Uncovering K-Pop "Slave Contracts"

Grab AtlasVPN's deal for 82% OFF atlasv.pn/LeejaMiller ! Manufactured teen pop idols come at a price. And that price? So called "slave contracts" requiring K-Pop stars like Sulli and the band TVXQ! to adhere to strict lifestyle and professional codes. Is it worth it?
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[@Elizabeth_Paz]

Thank you so much for mentioning TVXQ's lawsuit!!!! I'm a 2nd gen fan, and I couldn't believe there were 13 year old contracts at that time!!!!! thanks to that huge lawsuit, everyone started to notice, and now artists have around 7 year old contracts. Obviously, SM is such a big company, that they made sure the members that sued were never seen on national TV STILL TODAY, more than 10 years! but thanks to their bravery, things are getting better for future generations.

[@fortunes_youtube]

and you know it's something when a lot of kpop acts STILL "struggle" with the "7-year curse" whether they disband right before then or members leave at some point.

[@CharlineJae]

The fact that Jaejoong is having a Korean comeback right now and still can't be on weekly music show, it's crazy

[@BimboMousey]

I always loved TVXQ, hate that they got screwed over like that

[@HopeeInk]

​@@fortunes_youtubeit's crazy that we actually call it 7 years curse.

[@LuxeNailsbyJen]

Bailey just talked about the “boy band”s in America and how they got screwed over. She sort of touched on the k-pop scene. It’s just crazy how these people prey on these young children. God only knows what goes on that we don’t know about.

[@LeejaMiller]

Yes! loved that episode, I was inspired to pick up where she left off with k-pop plus the lawsuit and translated contract I had my grimy paws on

[@anabaird3835]

Oh BAA AILEY!!🤦‍♀️ CA-RAP!! I just "KNEW" I was missing someone this week. Thank you very much! Off to Miss Sarian now. 🤗. (I JUST discovered Leeja about 20mins ago. Ive seen the defending Amber ep., & now THIS ep. I LOVE her! So smart! So fun! So reasonable & sane!

[@davidfletcher4449]

The parents sign the contracts. I think when the person turns 18 they should be able to cancel the contract without penalties.

[@berouja]

I think it's also important to highlight that Kpop took a lot of influences on Jpop, especially with how they handle their trainees. In fact the very term Kpop was created to differentiate it from Jpop, putting emphasis on it being Korean made, to market to the Korean audience.

[@evilthot6666]

As a Jpop vet I can confirm this is super correct. The Jpop idols seem to be more scared to come forward with abuse and work conditions. When idols do come forward or take action they tend to get blacklisted very fast. A great example of this is Ami Suzuki. She sued for unpaid wages and unfair contract terms as well she won but her career was demolished in the process. She continued to perform and be active with very limited success due to poor marketing and pulled funding. She’s only recently started to regain her footing in her career :/

[@berouja]

@@evilthot6666 blacklisting is not an uncommon "punishment" to artists too. JYJ was also blacklisted from music shows and many media corporations (with close ties to management companies) tend to not have these idols on their shows.

[@LizzyLoves91]

I can’t even fathom what these performers have to go through. One of my favorite KPop singers is BoA. She’s sometimes called the “Queen of K-Pop”. She began training with SM when she was about 11, I think. They trained her in singing, dancing and language and planned to use her to push into the Japanese market. She debuted in 2000 at only 13 or 14 and was then forced to live in Japan pretty much by herself to learn the language and the culture. She debuted in Japan two years later. For five years, she she released albums in both Korean and Japanese, releasing songs every few months. She had more 10 albums between the two countries before she even turned 20, that’s not to mention all the touring and performing and promoting she had to do in both countries. She’s still very active today, but her output has slowed down (thankfully for her sake). She seems close with LSM and even has stake in SM Entertainment. Though there doesn’t seem to be any bad blood or animosity, she has said that those early years living alone in Japan were very scary and hard (how could they not be?). She’s an amazing talent and seems very well respected, but I wish SM didn’t have to push her to such extremes. She was a child and they required so much from her. I can’t imagine living that way. Thanks for this video! I would be interested to hear your takes on the JPop idol industry. It’s just as bad, including no-dating clauses. Many idols have had to quit or were pushed out because of said clauses. It’s really insane!

[@TankToChest]

You are slightly brain washed

[@fortunes_youtube]

Very true. And then they tried to replicate this success by pushing groups towards China as well. The story of CSJH The Grace is sad because they were cycled between the 3 countries so often that they never really gained ground and then Girls Generation/SNSD took off and completely overshadowed them.

[@cigimon4]

Sadly BoA's case is both the norm and the exception in kpop, that she managed to gain some kind of leverage and continue to work on her own terms is the exception but that amount of exploitation is the norm for basically everyone

[@sarcasmallover8999]

so glad someone mentioned BoA, she's an icon and though I wish she broke thru more in the US (she Hikaru Utada were a head of curve!) I'm glad such a demanding life seems to have worked out for her. I'm sure there are things she's had to heal from because of of the pop star life starting so young, but she made of tough stuff and its upsetting to see these management companies pushing these youngsters even harding thinking that what BoA went through is a minimum and she is a standard instead of being an exception.

