot of people do and end up in bad situations. It's too bad they don't have subtitles to achieve both, tho...English speaking foreigners can choose not to go, and it's definitely effective as a cautionary tale.

[@RoxanneLavender]

The background music in these videos is too loud and distracting, it's taking over everything and the melody is putting me to sleep. Make it a lot quieter.

[@upthedown1]

So everyone is crooked and there is no control over this.

[@rjeanne4683]

Yeah. I made a comment a while ago, but literally, there is no way to safely work on an e6 visa. The way the companies get visas for the forigners is by forging certain documents, and I was only able to discover this with a Korean manager who wanted me to be his first foreign actor. He wanted to personally manage me, so we met and talked about it alot. Essentially, I discovered I and everyone else were actually unknowingly part of a huge issue- it costs a LOT of money to sponsor a forigner. You have to pay them minimum wage for and entire year, provide housing, and pay for several types of insurance BEFORE the visa is applied for. All of this is payed directly to the model. Obviously no one ever has had that, but in order to get a Visa as a company, you have to proove in documentation that you have done that. So, turns out, everything is a lie for everyone and.... there is nothing we can do about it. Its a literal mafia.

[@upthedown1]

@@rjeanne4683 Wow how sad

[@kenna-nw4fs]

I think that's a fair conclusion.

[@nonayurbeezwax]

I'm so confused, the editing is horrendous.

[@franzitaduz]

Choosing to be an expatriate exposes you to be outside your comfort zone in every country, especially if you are from America. Korean artists are treated like trash in their own country. Its unreal to expect it would be better for foreigners. From what one hears, some are never paid.....

[@saefufanwar5341]

Disgusting system

[@HDtothe8]

If foreigners go through this in south korea imagine what they must be doing to the locals especially the k-pop idols!

[@catchmeifyoucan1095]

not just kpop idols just read about Lee Seung-gi, Youn Yuh-jung and Hook Entertainment

[@ForAncientKingAndElvishLord]

Why would we care? Kpop idols choose fame over comfort and it's their choice of making money. they could quit but they don't want to.

[@yaya5tim]

Well people only look at the bright side and go, but Korea and Japan are best known for their stressful working culture, this is something many East Asians had known for a long time, way before 2008 when K pop starts to rise, but many western foreigners only look at Korea after 2012. Taiwan in comparison is a better place to live and work, even though the job market might be limited, but if staying East Asia to grow a career or living life, Taiwan is a good place, if you're already in East Asia or planning to go, why not just try to visit Korea, Taiwan, Japan all at the same time then decide? Japan and Korea has drawn a lot of attention for foreigners coming to East Asia, left Taiwan market for foreigners relatively uncompetitive, there are some foreigners grow their career in Taiwan after spending their time in Korea and Japan then decided to settle down in Taiwan.

[@alinocencio1798]

I think circumstances related to work happens everywhere… not just for foreign workers/actors.. i mean long working hours etc are very common in the entertainment industries… including payment issues.., i think being an actor, wherever you are, hou have to secure and know the contract youre into…

[@kellyfrances4943]

I’m not disagreeing with you, but the normalization of illegal behavior (asking to see a contract is a direct road to being black listed), is an obstacle that is distinct. No one expects an easy ride in this crazy industry, but the common violations of law which the govt refuses to regulate initiate a domino effect from hell. So much would improve if that one law was adhered to, and it also happens to be part of an international treaty (The Berne Convention). This is the same set of laws that protect groups like BTS when they’re abroad, and contract transparency is central to it. if actors could see their own job contracts, much would improve. Here’s hoping that changes. Thanks for sharing and best wishes to you

[@rjeanne4683]

Yes, I agree with you, its a hard job to begin with. But like Kelly said, its impossible as a forigner to know your contract. In 6 years I never saw one. Not even once. And I was blacklisted for trying. They pretend like the contracts don't exist, if I asked for one they would say 'what contract' or 'there isnt one,' even though my fellow Korean actors all had contracts long before production. Its an industry issue that is taken to a much higher level as a forigner, and they can't make better choices with who they work with, because the agents control everything and all work together.

