South Korea’s "Triple Threat Star" Lee Seung Gi has been making headlines following his allegation that his management agency, Hook Entertainment, has never given him talent fee for all of his music-related projects.
Read: Things we learned about Lee Seung Gi at his Manila fan meet
Dispatch reported that Lee Seung Gi released around "137 songs," and yet the singer got "zero" payment for these stints.
This came as a shock to his fans since Lee Seung Gi has released multiple hit songs since he debuted as a singer 18 years ago, or on June 5, 2005 to be exact.
Dubbed as "King of Ballad" in South Korea, Lee Seung Gi is known for his songs “Will You Marry Me?,” “Love Taught Me To Drink,” “Shadow,” “Return,” “Tonight,” and “Lies” among others.
His debut song “Because You’re My Woman” became an anthemic song in South Korea and is still being played there to date.
His discography consists of seven Korean albums, one Japanese album, two album covers, and one extended play (excluding his mini-albums, singles, and other music-related projects).
WHAT SPARKED Lee Seung Gi'S COMPLAINT?
It was first reported last November 17, 2022 that Lee Seung Gi, through his legal counsel, asked Hook Entertainment for a transparent disclosure of payment for all his music-related projects.
This happened seven days after news came out that South Korea's Severe Crime Investigation Division of the National Police Agency held a search and seize operation at Hook Entertainment headquarters due to alleged embezzlement by certain executives of the company.
Since then, Dispatch obtained information from "distribution channels" for Lee Seung Gi's music-related projects, which allegedly earned a total of "9.65 billion Korean won" from 2006-2022.
Dispatch also noted that there was no record for the sales of Lee Seung Gi's music from 2004-2009.
This fueled more questions about the lack of accurate data about the singer's earnings for his music since the singer reportedly sold at least "100,000 copies" from three albums released in 2004, 2006, and 2007.
It was not clear, however, exactly how much Hook received from all of these projects made by Lee Seung Gi.
LEE SEUNG GI "GASLIGHTED" BY HOOK'S CEO?
Today, November 23, 2022, SBS Star came up with a report citing a statement from a Hook employee who is said to be Lee Seung Gi's manager from the said company.
He claimed that Hook Entertainment's lady boss got away from not paying the music fees due Lee Seung Gi by making the singer believe that his music is not making any profit.
The manager/whistleblower from Hook was quoted in saying: "The head of our agency brainwashed Seung Gi by constantly telling him that he is a 'minus' singer.
"She told him, 'You're a 'minus' singer. Your fans don't buy your albums. They don't use their money on you.
"'Despite that, they want so much from us. You make enough with your dramas, television shows and commercials, don't you?
"'Think of your activities as a singer as something nice you do for your fans.'
"If Seung Gi brings up his payment for his singing activities, then she'll rage against him."
Aside from being a singer, Lee Seung Gi is also a talented actor known for his number of K-drama series such as Vagabond (2019), Mouse (2021), My Girlfriend is A Gumiho (2010), Hwayugi: A Korean Odyssey (2017-2018), Gu Family Book (2013), The King 2 Hearts (2012), Brilliant Legacy (2009), and You're All Surrounded (2014)."
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STATEMENT FROM HOOK ENTERTAINMENT'S CEO
Amid the scandal, Hook Entertainment's CEO Kwon Jin Young released an official statement addressing the "bad stories" that came out about her.
Her statement, dated November 22, 2022, read in part: "Regardless of whether they are true, I am so ashamed.
"Everything is due to my negligence and lack of discretion, so I feel ashamed and apologetic."
Without specifying what's true or not about "the stories currently floating around and being reported by press," Kwon Jin Young maintained that her company is still fact-checking and investigating the issues at hand.
"In the future, once the aspects that either Hook Entertainment or I have to deal with legally are clearly confirmed, we will not step back or avoid anything and take all responsibility.
"Hook Entertainment and I will do our best to make sure that this will not interfere with the entertainment promotions of our agency stars and be even more careful so there are no further incidents that cause concern to everyone," Kwon Jing Young added.
But the controversy surrounding the alleged non-payment of Hook is far from dying down.
In a separate report from Dispatch, dated today, November 23, 2022, an unnamed employee from Hook released an audio recording of a female voice who was reportedly identified as Hook Entertainment’s CEO Kwon Jin Young.
In the audio recording, the alleged voice of Kwon Jin Young was heard lashing out at employees about the issue surrounding the accounting records for Lee Seung Gi's music fees.
The content of the audio recording also reportedly showed the extent of the lady boss's ire against the popular South Korean singer.
MESSAGE FROM LEE SEUNG GI'S COLLEAGUE
Meanwhile, South Korean guitarist Lee Byeong-ho, who had previously worked with Lee Seung Gi, claimed that he has first-hand experience of not being paid by Lee Seung Gi's agency.
His Instagram post read: "I felt down ever since I read the article about Seung Gi that came out today. While I was reading the article, I imagined how Seung Gi would have felt up to now. I felt a lump in my throat.
"After working on Seung Gi's sixth album, his agency didn't pay me. I had a rough time then. But since I loved Seung Gi so much, I didn't want to make it a big issue.
"A while later though, Seung Gi happened to find out that I didn't get paid for my work for his album."
Lee Byeong Ho went on to say that he heard from some sources that Lee Seung Gi "cried a lot when he heard that I didn't get paid."
Kwon Jin Young has yet to comment about these latest allegations against her.
Hoping that Lee Seung Gi would be able to get his money due him, Lee Byeong Ho added: "It sounds like many things occurred in the last 18 years, and I really hope that Seung Gi doesn't get hurt in the process of sorting these out.
"I also hope that he doesn't get treated unfairly like that anymore. Seung Gi is an amazing artist.
"As his co-worker in the music industry, I root and pray for him."
SUPPORT FROM FANS
Lee Seung Gi’s fans called “Airen” have also expressed their support for the singer by hiring five trucks with LED screens.
Demanding justice for Hook Entertainment's non-payment of Lee Seung Gi's music fees, the Korean message written on the LED screens read (as translated in English):
"Lee Seung Gi's contract with Hook Entertainment was a slave contract.
"They paid him 'zero won' for his music. Lee Seung Gi is not a 'minus' singer.
"Airen fully supports Lee Seung Gi. By Lee Seung Gi's fan union Airen."
It remains unclear whether or not Lee Seung Gi has other issues with his management aside from this ongoing scandal about his music fees.
On June 1, 2021, Lee Seung Gi supposedly left Hook Entertainment and established his own one-man agency called Human Made.
But after a week, Hook Entertainment announced that they have signed a new management contract with him.