[@LizzyLoves91]

@@cigimon4 yeah, she seems to have gained some freedom over her career. It seems as though she can do what she wants (though, I’m sure it’s not quite that relaxed). She’s earned that freedom, but she had to work insanely hard to get there. Lots of performers never get to that stage. I guess you could say that she’s fortunate.

[@scottwilhite6823]

I would be curious to hear your thoughts on the contracts that are given to contestants for The X-Factor, AGT, BGT, American Idol, etc. Rebecca Ferguson and Katie Waissel (both former X-Factor contestants) have been speaking out about abuse of artists behind the scenes.

[@stacie1595]

I feel like we don't talk enough about the pervasiveness of cyberbullying in Korea and towards kpop idols. The contracts are disgusting but they are a responce to the stan culture in Korea. Idols are expected to be perfect, not just by the company but by random people online, by fans, and by the general public. Any step out of line is met with a flood of hate and harassment from people online. The companies probably write those "morality" codes into the contracts to protect themselves and warn their idols that any step out of line will ruin their life because some randos on the internet will make your life a living hell. This culture existed before kpop and it exists outside of kpop. Korea isn't very good about giving second chances and expects perfection from anyone who plans to participate in their society, especially if those people become public figures. Something as simple as wearing a fake designer brand can get you publicly dog piled and torn to shreds.

[@IHeartCitrus]

I wonder what the American Disney contracts are like for minors? There’s been a lot of speaking out against the lack of protection offered to the children who work for Disney

[@HamishDownie]

This is overlooking the blueprint in Japan with Johnny’s pop factory. It sounds like SM Entertainment has followed Johnny’s lead word for word.

[@dsds0411]

I just recently found your videos after your sane take on the AH trial, and I’m a binge watching your videos now. Thank you for being honest and keeping your integrity when other YT lawyers and creators went with the views and $$$ instead. Love your videos and looking forward to more amazing content.

[@ElleDuderino]

Me too!! You’re great, Leeja! Mpls represent ✌️❤️

[@TimeMasterOG]

"and creators went with the views and $$$ instead." Its almost like those content creators are literally seeing WHAT THE PUBLIC IS SEEING... the entire trial is on youtube we have all the evidence on youtube people are following the truth

[@dsds0411]

Nobody has time for you and your craziness. I’ll let you keep talking to yourself.

[@jtwya123]

i very recently learned about kpop, and when i watch interviews it sometimes breaks my heart. i like the group nct dream and they debuted when they were 14-17, and some started training as young as 11 i believe. when they talk about not really having friends outside of the group or the feeling of such heavy responsibility of being an idol (like in Mark's "Child") and losing your childhood its really hard to keep enjoying it honestly

[@phadenswandemil4345]

Whether it's sports or art, i always thought that starting to pursue a career seriously before you're like 16 - 18 to be unnecessary. It's sad that the culture in these industries demand for younger and younger talent. The young age makes them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. And even if they are treated perfectly well, these are still children. They shouldn't have to worry about starting a career or work so soon.

[@galllowglass]

True!! I also feel like the artists who start out later are much better equipped to deal with it all, despite not having practiced singing, dancing, or whatever else for longer. They've got a stronger mentality. But I guess that also makes them less pliable, which is what the companies might want.

[@AD-kh3wj]

Im surprised more people r not saying this

[@kamilareeder1493]

It puts pressure on the to stay the same too. Physically and mentally in the space of a child who does what they're told. I teach dance so I can only speak to that, but some dancers I knew growing up were TERRIFIED of puberty 😮 gaining weight was seen as a lack of discipline. Many girls begin to restrict around puberty when they start young like that because they get blamed for growing. Girls becoming teens and wanting to spend time with friends instead of at dance are often met with dismissive and and hostile responses from the adults in their lives

[@yokonamigaara]

I'm not so sure about the Big Three being the "most humane" companies to work for, TVXQ was certainly not SM's last mistreatment controversy and the other two have their own storied history as well

[@berouja]

I think it's the "most humane" comparatively to other companies. Smaller agencies have less money to invest on idols which usually means worse working conditions.

[@alexwilliams1281]

Hey Leeja, Once again amazing video and I know we don’t know each other but honestly your humor and savagery is the best to me. You give me strong Bailey Sarian if she went to law school vibes. You are amazing and inspire me. Plus I am graduating in two days and will no longer be an undergrad! The last thing I am impressed with you is the fact that you are in this profession that is dominated by men and you don’t gaf. You toe the line between being professional woman who is establishing her career but you are also just someone on KZbin making content for the masses and you struggle like everyone else! Its refreshing and I love it!