[@kellyfrances4943]

@@rjeanne4683 In the past couple years, I started hearing of more members asking for them. the common answer is "the client didn't even give me a contract - this is based on our relationship" - and invoking the old "Jung" premise, which is out of context in today's business climate. Realistically, any agent who can't assure THEY get paid through a legal document shouldn't be relied on to pay others. Korea is distinct in that this is written into their culture, though. That's valid - but outdated in "business". I once watched a voice agency go out of business this way - and they were Korean. They were owed an insane amount money, and their "relationship" was the binding factor. When push came to shove, the absence of a contract was the deciding factor that shuttered their doors. This was many years ago. Today, people of all ages use contracts. I have an LLC, and I have never once had a client - big or small - who didn't have contracts ready. But I have asked agents why they refuse to show them, and I get the same, tired answer. For some of the smaller, newer agents, I occasionally believe them, and they'll be panicky - the type of agent that gets screwed over by big fish a lot. It all ends the same way: until the law is actually enforced on a regular basis, this will continue to darken the industry regardless of what is changed. considering all the potential I believe exists, this is a terrible shame.

[@rjeanne4683]

@@kellyfrances4943 but importantly, it's not that way for korean nationals. Everyone contracts, always.

[@kellyfrances4943]

@@rjeanne4683 strictly speaking, not necessarily. I appreciate your experience is limited to the genres you worked in. So is mine. In my understanding, not all Korean performers are eligible for union status - much the way the US has both union and non-union actors. For example: In voice, networks represent actors that pass a difficult exam. We call those who don’t have representation by a network and handle their own negotiating, “freelancers”, and they function a lot like F visa freelancers. They remind me a lot of non-union actors in the US. Network actors’ rates are fixed. Freelancers negotiate the way expats do. But voice acting culture differs in that rate norms are far more strongly established “as a general rule” and the community is much smaller. Studios fear gaining a bad reputation. Of course, I can only speak from my own experience, but I’ve hired Korean actors before on behalf of clients and there were no contracts. They handed over their ARCs the same way an F visa freelancer would. There was no expectation of contracts and at times, I worked for studios owned by Americans or an agency owned by a Canadian. I think this differs with circumstance. I personally don’t think that it’s all that important if Koreans are privy to contracts or not “all the time”, but I do think that what happens to us has influence over the treatment they receive and I appreciate that it’s written into their culture to refrain from complaining. Obviously, the option of a union is not given to us whereas Koreans have that right. I think responsible regulation would benefit every performer in some way - Koreans included. I sometimes wish I had insisted on contracts but I know some of my clients would’ve found it annoying. I've even lost clients who simply disliked dealing with my e6 sponsor and dropped me if I couldn’t accept pay directly (but I often did for small gigs out of necessity and because my agent didn’t care and immigration didn’t care what he did). In the states, SAG offers legal support to union members with legitimate conflicts with their representatives. The union is powerful. In Korea, Perception is "most" powerful for expats, at least, and tends to be slow and challenging to change. Thanks to misinformation, the perception about “paying for visas” changed dramatically and relatively quickly. The industry is a messy jungle. I now accept that the rules are constantly changing regarding expats, e6 visas and immigration. For my first e6, I was made to provide at least 3 contracts “in advance” that guaranteed 25 M in earnings and this was at a time I was highly successful, but TV networks never determine if a show gets renewed in advance and there is no “voice acting check box” on an e6 application so I had 2 voice clients generously “guesstimate” my earnings and call me a “broadcaster”. Years later, I provided nearly nothing to receive an e6. I’m learning to expect the unexpected - and that’s another shitty challenge we face - no consistency and no accountability. It makes it especially tough for those who are traveling to Korea with expectations because we simply have no idea what to expect and no real database for this. Individual officers can literally make decisions based on their mood. I think the agents “relationship” with immigration okays a large role (or rather, I know it does) and bribery is a long standing part of Korean business culture. The e6 is the least understood and least regulated visa and applicants don’t have a corporation behind them (as opposed to day, E7 applicants), so it’s the easiest to exploit. To get back to the topic: I don’t know how Korean models are treated in Korean agencies, but I definitely know that contracts are often absent from voice acting. An exception is govt or cable TV work that is seasonal and recurrent, such as ebs or JEI - there has to be a contract and there’s no commission factor. This changes when very large projects require a middleman such as a PD house