High school trainees aspiring to become singers practice dance and vocal routines.
SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will introduce revised standard contracts for aspiring singers and actors that clarify compensation deadlines and strengthen protections for minors, in a move aimed at curbing long-standing abuses in the entertainment industry.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Wednesday that it will formally announce new standard trainee contracts and supplementary agreements for youth entertainers starting Jan. 1. The revisions are designed to reduce disputes between trainees and their agencies and reinforce basic rights for young performers.
Under the updated contracts, agencies and trainees will be required to specify clear deadlines for the payment of damages or penalties in cases of contract termination or cancellation.
The existing standard contract had referred only to payment within a “reasonable period,” a vague provision that has often led to conflicts. The new language mandates that payments be made within a mutually agreed time frame, such as a set number of days from the date the cause arises.
The revised contracts also broaden provisions related to mental health support. Agencies will be encouraged to provide counseling or treatment not only for “severe depressive symptoms,” as previously stated, but for depressive symptoms more generally, reflecting growing concern over the psychological pressures faced by trainees.
Protections for minors are further expanded through changes to the standard supplementary agreement for youth entertainers. The revisions explicitly ban agencies from pressuring trainees to skip school or drop out, strengthening safeguards for their right to education. Prohibited conduct is also widened to include verbal abuse, coercion, sexual harassment and sexual violence, in addition to physical assault and threats.
The new rules prohibit agencies from forcing minors to participate in filming or performances when there are health or safety risks. They also require production companies and event organizers to designate a youth protection officer and to notify both the minor and their guardian of that appointment.
A ministry official said the measures aim to systematically protect the basic rights of trainees and young entertainers while reducing the likelihood of disputes arising from contractual relationships with agencies.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