[@beauregarden]

Man, I've been grappling with the ethics of consuming kpop for 12 years. I'm a ✨30 year old lady✨ as well, why you shading lol. I've always tried my best to be as considerate and respectful as i can, as a fan. Kpop helped me through some really dark times but I'm well aware (like most fans) of the issues surrounding it. I tapped out when Jonghyun died because I was devastated and was faced with the reality of this industry. The pandemic pulled me back in, but still at an arms length. Anyway, great video as always Leeja! If anyone's interested, here's some tiny improvements in recent years: - JYJ (the three idols that left TVXQ) were blacklisted from music shows meaning they couldn't promote their music for yeeears after they left SM. This was banned under JYJs law in 2015. (Though I'm pretty sure it still happens..so...) -Cube Ent. terminated Hyuna and Dawn's contracts because they revealed that they were dating. They are the first kpop couple who have been so open and public with their relationship. Most times when a relationship is discovered/ announced you never hear about them again, but Hyuna and Dawn were determined not to hide. They came on variety shows together, posted pictures together, even released music together (I know, it sounds silly, but this is unheard of in kpop). Now the couple are engaged and killing it under PSY's company. Hopefully dating will become more normalised now. - Got7 left their company and all the members joined different companies but they are still able to promote together. In a landmark move, they've recently gained ALL the trademark rights to their group. This never happens. A step in the right direction for artists -The past couple of years, idols being allowed to take extended breaks for their mental health has become much more normalised. Although the work culture is still mad compared to in the west. -Though there are hardly any idols who are 'out', idols are much more vocally supportive of the Lgbtq+ community now than back in the day. Obviously kpop is still a massive globule of problems and it's nowhere near where it should be. The self-image control problem and the parasocial ownership some fans feel (that companies and the media feed) are two big ones. And I absolutely believe that companies need to STOP debuting children. They should be at least 18 to debut imo. You only have to look at Disney kids to see what fame at that age can do. But some baby steps have been taken

[@jessy-zc8ld]

You made some great points and i love your comments so much!!! As an ~older~ fan too i struggle a lot sometimes with it but i also see a lot of good with the bad. and i hope we can see more positive change!!

[@rrrrrrrrr9027]

hyuna is such a bamf and my ultimate bias she really said f that

[@bookishpenguin]

I have never clicked on a video so fast. I will forever and always love DBSK (I still have a mirotic poster on my wall) and what happened to them I will never get over. SM starved them, dropped them in Japan and said figure it out, and still didn't want to pay them when they started writing their own music. They weren't the only ones but they were the biggest group at time. I remember when it all went down and it rattled fans and the industry (it also divided the fandom but that's not the point). I've met members of other groups, dancers and now I know too much. It honestly makes it hard to like k-pop anymore (that and the anti-blackness that was rampent at the time). I feel for these fans today because this will happen again (Highlight anyone?) Thank you so much for talking about this. I no longer feel like an old woman screaming into the ether about these terrible companies and their predatory practices

[@SonniiTea]

Yes! I was a huge DBSK fan since their debut circa 2002/2003 so when they filed their lawsuit and SM blacklisted them from the entertainment industry, I was shocked and pissed off. They made that company so much money and really helped pioneer the Hallyu wave and THAT was how they were going to treat these artists. I guess on the bright side, their suffering did bring changes to the contracts that companies write but still....it was a tragic end to an amazing group.

[@ughaghost]

the boys from B2st coming back under a new name because they wanted to was really cool and admirable. Id say the same about BAP. but my god is it a constant problem. Even got chinese members just visiting home and never going back again.

[@bookishpenguin]

@@ughaghost Cube owns the name and their old music. That's why when the contact was up and they wanted to leave they had to change their name. And agreed. Lay is fianally free after SM basically banished him

[@drimachuck]

Lee Soo-man got the idea of these indentured servitude contracts from the US record labels and pop music industry. Tbh being part of a label is indentured servitude because they "invest" in you and you "owe" them for that, but nowhere is it as inhumane as in k-pop and j-pop. Thanks for mentioning Sulli, f(x) was the "sister" group of the one group I stan, SHINee, who also had a member commit suicide in 2017. I've never recovered from Jonghyun dying at 27 because of his severe depression and the lack of mental health resources. I remember several years ago he changed his Twitter profile picture to an open letter penned by a bisexual trans woman and was probably the first mainstream k-pop idol to openly defend the rights of LGBT community. He was a genuinely good person (from what we knew of him). Anyway, on another note, I read a few years ago (obviously after the TVXQ lawsuit) that SM kept 70% of the profits (in general) and the idols got 30% but that idols owned shares in SM stock. That's still shit tbh, and at the same time it was noted that JYP and YG groups got a bigger percentage of their profts.

[@YourCapyBro_windows95_3DPipes]

Geez a 70/30 split it utter shite. Should be at least 50/50.

[@tam9966]

I am a fan of Kpop for about 13 years now and I am definitely not oblivious to the predatory nature of entertainment companies in Korea. I really liked that you discussed the TVXQ vs. SM case and how you broke it down into simpler and bite-sized bits because that case was really the foundations of how contracts are managed currently. This also gave birth to the "7-year curse", as we fans call it, which is that limbo whether the group will stick together after their contract ends or not. Thank you so much for discussing this! You will actually be surprised with how dark and scary is being a Kpop idol, especially if you delve into the topic of sassaengs (a term used to call malicious "fans" that cause harm to the idol, mainly invading their personal/private life via different means such as stalking). Anyway, I really love your content!! I'll be going to binge your other content now :))

[@candirenae8580]

Kinda reminds me of like old Hollywood actor’s contracts. Like Bette Davis and Warner Bros.