to handle casting. Middlemen of any kind tend to be problematic, but every EBS or JEI job I had came with a contract I signed regardless of the visa I was on - and govt jobs pay notoriously cheaply. The govt isn’t known for providing much of a budget for talent. This is why Radio pays painfully low despite being highly demanding. If course, I’d never necessarily know what the studios who hired me were paid “by clients who contracted with them with consideration for my pay”, but I was allowed to do my own negotiating and enjoyed life without agents for gigs for much of my career. It’s a big deal taking that step in voice as some agencies take it badly when you leave them and some attempt to have studios they work with blacklist you (and I’ve gotten fired a few times because of that), but overall, breaking free into freelance territory was the scariest and best thing I did. I worked without agents getting my gigs on both e6 visas and F visas, and nowadays the blacklisting factor for that is less of a thing. It’s a better way to be, in my opinion. It’s why I urge members to think like “walking CEOs” and build a private clientele. Create a database, and market yourself. Learn to rely on agents for as little as possible. That said, I also knew people that simply were much happier having agents market them (seeing as we are legally obliged to pay them a commission) but that was never comfortable for me. I guess everyone finds their own way to function. Even while on an e6 I was using managers. Some of the most successful voice actors I know do, and having a good manager can make all the difference. I had both good and bad managers. It’s also somewhat of a burden as you are under far more pressure to earn, and all relationships are work. It took years for me to get to that stage, though. There were even times I hired college students to market me. I know “hustling” is a stressful thing in and of itself for some folks… it’s definitely not for everyone. Entertainment is not an easy business to thrive in anywhere and I was very lucky to have regular clients. I think, had I not been a successful voice actor, my experience would’ve been much different. I tried to do every genre possible but voice was my strong suit. Having a reliable e6 sponsor is another factor that affects life and I’ve had both nightmarish ones and good ones. I read a reply you made about attempting to have a manager btw. I’m sorry that went south. That can definitely work out, though it’s a tough thing to arrange. I think you’ve possibly been misled about visa sponsor requirements (not sure of course), but as much as they require substantial assets (around 100 grand), minimum longevity and things like office space and/or staff, these can be met by regular business owners. That’s how BnB’s ceo began, and it’s widely believed that he is responsible for the current visa system we have 🙄. He was drinking buddies with an actor named Jesse day, many years ago. He owned a marketing company out of his parents house and worked alone, but he was great at his job and had money. Jesse got him to sponsor his e6 as marketing companies are eligible as e6 sponsors. He didn’t initially aspire to form an agency at all, but that changed. I met him around that time. I worked in PR for several years before voice acting. I once had a Korean friend go through the visa sponsorship process - and if not for some personal issues that she had to commit to quite suddenly, she may have been my long time sponsor. She was my manager for a time. She ran an online seasonal business alone and she was independently wealthy. She also had extensive experience in production. We have a few group members who have managed this, though it’s no easy task and it’s always a risk when we give so much control to another and lack even basic protection. Anyway, when agents lack the requirements to sponsor visas, they contract with larger agencies and then owe them a cut of all their work. This is how agency32 functioned. Theoretically, This can be ok, but it can complicate legal matters. Too little functional legislation exists for us…😔 We saw these kinds of complications arise when people challenged Sara’s refusal to issue letters of release in court because she “personally” signed all contracts pertaining to her visas, but her agencies visas were technically provided by oceanstar. I don’t think this is a well known thing but it’s important to know if one’s agency is in fact, the entity sponsoring the visa or if they rely on a parent company. Anyway, this got a bit (or a lot) off topic 😂- sorry lady. It’s a subject I’m passionate about ;) I hope something in that novel is of use or interest to you 💓

[@mar_dma]

Mmmm… and how about you add Korean subtitles? Sure, everyone should be aware of this, but Koreans specifically.

[@kenna-nw4fs]

Definitely

[@kellyfrances4943]

I agree; that would've been ideal. I'm not sure what The Korea Times' policy is there (as they're an English-language newspaper), but I would love to see subtitles added. I note that these issues have been covered several times in Korean language media, and one of our concerns was that there isn't much (or any) coverage of these issues in English media that aspiring artists might find and gain insight from, but certainly, subtitles would maximize the video's impact - here's hoping :). Thanks very much for watching.

[@foggylegg6362]

South Korea is ruled by the rich families corporations. Every sector of life is allowed and propagated in their perview. Legal and entertainment included.

