Finally somebody do something about those contracts?!
Well, it’s good to see at least finally, the Korean government put a STOP to these unfair celebrities and trainees contract, well ok it’s more like a rolling stop from 100 MPH of pure highway robbery, we getting there.
Anywho to signal the new decade, MCST (Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, have decided to shore up a few things that will start taking in effect in 2020. First on their agenda is to eliminate the sweat shop (52 hour work week) that many trainees are force to work in. That’s it, I’m calling it, 45 hours work week and complaining is definitely a Western First World issue. Man us asians gotta work 7 MORE HOURS, AND YOU COMPLAINING OF BUILDING MORE BUILDING BOB! BUILD FOR GOD SAKE NO YOU DON’T GET BREAKS
Not only that, MCST have decided to limit the trainees contract to at most 3 years. You see before, trainees can be stuck in trainee hell, unable to move to another company because of the contract they sign (which was usually like 5-6 years?). Now that the 3 year limit is strap on, MCST seeks to offer some protection to trainees (like that 52 hour work week) forcing companies to either debuting them quickly or letting them move to another agency.
MCST have also refined some of the mandatory military service rules. NO, BTS FANS they still have to go eventually MCST is just seeking to ease up some rules about it. Usually when males reach 25, they have to enlist in mandatory military service. Now of course there are KPop and even KCelebrities persons over the age of 25 (Jin and Lee Jong Suk comes to mind), usually those guys would ask for a deferrence at 25 to like a later age (under 30) and if they are famous enough they will get it. Now though, celebrities can wait up to 27 before they have to ask their government to give them a deferal. Not only that but the deferal time can be up to 3 years, that’s 2 years up from the current rules.
On December 11 at 2 p.m., the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism held a briefing session on the new regulations in the arts and culture field. The briefing session notified officials in the industry about a system to prevent 52-hour work weeks, new regulations for mandatory enlistment exemptions, and more regulations that were implemented this year or are to be implemented in 2020. In addition to the existing standard exclusive contract for pop culture artists such as singers and performers, the ministry also established a standard contract for trainees to protect their rights and interests.
The standard trainee contract regulation that was enacted in September ensures that a trainee’s contract period does not exceed three years, making it easier for them to debut or move to another agency. In addition, the agency will be responsible for all expenses related to the trainee’s training and instruction. In exchange, trainees must faithfully take part in the training provided by the agency and must not engage in behavior that can be legally or socially problematic.
Currently, male celebrities over the age of 25 who have yet to carry out their mandatory military service duties must be granted “external travel permits” from the head of the Military Manpower Administration to participate in overseas activities. Starting from next year, celebrities can engage in “short-term overseas travel” without any required documents up until the age of 27, and after that, they must submit a request and receive a special recommendation from the head of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to carry out promotional activities that “help spread Korean culture.”
In addition, the Ministry will push for a proposal to extend the passport validity periods for individuals who are required to fulfill their mandatory military service duties and have received the special recommendation from the head of the Ministry from the current one year to up to three years.
Now these are small changes, it’s a patch as gamers would say but they are a step in the right direction. I can see though, the 52 hour work week might be abused by agencies without consequences. Like they could always “force” a trainee to put in extra hours, like though it’s not “required” a trainee with 52 hours+ of dancing and “singing” will get special treatment when the agency looks to debut a new group. That will ensure that all trainees still work in the sweat shop and if they complain, the agency can always be like “bro YOU wanted to do this we didn’t REQUIRED hey LOOK WE DEBUTED A 40 HOURS PER WEEK TRAINEES just for show I mean er….”. The military thing can have an effect though on K Boy-groups life because as I see it they can (the BOYS) wait until 30 to start their military service.