[@anabaird3835]

I just discoverd Leeja Milller a few mins ago. It was "In Defense of Amber". She turned off the comments so I didnt get to tell her how much I instantly ADORE her. So here I am on THIS comment section. (Idc about the Depp/Heard stuff either I just love her attitude, brain, wit, heart, etc., and shes SO SPOT ON!).

[@KrueMann1992]

Would be so interested in hearing your thoughts on Jojo’s contract that she had to Sue to get out of cause she didn’t even own her own voice.

[@0rangemuffin]

2 or so albums a year has always been nuts to me. That's an incredibly short amount of time to make music, plus add dancing and press tours on top of that. I really do wish that they were able to take breaks in between albums. As a fan, when someone takes a break, I'm that much more excited to see them come back healthy. I also wish that idols were allowed to be more transparent with their lives and be themselves. Just because beyonce is married and Rihanna is engaged doesnt mean that no one listens to their music. Seems to me that the companies should be more confident in the music they produce and put image after.

[@AddieMoore-South]

This 48yr old lady has loved KPOP for the last 10+ yrs 🥰. It's not for everyone 🙆🏾‍♀️. I feel that the kpop industry is making progress. Small but progressing.

[@Vexiarla]

This is fucking WILD. I've heard of kpop but never of any of these bands or people Leeja mentioned but this abuse they go through is insane

[@leo.avila714]

There have been other suicides and fainting during concerts from previous kpop celebrities and its real sad

[@FOJO27]

Moira 👉 "loves to snore" We love the snoring 🐾🥰

[@RLelling]

I love how Jenna Marbles' influence lives on even years after she's stopped making content. We love to see it.

[@0amgaudi0]

Love your channel, Leeja. Its great to see content that's both entertaining and has substance... Keep it coming!

[@bonanahh]

I think that, as an international kpop/General music fan, that it is absolutely vital to have a critical lens with the things we love. There’s a lot of things wrong with so much in the world that many of us feel it important to enjoy the things we do like, but maintain the boundary and understanding that there are harmful things happening. Some idols’ treatment has been changed by fans boycotting and sending messages to the entertainment companies in multiple ways; artists and fans being there for each other. But there’s always the layer of falsehood, the para-social relationships, that also can’t be ignored. I feel like there are responsible ways to enjoy something that has problematic elements. OBVIOUSLY this doesn’t cover overt racism/appropriation, what happened to poor Sulli, and literal children signing away their futures without being able to understand.

[@CanadianChick811]

Lou Pearlman was a nut. There's a doc about him and all his shady stuff free on youtube if you wanna learn more. Would love a video on him.

[@zinja0830]

I was just talking about the slave contracts and TVXQ in a discord chat earlier today. The lawsuit was ongoing when I first got into Kpop.

[@The_Dudester]

There is an ultra large j-pop group (AKB-48) in Japan. They have 120-125 members that perform in 10 clubs that the management owns. On occasion, they perform in the Tokyo Dome. In 2012-2013, the management did some unsavory things BUT actually did them in public, which caused serious backlash from the public. Among the things, is, not allowing the girls to have boyfriends or husbands and to leave the group at age 25 or so (they can start as early as 13). Those rules have now been changed. Because I am a huge fan of BabyMetal (owned by Amuse Inc.), I have questions. One of the members quit for health reasons in early 2018. No one has seen her in public since late 2017. In a paparazzi crazy nation like Japan, something would have surfaced. Also, since the group is on "extended hiatus" and the girls are under contract to Amuse, is there, a long "no competition" clause in their contracts?

[@ONLYBRITTA]

OMG I had to find a video to comment on because I love your take on the Depp/Heard situation SO MUCH😭😭😭I’ve been spiraling out lately with all the toxicity from people regarding the case… even Tiffany Haddish, who I was a HUGE fan of, got on her Instagram live when the verdict came in and I heard her say verbatim that women should not come forward without proof… I was FLOORED… and the behavior of all of these people is so disheartening that I’m losing faith in the human race in general if I’m honest… I really didn’t realize just how messed up the general public is… but watching your video made me feel like I could breathe again and I wanted to thank you for that… I just wish there were more people willing to make those wise and knowledgeable statements about abuse-because most of the content creators just want the views and are ok selling their souls to vilify another person… please keep up the good and honest work

[@Cc44444]

The JOY i felt when she did the ✨30 year old ladyyyy✨ like jenna 😍🙏 missed that 👌

[@mondaynightballroom20]

I can barely manage a pair of social relationships, let alone a parasocial relationship.

[@FOJO27]

Okay, that was clever 😀

[@PrettyGuardian]

Fascinating break down of the k pop contracts. It's deeply saddening to me how so much of the media that we love is made through such serious exploitation.