[@melodiesoflifeee]

Sorry that you have to read such insensitive comments and people seemingly jumping to conclusions! Thank you for sharing your stories. This is not putting down Korean culture…this is exposing agencies doing things against the law. And nobody knows someone’s situation.. who’s to say these actors had the freedom, means and resources to leave the country even if they desperately wanted to? And I’m sure there’s more than is being directly told to us! It would be helpful people were more thoughtful, and compassionate. Rather than jumping to conclusions like ‘it was your choice to stay.’

[@rjeanne4683]

Thank you. I was always asked 'why didn't you just leave?' 'Why didn't you get a second job?' I wasn't allowed to work any other job, I was blacklisted, and couldn't afford a plane ticket. The embassy wouldn't help. I was literally stuck and had to do the best with what I had. I only left because my friend back home was able to buy me a ticket. Plus, my contract with the 'agent' was for 3 years and it extended world wide- I couldn't just leave, I needed to escape the agency so I could work elsewhere, too. Thank you.

[@kellyfrances4943]

This comment and your sentiments are so appreciated. This process can get discouraging and no part of it is easy. Sometimes, critical feedback points to areas we can improve upon and that’s always valid and useful. That’s how we learn. But the knee jerk jumps to thoughtless conclusions are frustrating. We want our messages to be communicated clearly, and put a lot of work into this and the other 3 videos in this project. I appreciate that people view this through a lens shaped by their own experience and that the lifestyles being discussed are largely uncommon. It’s been my experience that these lifestyles tend to involve unexpected dynamics I find difficult to explain, and that’s part of the challenge we face as storytellers. Then of course, the mean spirited or cliche stereotyping or irrationally defensive commentary mix in. Overall, much of the dialogue on this page is excellent, insightful and educational. I’ve had some fantastic conversations that were well worth my while and improved my perspective, or led to increased understanding as we did have to leave a great deal out. I hope for an opportunity to do this work again someday and I’ll be better positioned to do good work thanks to the feedback I’ve received. Thank you for championing compassion and empathy, and for encouraging people to more deeply consider their words. Wishing you the very best ❤

[@FransceneJK98]

Idk why people keep glamorizing places like Korea, Japan or Dubai, and fail to realize the dark side and reality of it. It’s not as amazing as everyone thinks. It’s no better or worse than any other industrialized place. But cuz of K-pop, anime, and influencers, people just throw reason out the window. Do your research and study and visit those places before even considering moving.

[@killersmile2312]

So fast😅

[@4FYTfa8EjYHNXjChe8xs7xmC5pNEtz]

うわぁ！😮

[@enda2911]

びっくりですね

[@4FYTfa8EjYHNXjChe8xs7xmC5pNEtz]

韓国の闇は深そう…

[@RoninRiotz]

I wonder what the other foreign entertainers that feature regularly on TV is really going through..

[@rjeanne4683]

It depends. If they are married, then no. They can work another job if they would like so, they have leverage over the agents. Its still BAD but not AS BAD. Also, it depends on if they are extremely famous - like the English Man guys and that one dad dude who has his own show with his kids - or if they are just 'famous.' I know most everyone who is big in the industry and yeah, they can barely pay rent. If they can in fact, pay rent at all. Some of my friends in Squid Games and 'Its so not worth it' are uh, not doing so hot mentally or financially.

[@sariputri9687]

Scary

[@sinarsore]

smile, loughing in korean TV, behing the scene, etc it's all fake. just for show. a lot of tension

[@user-lw8tq3qs1p]

Man said it from Indonesia where everything is poor 😅

[@Octavus5]

It's not just "Korean" TV. It's TV everywhere. It's the nature of the beast. Law rewards liars, government breeds corruption, entertainment produces opportunities for exploitation.

[@TeresaSierpina]

Japanese people also work so much, how can human withstand that. Just don’t go to Korea, if you’re American work in America. You can’t change other countries culture you just have to adjust to it.

[@kellyfrances4943]

I think that one of the main messages the group hoped to send was the need for Korea to simply "adhere to their own law" - but I appreciate your viewpoint. Korea enjoys great success due to foreign artistic influence and fully depends on it in several areas. It needn't be toxic. Simple adherence to contract transparency would profoundly improve things in my view, and this is something I sincerely hope to see change. Best wishes to you!^^

[@pikachuthunderbolt3919]

They don't value humans hence they would vanish in coming years Unsustainable society

[@gwendolyn9626]

It's so easy to bulli young people.

[@xcx23cwea65]

So basically K-POP/ Drama and their entertainment INDUSTRY is all smoke and mirrors and over hype BS.