Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
After the initial volleys were fired between Sleepy and TS Entertainment in their public dispute (that included a diss track on a music show), things have started to escalate recently. The two sides have gone back and forth over contract revenue splits, payment or lack thereof, and disputes about expenses and income (1/2/3) with no resolution, though obviously given TSE’s history it’s difficult to take their side in anything regarding this matter.
And it’s now even more difficult to do so, as Sports Chosun obtained a leaked audio of Sleepy, Sleepy’s manager (identified as “Shin”), and D.Action being cussed out by the TSE director in January of this year.
“I’m going to hang up. XXX. I XXX was XXX in active duty in the military. Did you really think I was like XXX some kind of water, cause I was staying quiet? This XXX got all big-headed since he went on one broadcast, I think I’ll have to block him once so this XXX realizes he is messing with the wrong person. What a XXX.” – TS Entertainment Director “Kim”
Aside from coming off like an unhinged dick, the director also threatens to block Sleepy’s activities.
That stemmed because Sleepy asked if they could switch from the vehicle they were using to a KIA Carnival van for extra room, probably because he had casts on his legs, saying that he would pay the costs.
This verbal confrontation stemmed from the car that Sleepy was using for his schedules for 2 straight days. At the time, Sleepy, D.Action, a guest rapper, and manager “Shin” were travelling using a Renault Samsung SM6, a small 4 door passenger sedan, to travel between schedules. The car also had their clothes, and was made more uncomfortable because Sleepy had a cast on his legs at the time.
Meanwhile, TSE admits to the inappropriate comments, but claims D.Action was at fault, though the report says the director went ahead and asked the manager for D.Action’s address so he could confront him in person.
TS Entertainment has admitted that inappropriate comments were made during this phone call, but put the blame on D.Action, saying that D.Action started cursing first, causing “Kim” to reply in anger due to his comments. However, the report from Sports Chosun alleges that “Kim” asked the road manager “Shin” to tell him D.Actions’s home address, and threatened to confront him in person.
Dude is flipping out over a car switch that he wouldn’t even have to pay for. Can you imagine what the environment must be like based on that example? Yeesh.
Additionally, Sports Seoul are reporting that TSE has been reported for failing to pay employees.
TS was reported to the Seoul’s Ministry of Employment and Labor for their inability to pay wages and was also sent to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in August on charges of not paying artists fair annual wages. In an interview with SportsSeoul, employee Mr. A said, “TS failed to give me severance pay and annual allowances, so I reported the case to the Labor Department. Now it is sent for prosecution. If we report wage arrears, we go through a fixed period of time, during which we received only a portion of our severance pay,” he said. In a separate case, the man is also in the middle of a civil suit and has received the warrant. If I report for a delay in payment of wages, I go through a period of time for adjustment. During that time, I receive only a portion of my severance payment.” Mr. A is currently proceeding with a separate civil lawsuit and has filed a formal complaint. According to Mr. A, wages were not only the issue for TS Entertainment. He continued, “Four main insurance benefits were deducted from my salary, but when I contacted the agency, they told me that they never gave them. When I inquired again, the company told me that I was pushed back in terms of priority and had to wait to receive my benefits. It does not make sense to deduct these amounts from my salary, and I am looking to seek legal advice and make embezzlement charges. In addition, I was not paid salary on a set day each month, but rather whenever I came to work. Thus, my flow of income was not consistent, and the amount they gave me changed often.” Mr. A told, “I decided to expose the issues at TS because many other employees suffer from similar problems. For many reasons, I was reluctant to file a lawsuit or report and kept my sufferings and concerns to myself. But some of the remaining employees at TS Entertainment are facing wage arrears. In order to not be victimized any longer, I am now facing the issue head on. I want people to know the truth. And I do not want TS to exaggerate and lie to the media.”
The focus will be on the wages, but TSE also allegedly took away their insurance benefits as well.
The reporting of TSE has been confirmed by a ministry source.
A source from the government agency confirmed the news and stated, “TS Entertainment has been reported on charges of failing to pay stipends for unused annual leave and severance pay to employees. Following an investigation by a labor supervisor, they have been forwarded to the prosecution on charges of violating the Labor Standards Act.”
Not sure if this is related to employees of TSE having similar complaints way back in 2017, but it’s certainly about time this part of the equation gets addressed.
Of course the public figures not being paid and suffering from incompetent management is terrible, but at least they have fans and what not to support them and a platform to fight back with. Some of these employees didn’t get paid their measly wages, have nothing to fall back on, and are easier for the company to intimidate to keep quiet. Truly gross.