[@jessy-zc8ld]

As a 31 year old lady who is a fan in general and who has met fans twice my age, it’s safe to say people of all ages are interested in this. That being said, this was interesting to listen to!!

[@emotionalsupportbtm]

Thank you for this video and the shout out! Alsoooooooo because I feel it will be welcomed - Stan Girls Generation.

[@xcoldxasxfirex]

THISSSS is the video ive been waiting for!!!!

[@SkylarTheWriter]

The direct influence of Black American music on KPOP cannot be understated. From R&B to Hip Hop, Black American music is a laaaaaaarge part of the foundation of KPOP. Perhaps even the majority of that foundation.

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

Yep. Could not agree more. In fact ALL of American rock and roll come from African roots. The drum and bass 4/4 beats come directly from West African sources.

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

The first rock and roll song is considered to be Ike Turner's Rocket 88. Obvious African rhythms and I would call it an R&B song.

[@robyn00xx]

I’ve never heard of any of these people or listen to this type of music but holy! My heart goes out to each and every person caught up in these contracts

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

What rock have you been living under?!

[@CreativaArtly]

I’m a fan of several K-pop groups myself, and yeah, how the contracts are, how predatory they are, it does make me sad and heartbroken. It really, really does.

[@andresvillarreal9271]

I almost fell off the chair when you said that the expiration of rights was shortened to seven years. This is like the Bible, where you can torture your slave at will, but you get some consequences when you make him/her lose an eye. Someone close to one of my sons participated in X-Factor Teens in my country and had to sign what seems to be the mother of all Non-Disclosure Agreements, so I am equally dismayed at what might be happening on this side of the Pacific. Since what happens here is so much less horrible than what happens there, and still, most of the lives of teen celebrities are ruined, we have to ask ourselves, what are we doing?

[@umarubytarot]

Frick you're good. Flipping the script mate, you're doing such important work x

[@secretadmirer109]

I'm so happy I found a lawyer who is into pop culture. The way you talk makes things so much more digestible for the average person.

[@andreeavieriu3346]

Hi, great video, I also agree with you on a video that has comments turned off and I understand why, please post more on the subject, I know it's not easy because everybody has picked Deep's side, it's upsetting

[@jodylane8036]

Being both a baby SONE (stan of So Nyeo Shi Dae) and an older American, I have followed K-Pop for about 4 and a half years now. I was around when Sulli and her best friend Hara both committed suicide because of stress and depression related to online bullying. What I would like to say to other SONE and other stans is if you don't like another group or solo artist, then don't pay attention to them. But please don't engage in hate and online bullying. These artists are stressed and pushed to the limit as it is, especially newly debuted singers who haven't reached a measure of success, hence have no voice in their careers yet. Just what I think after watching this video Leeja.

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

Its so sad about those two. I'm just reading again about Sulli because of this video. And the two in Ladies Code who died in the "accident" because of the driver speeding in the rain. And others in the Kpop sector. And a sexy Korean model who died.

[@streamawake2871]

Love your videos 💖Clicked so fast

[@mjc8281]

Showing my age here but I'm pretty sure I read a book by Salt-N-Pepa talking about their contract it was pretty wild as successful as they where how basically everything came out of their cut of the royalties and they ended up not earning a huge amount from all the work they did on tour etc.

[@mex7683]

Really good insights

[@louisfrancois27]

Another banger of a video! 👏🏿👌🏿

[@AmandaC.]

Its facinating to listen to, I know idol culture in Korea and Japan are absolutely INSANE and toxic! Thank you for educating the children ❤️

[@leo.avila714]

f(x) and others were the main reason why i got into kpop. I was devastated when I heard about Sulli, Kim Jonghyun, Song Yoo-jung, Goo Hara, Cha In-ha and others. I remember she was being bullied throughout her whole career and it was pretty obvious that no one cared for her. I honestly feel bad for every person that signs contracts with music industries in S. Korea and is struggling till this very day. Even now many of them are tired, depressed, too thin, fainting during concerts and companies are yet to care for their mental and physical health. Most companies only see dollar signs on them but fans want more of them. Supply and demand

[@KhanaHatake]

The parents that sign these contracts are insane

[@tsxtina2919]

You should make a video on the contracts from the studio era. Meaning old Hollywood. And maybe compare them with other "slave contracts"

[@mocass4530]

I've been a kpop fan since 2014ish, and I really appreciate the measured response to such a sensitive topic.

[@noizkapow1134]

This video takes me back. I got to see JYJ in Las Vegas around 2010, the TVXQ members that sued their management company. JYJ had to return all their sales from concert tickets because of the lawsuit. But they decided to just do the tour for free instead of canceling. And then I watched the livestream of the other 2 members first performance after the split. Changmin didn't look okay during the song. And the choreographed punch looked pretty hard.

