South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has stepped in after agencies for singer Ok Joo Hyun and balladeer Sung Si-kyung were found to be operating without the required registration, announcing a grace period through the end of the year to get companies on the books.
The ministry said on the 18th it will run a nationwide voluntary registration window for the popular culture and arts agency business through Dec. 31, encouraging unregistered talent firms to come forward rather than face enforcement later.
During the grace period, the ministry and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) will open help desks to walk companies through requirements and paperwork, and support the industry in self-checking legal obligations.
Under the Popular Culture and Arts Industry Development Act, operating a talent management business without registration is punishable by up to two years in prison or fines of up to 20 million won. The ministry said those who remain unregistered after the deadline could be referred for investigation or face administrative action.
“This grace period is a chance for the industry to put its house in order,” a ministry official said, adding that the goal is to “build a transparent, lawful management ecosystem that protects artists and strengthens trust in the business.”
The controversy erupted after it emerged that Ok Joo Hyun’s companies―TOI Entertainment and Title Role―and Sung Si-kyung’s company, SK Jaewon, had been operating while unregistered. Sung’s agency, founded in 2011, said it failed to recognize the requirement that took effect when the law was implemented in 2014. Ok’s side acknowledged an administrative oversight and said it filed its registration application on Sept. 10.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)