Singer Sung Si-kyung has acknowledged and apologized for the unregistered operation of his one-man agency, revealing that this issue is not just a personal matter but a widespread practice throughout the entertainment industry, causing a significant ripple effect.
On the 18th, Sung Si-kyung posted a lengthy apology on his SNS, stating, "I sincerely apologize for causing concern to many people regarding matters related to me." He admitted that his one-man agency, established in 2011, was not registered as a 'Cultural Arts Planning Business,' saying, "I failed to recognize and implement it in a timely manner. It is a clear mistake of the company, and I am deeply reflecting on it."
Sung Si-kyung drew a line stating that this incident is "unrelated to purposes such as income omission or tax evasion," while also expressing a responsible attitude by saying, "I will sincerely cooperate with the upcoming investigation and accept any decisions made."
This controversy came to light when Sung Si-kyung's agency was reported for violating the Cultural Arts Industry Development Act through the National Petition.
According to the relevant law, cultural arts planning businesses must be registered with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and violations can result in imprisonment for up to two years or fines of up to 20 million won.
However, this incident is expected to extend beyond just Sung Si-kyung. Recently, it has been revealed that several top stars, including Ok Joo-hyun, Kim Wan-sun, and Kang Dong-won, have also been operating under unregistered agencies, bringing the entertainment industry's disregard for regulations into question.
In response to the repeated discoveries of unregistered agencies, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has stepped in. The ministry announced, "To create an environment of legal compliance across the industry and establish a sound industrial order, we will operate a 'registration guidance period' until December 31." This measure is interpreted as a response to the reality that many small agencies, including one-man agencies, are often unaware of the existence of such regulations.
It remains to be seen whether the controversy sparked by Sung Si-kyung's apology will serve as an opportunity to correct long-standing practices in the entertainment industry and create a more transparent industrial structure.
[Jin Ju-hee, MK Sports Reporter]