[@kaneinkansas]

In the field of jurisprudence, a famous German, Hans Kelson, once proposed that "Law was Structure". In another class I heard Winston Churchill say "We shape buildings and then they shape us." I think the same can be said of Law. It shapes us, and we shape it. Korean contract law, shaped that K-pop industry. It created a distopic culture. Then the KFT commission began to change the law, and the law change began to change the culture. We shape law, and then, law shapes us. The difference between Anglo-Saxon culture and European culture may be somewhat due to this. Common Law evolved quickly and invented things like "liberty under the law" (meaning you have liberty until your exercise of liberty is unfair: you aren't free to take my car just because you want it). This hyper=evolution, well, sort of hyper, caused English politics and society to evolve quickly. It placed restriction on Kings, until eventually it put one king, Charles 1, to death (about 1650). By 1750 England's industrial output was greater than that of all of Europe's combined (see McEvedy's historical atlases) which England maintained until roughly 1870. Napoleon gets credit for changing Continental Law to help Continental societies to catch up industrially - but there's were flaws inbedded in this system that eventually lead most of continental Europe being under roque ideological rule by 1939 (Russia, Italy, Germany, Spain were all ruled by rogue ideologies that imposed dictatorships and so hegemony over all other ideologies). By the way, most of the world uses law systems descended from Napoleon's code, including Korea, Japan, and Turkey and all Latin America, including Quebec and Louisiana. 1/3rd of the world uses Common Law, including all English speaking countries (except Louisiana and Quebec, because of their ties to France) and India. These days, Anglo-Saxon civilization seems to be ideologicalized and falling backwards and into dystopia, especially the United States - much but not entirely due to the Supreme Court. Is there anyone in their right mind who isn't a millionaire or billionaire that wouldn't rather live in France, Spain or Italy today?

[@club72VEVO]

Do you have any way of sharing the translated version of TVXQ!'s contract?

[@MsAsh3070]

I find it weird tbh that you compare idol contracts negatively to sports contracts based on the idea that a sports person can be sued if they breach contract but CAN leave whereas a kpop idol can't because in this particular way, I don't think they are dissimilar. An idol CAN buy out their contract and leave or they can sue to terminate the contract and then leave. It's a high bar to meet and I personally don't think the contracts are fair to idols but I think the sports comparison is right on the ball and pretty much the exact same thing.

[@ONLYBRITTA]

LOL your dog snoring in the background tho🤣

[@jt4351]

"Emotionally available and heterosexual" - I understand why this would be a thing, but it's also difficult to wrap my head around this concept, considering that a lot of these men don't subscribe to the Western idea of masculinity. Also, what was sexy in my generation may not be today's standards. Unfortunately, the older I get, the more I see how people who appear to be successful in the media got to where they are at a huge cost - some of which people are still paying, both monetarily and emotionally. I have no idea what they are saying, but KPOP always feels so badass, empowering, take the world by storm vibes and to think of how bad the contrast between the message they sing about and their real lives is wild.

[@galllowglass]

They do subscribe to the idea of Korean masculinity, cause that's the public they first cater to (unless they're like NCT or something). And the thing about the messages is that we mostly get content from big company idols outside of Korea, unless you're a huge huge huge fan and know tons of smaller companies. So the people you see singing about those good vibes might actually be the ones who get the more decent contracts. Groups like Blackpink have been known to date, and YG has been okay with it (so far as I know). So has Twice from JYP, Mamamoo from RBW, and others. I can also think of a couple of groups where the artists have been given some leave due to mental stress to get better. Looks like things have been changing, and I can only think that things are further improving with the industry turning global (more fans means that you can piss people off and still have some care about you), and with older idols leaving their original companies to start their own cause they didn't like how things worked.

[@KD-ou2np]

Yeah unfortunately patriarchy exists in other countries too. Just because they have a different version of gender roles doesn't mean its better. Womens agency over their own sexuality being taken away or controlled is unforunately very common in many cultures.

[@Piasays]

Wow very informative

[@alexterieur8813]

Omg love when people cover korean entertainment culture, especially Kpop's.

[@SesshyLover777]

Ahhhh I see you've come to my domain. The current contracts are also better than they were! They used to be as long as 20 years in some cases back in the day. Also thank you for talking about Sulli. People still badmouth her to this day which is disgusting.

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

I was just reading about her again because of this. And she is not the only one.

[@bradleyard4195]

Truth be told, it ain't much better here in the States. Record labels and management companies have no problem exploiting young musicians, turning their hopes and dreams into nightmares. When I was 15, I had a chance to sign on as a guitarist for a band that not only had a recording contract, but was about to go on a regional support tour in the midwest for a much more well-known band. Then I read the contract. Not only would I have made pretty much no money, I would have basically been indentured to them for at least five years, owing them substantial damages if I left. I didn't sign, and I never looked back. I still play, but it's for my own enjoyment.

[@lesliehenderson4601]

I know the subject your speaking about is about K Pop, but I would like to know you're opinion about the court drama Perry Mason ( the original TV show) and the later Perry Mason shows I really enjoy your comments on the law it's something we all can learn about the law in the everyday language you use. Thank you

[@lovableasshole]

This video is giving me so many Drag Race contract flashbacks.

