This document discusses several issues related to K-pop idol group contracts and expectations, including: 1) Numerous idol groups like DBSK, KARA, and U-KISS faced unfair contract terms like excessive lengths and lack of consent over schedules. 2) Agencies like SM Entertainment and DSP Media were accused of unequal and unclear income distributions that financially disadvantaged groups' members. 3) Idols endured restrictive dorm living situations, diets, and schedules that negatively impacted their health and personal lives. 4) Within groups, some members experienced unequal treatment like differences in lines, screen time, and popularity that caused tensions.

1. photoshop credit: lauren bermudez
Alex Tobias • Celine Park • Erica
McAllister • Jessica Maa
Choo Yan • Sunhwa Park • Samantha

2. CONTRACT ISSUES
MONEY DISCREPANCIES
EXPECTATIONS, DORM LIFE, & RESTRICTIONS
INTRA-GROUP INEQUALITY

4. CONTRACT
ISSUES

5. Jay Park’s departure from 2PM left fans stunned and shocked
- Originated from a misunderstanding of a comment made by Jay
JYP had originally stated that Jay would remain part of 2PM
Eventually, JYP Ent termined Jay’s contract due to a moral, personal
mistake allegedly committed by Jay
Park Jaebom

6. Jaejoong,Yoochun, & Junsu filed a lawsuit against SM Ent in 2009
- Contract with SME was too long (13 years)
- Schedules often held without confirmation/permission of DBSK
- Contract terms are subject to change without notice or consent
- Early termination will cost them 2x their potential profit
- Not allowed to release music independently
At the time of signing, all
the members of DBSK
were not of legal age and
therefore had neither the
knowledge nor the
resources to negotiate the
terms with SM Ent.

7. KARA was reported to be splitting from DSP Media due to
unethical contract contents.
- Forced KARA members to participate in schedules they didn’t like
- Added new activities to already full schedules without consent
- Rejected requests for explanation or proper documents
Had an instance where KARA unknowingly signed a contract for
work in Japan under the impression they were filling out a simple
registration form
DSP Media forced
the KARA members
to model these
inappropriate shirts
without any regard
to their reputations
and the fact that
Jiyoung is a minor

8. In 2010, U-KISS members Kibum and Alexander (Xander) were
forced to leave their group for the sole reason that NH Media
wanted a change in the member line-up
Kibum decided to terminate his contract with NH
- Originally tied to a 10 year contract, but forced to cut it off at 3
Kim Kibum Alexander Lee Eusebio

9. Kim Hyun Joong left DSP Media for Keyeast Records, despite
repeated assurances that he would not
Following that, Park Jung Min also departed from DSP Media
Though the remaining 3 members would like to stay together as a
group, they are looking for a new agency as well
When asked, all five members said they would not renew their
contracts with DSP Media if given the chance

10. Like other SM Ent artists, SNSD members are tied to 10+ year
contracts that often contain restrictive and oppressive elements:
- A rigorous training period of 3-7 years
- Early termination penalties of 3x invest and 2x loss
In 2010, the Federal Trade Commission gave SM Entertainment a
warning to adjust the “slave contracts”
As a result, the contracts were shortened to 7 years
Adjusted to be more lenient
and transparent for the
artists, which was near
impossible before the FTC
intervened

11. MONEY
DISCREPANCIES

12. SM Entertainment takes 30-70% of DBSK’s profits
- This includes concerts, albums, merchandise, etc.
- DBSK splits the remaining 10-30% between 5 members
SM Entertainment required that DBSK’s album sales exceed 500k
copies in order for them to be paid

13. KARA continuously asked for clear figures regarding their income,
but DSP Media refused the requests
DSP Media’s documentations were complex and difficult to
understand for the members of KARA
While promoting in Japan, DSP Media left 84% of album sales to
distributors. The remaining 16% was then split with Universal Japan,
leaving DSP Media with 8% of the total profits earned in Japan.
Of this 8%, KARA
members only received
1.6-2.4% of their total
profits

14. U-KISS revealed in an interview on TVN’s Brunch that there was an
unequal distribution of income
U-KISS received absolutely nothing from album sales, either physical
or digital
Money made from commercials (CFs) was split twice:
- First, between NH Media and U-KISS
- Then between the 7 U-KISS members

15. There is a reported lack of uneven income between the members
Yoona and Taeyeon are said to receive more monetary
compensation that other members who are featured less
Kim Taeyeon Im Yoona

16. EXPECTATIONS,
DORM LIFE,
& RESTRICTIONS

17. 2PM’s old dorm had all seven members living with 2 to 3 guys in a
room, which was awkward and uncomfortable
Only recently did 2PM move into a newer dorm with 1 room per
each of the 6 members (minus Jay)
- This was in 2011, yet 2PM debuted in 2008
- 3 years of living in uncomfortable situations
Very limited diet consisting of chicken, apples, and sweet potato

18. Hectic schedules lead to little
sleep and overexertion

19. Required to maintain an image both as an artist and within SM Ent
- Restricted dating
- Diet/Body maintenance
- Disallowed certain behaviors on variety shows/in public
Little free time and tightly packed schedules
- Leads to exhaustion and illness
• Sunny fainted during a performance in Japan
Leads to sneaking around rules in order to live a normal life
- SNSD sneaks out to go to Lotte World

20. All 7 members of Infinite share one dorm
They are usually not allowed to eat food at night due to face
bloating or weight gain
As they are a relatively new group, the members have to divide the
chores amongst themselves with no one else to do it for them
Member Lee Sungyeol expressed a wish for more bathrooms, as all
of them currently share one

21. When Big Bang first debuted as a group, Mnet was filming Big Bang’s
personal life 24/7 for a reality TV show
This lead to almost little to no personal time for themselves
Big Bang, like many other idol groups, has a tightly packed schedule
T.O.P. has been admitted to the hospital on more than one occasion
due to fatigue and overexertion
Also required to live in a dorm,
which can be inconvenient for
all members, especially during
training days

22. INTRA-GROUP
INEQUALITY

23. Lee Sungjong Lee Sungyeol Nam Woohyun Kim Sunggyu
Total seconds of individual singing lines within songs are poorly distributed
Nothing’s Over
Sunggyu: 11 lines
Woohyun: 9 lines
Sungjong: 1 line
Sungyeol: 0 lines

24. SNSD has assigned roles, such as Vocal, visual, dancer, etc.
This leads to unequal screen and lyric distribution
Hyoyeon has less than 5 minutes of singing time out of all Korean
albums/mini-albums/singles released (~170 minutes), which is <3%
Kim Hyoyeon

25. Kim Hyun Joong is the most popular out of all the members due to
his work in dramas (Boys Over Flowers, Playful Kiss) and variety
shows (We Got Married)
- Puts the other members in his shadow
There is also a generally unequal distribution of CFs and roles on
various shows within the group
Kim Hyun Joong

26. While Big Bang is a very successful group, some members get more
attention than others
This leads to uncomfortable relations between members
- Seungri has expressed jealousy over G-Dragon’s popularity with
female fans
G-Dragon and T.O.P. noticeably get more lines in their songs, as
compared to Taeyang, Seungri, and Daesung
- This is especially evident in their earlier songs such as Haru, Haru
and Lies
GD & T.O.P.