"We'll make you the next Jennie," 'Pay KRW 3.6 million upfront first'... High-priced contract tactics target aspiring idols

Consumer relief applications related to academy-style talent agencies rose 75% in the first half of this year
Half of those affected were under 20

Reports of harm related to so-called "academy-style talent agencies," which tell aspiring entertainers and models that they have passed an audition and then steer them into education and management contracts worth millions of won, are rising rapidly. More than half of those affected are children and teenagers, prompting calls for caution.

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91 cases in the first half of this year alone... up 75% from a year earlier

According to the Korea Consumer Agency on October 22, a total of 366 applications for consumer relief related to academy-style talent agencies were filed from 2023 through June 2026. The number rose each year, from 41 cases in 2023 to 86 in 2024 and 148 in 2025. Another 91 cases were filed in the first half of 2026, up 75.0% from 52 during the same period a year earlier.

Academy-style talent agencies are businesses that promote audition or casting opportunities, provide acting or modeling lessons and training, and charge tuition or management fees. The problem is that some businesses use promises of passing an audition to induce customers to sign high-priced contracts, then fail to provide the promised casting opportunities or refuse refunds when customers cancel.

"If you don't sign now, the opportunity will go to someone else"... pressure to sign a high-priced contract on the spot

In one case, A saw an advertisement in January 2025 seeking actors for a web drama and visited a company. After a camera test and other steps, A signed a one-year contract to work as an actor represented by the company and paid a total of KRW 3.6 million, including KRW 2.2 million for consulting and KRW 1.4 million for acting training.

Participants showcasing their talent at Audition K 2025, a K-pop project promoting Korea-Japan exchange hosted by the Korean Cultural Center in Japan. Korean Cultural Center, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The company urged A to sign that day, saying, "If you don't decide now, the opportunity will go to another student." A month later, when A sought to cancel the contract for personal reasons, the company insisted it could not refund the KRW 2.2 million consulting fee, even though it had not provided profile photography or image consulting.

There was also a case involving a parent who signed a contract for their child to work as a child model and suffered losses. In August 2024, B paid KRW 1.98 million and signed an agency contract for the child's modeling work.

The company promised to provide various opportunities, including advertisements, magazine features and brand photo shoots, but delivered no substantial services over the 19 months after the contract was signed. When B requested a refund, the company repeatedly said that the person in charge would get in touch and avoided responding.

Half of those affected were under 20... refund refusals were the most common complaint

Children and teenagers accounted for a particularly large share of those affected. Of the 366 total applications for consumer relief, 184, or 50.3%, involved people under 20. This was followed by 86 cases (23.5%) involving people aged 40 to 64 and 83 cases (22.7%) involving people in their 20s and 30s.

Most cases involved problems during contract cancellation. Disputes related to contract cancellation totaled 361, accounting for 98.6% of all cases. Among these, the most common issue was a company's refusal to issue a refund, with 179 cases (49.6%), followed by delayed refunds with 90 cases (24.9%) and excessive penalty claims with 82 cases (22.7%).

There were also numerous cases in which companies failed to provide the services they had promised. Of the 79 cases involving breach of contract, the most common issue was the failure to provide proper acting or modeling training or casting opportunities, with 46 cases (58.2%). In 24 cases (30.4%), companies promised roles in dramas or selection as brand models but the actual opportunities had no connection to the specified productions or brands, or otherwise differed from what had been advertised or explained.

Middle school students aspiring to become idol singers take music (dance) lessons at Hanyang University Alumni Hall in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, as part of a summer vacation arts and sports program sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Photo by Cho Yongjun

Even when consumers suffered losses, getting their money back was not easy. Only 172 cases, or 47.1% of all applications for consumer relief, were resolved through refunds or other agreements. Some businesses reportedly avoided contact from Korea Consumer Agency staff or refused refunds on the basis of their own terms and conditions.

"Don't sign a contract based solely on being told you've passed"... put verbal promises in writing

The Korea Consumer Agency urged consumers not to rush into signing a contract based solely on notification that they had passed an audition. It explained that established talent agencies do not charge trainees for training or the promise of a debut, and that consumers should carefully review the terms before signing with any business that charges profile consulting, management or training fees.

In particular, any verbal promises, such as guaranteed roles in dramas or advertising castings, should be written into the contract. Consumers should also check the contract period and the refund terms in the event of early cancellation. If a dispute arises, they can gather supporting documents, including the contract, receipts and text messages, and seek advice or file a consumer relief application through the 1372 Consumer Counseling Center.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.