[@thatdudekyle4509]

OMG, is that your doggo in the background?! UwU

[@elliotsingh2329]

Lol it's crazy since i was into TVXQ waaaaaay back when I was like 16 in 2008 x.x

[@pengoschwortz4734]

Wow what an introductory line

[@Muton230]

This sounds so much like old Hollywood and the contract stars, those studios even arranged marriages for the stars. It’s so fucked up that companies can do this to people.

[@frogslieawke]

You changed your intro D: I like both of them, but was there any reason? Love your videos!

[@catsrambling]

you said that the contracts are now not more than 7 years, but for example EXO (from SM entertainment, surprise surprise) have a 10 year contract (signed in 2012) plus the "freeze" of the contract for the time being in the military (4 members already went and came back, 2 are currently serving and 2 will have to pretty soon), that's why the last Chinese member that was still officially part of the group, Lay, left the company in april (after 10 years). You can easily find everything about it because 3 Chinese members sued SM for mistreatment. Sooo how did they get away with it? was the ruling by the fair trade commission done after 2012?

[@canalmilani]

I think it was! I remember EXO was the last big group to have signed a contract that was longer than 7 years. Take Red Velvet, for example, their contract expired this year after seven years and they decided to renew it. I'm pretty sure NCT's contract is also 7 years

[@isah6811]

i listen to kpop music and stan several groups, and i always feel some sense of responsibility for their abusive and exploitative situation. if there weren't people who supported kpop, these kinds of contracts wouldn't exist at all. there wouldn't be the pressure on these kids to make music at an unfathomable rate just for the fear of loosing relevance. there are way more things you didn't mention that make their living situation worse, like banning them from using their phones or making them train until absurd hours in the night. i wish there was a solution for all of this, but as the industry grows, it will only get further out of control

[@Denf0]

I think it sets a horrifyingly likely precedent for a similar practice to begin with the current crop of young people who are growing up in an increasingly online environment under a constant onslaught of 'influencer' culture (read: idol culture), and could easily fall prey to the same promises of fame/fortune should production companies start forming around manufacturing & monetizing influencer personas. It's a bit different because influencers generally market their personality traits rather than a particular set of talents, but with the rapidly increasing amount of data being collected on internet habits it seems entirely plausible that potential companies could utilize that data to 'force' someone's platform into the spotlight effectively if they set their mind to it, and parents are so disconnected from all of it that it's unlikely most would be able to prevent something similar from happening.

[@lowwastehighmelanin]

I grew up listening to K-Pop from '96 on. It didn't used to be like this. TVXQ was absolutely sold down the river by SM (Permanently marred as Slave Management Entertainment since the scandal). So many creative, talented, wonderful humans have lost their lives or mental wellbeing to the industry that I can't in good faith continue to engage their entertainment without heavy research beforehand. BTS fans have become a sort of toxic force as well to the point where if I see a superscript 7 on someone's twitter display name I just block them with no second thought to it. I make exceptions every now and then but mostly it's the GROWN ADULT FANS who are the most intense. I had an IRL friend who was like that and turned out to be a horrible person online and off as a consequence of immersion in the stan culture for too long. It isn't a healthy community these days. The Hallyu wave started in the 90s and I've watched it slowly unravel. The corporations encourage this behavior because passionate fans buy more merch and provide free promo in the form of fancams but they also bully people who disagree even slightly. I wish they could start over but...I think it's far too late

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

SM means Slave Management!! GOOD ONE!!!

[@koolhotsweet]

Something interesting to note is that while these idols are trainees, their contracts aren't even in play, meaning the 7-10 years they signed up for wouldn't even start until AFTER they debuted into a group. So you could have a trainee under a company for, let's say 4-5 years, and when they debut their 7 years in that contract starts the day they debut. so technically you would've been working under that company for 11-12 years versus the generic 7 year contract. Also something to note is that smaller companies actually tend NOT to pay for room/board while the idols are trainees. Mostly because the company doesn't earn a profit from them and they don't want to spend money on a perosn who can't make them money yet. There's been many idol interviews where they talked about how companies often didn't feed or house their trainees. The trainees would take the bus or walk to the studios, and they they'd train vocally/dance for 12+ hours. Some woudl even sleep at the studios becsuse they didn't have the energy or money to take a bus back home. Some trainees even picked up part time jobs to pay the company as well, this being ON TOP of the daily 12-14 hour training sessions. So this situation was extremely ripe for abuse as well as neglect. So not only do some trainees have to pay back the time and funds put into them as trainees, they wouldn't be able to pay them back for literal years until after they debuted. And even then if they're a smaller company and/or they don't make it big, the debt only grows. It's really a sad situation because you really see how far these idols are willing to go to have their dreams come true, and these companies take such advantage of that.

[@RealElongatedMuskrat]

is that pupper snores that we hear in the background? 🥺❤️

[@worldwarAA]

I’m a brazilian lawyer and I noticed that law isn’t really that different from country to country. It’s so good that I can understand 99% of the things you are explaining.

[@stevenrowson4339]

Please please do a video on prisoner production of goods. The only thing I have seen on the subject on KZbin was on "QI where are 1% of Americans" which is from quite a while ago. Love your indepth videos.

[@jeromemckenna7102]

Not a fan of kpop but I have heard about the contracts and poor conditions the idols have to endure. I didn't realize how bad the contracts were.

[@xoloverboi]

RIP Sulli & Goo Hara 🕊💔

[@max23102000]

You kept mentioning that they had to stay heterosexual, while this is completely true, I would argue that these days companies have seen the value in shipping culture and with that mainly queer shipping culture and tend to push their idols to act like they're closer to each other to increase publicity.

[@Tim_Dunkin]

Damn that's worse than a credit card. If you owe the company $200 & make $300, 270 of that is just the manager fee & the remaining $30 goes to them also for that $200 debt. In S.Korea it's pressure to do K-Pop, pro gaming, or work for Samsung (preferably 1st option) everything else is looked at as less than

[@sandraisyearning]

If you find this interesting you should check out johnnys in japan. They have been doing this shit since the 60s!

[@Larindarr]

Interesting fact: this system was 1st introduced and originated in Japan by what is known to the west as Geisha. The Geisha were not prostitutes (that was a cultural misconception and result of the American troupes) Geisha in Japanese means (art in movement) they were considered artists and were trained from a very young age as young as 4 in dance, music, tailoring, pain ting, carpentry, makeup, the traditional Japanese arts, history and politics. They were in charge of designing their kimonos, looks, stages and dealing with the carpenters, designers, fabric sellers etc. The house they leaved in would be called a tea house "Okiya" and the manager "mother" "okasan". By rank: apprentice, and Geisha. They had to pay back all that was invested in them and many became independent after wards. Others were "sponsored" by a "patron" "Danna". (in Japan it was the highest form of freedom for women at the time). In Later years this system would be used for Japanese entertainment.Aas early as the 60's. Not just for music but ALL entertainment. You MUST be part of an agency. Be trained and THEN the agency will give you work through its network of stations, broadcasters etc. Korea adopted this model hyperfocusing on music in later decades. It still goes on today in Japan though. Not just for musicians either. And it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to make it idependently without a talent agency.

[@WatashiMachineFullCycle]

I have loved K-pop since the 90s, currently I'm a huge fan of G-idle, and I always suspected there was something gross going on behind the scenes but it's heartbreaking to hear my fears confirmed like this. Personally... the obsession with youthful performers and predatory practices towards minors is the big thing here. I don't see why these idols NEED to be teen-agers. I feel like if they put in place an age restriction for recruitment it would be a huge first step in the right direction

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

I like G-IDLE too but the videos are too American party/consumption culture for my liking. If I want to watch young people being decadent assholes I'll go downtown on a Saturday night! And do you have to have guns again?! In I Want That and Hyuna+J S Troublemaker.

[@BimboMousey]

This does fuck me up a bit because I've loved most of the artists from SM damn, What happened to Sully hit me hard ngl. f(x) was my fav group and I loved how outspoken she was. Hate the parasocial aspect of the industry that these companies build up.

[@hummingbird3771]

Shout out to Kyle! Thanks for getting the contract into Leeja's hands!!

[@jasonarthurs3885]

Is there any "30 year old lady" merch?

[@SlothDaan]

I knew music production companies made alot of money of their idols. But this is insane! I'm almost glad my voice sounds like that of a crow.. 😅

[@beckyBWwilliams]

Have you ever seen the musical We Will Rock You? Cos this sounds like the prequel to it!

[@jordoncameron7075]

Can anyone else here the dogs soft snores? 😍🥰

[@markskaggs473]

I need a shirt that has the 30 Year Old Lady graphic.... please.

[@marvinraphaelmonfort8289]

this is wild! so people who can afford to buy the hard copies of albums should stop! digitals only (70% goes to the artists like u said) and no more listening to greatest hits!

[@arich20]

When you did the image of that section of the 13th Amendment I immediately was like OMG OMG OMG. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABUT THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX AND HOW THE UNITED STATES DIDN'T ABOLISH SLAVERY IT JUST PUT IT BEHIND BARS and then you said "video for another day" and I was like, OMG. OMG. YOU'RE MAKING A DIFFERENT ONE. OMG WHEN. lol WHENNNNN i need it, the babies need it, Gen Z was born after the documentary on it came out and its been wiped from cultural memory! Also - if you haven't watched "The Toddler to Trainwreck Industrial Complex" by Alyson Stoner (lifelong entertainer and dancer), that is a really great companion to this. It ain't new, and it ain't just K Pop!

[@lindseyhaddix5135]

This is the second video i watched on shady things the music industry does. The other was by the creator Barely Sociable, both are a wild ride.

[@gjvnq]

> SM Entertainment is accused of using slave contracts. The names here fit so perfectly that the whole thing sounds unreal.

[@Ryan-dn1ch]

Video starts at 1:47 Like ffs I'm already using an adblocker so I know what VPN's are. I just wanna know about k-pop slaves but nooooooooo

[@shortcake66]

iiluminaughtii did a video on this a couple of weeks ago as well