by REERA YOO | @reeraboo
editor@charactermedia.com
K-pop star Megan Lee won the legal battle against her former agency, Soul Shop Entertainment, on Friday regarding the nullification of her five-year contract.
The Korean American singer filed the lawsuit against Soul Shop in November, claiming that she received unfair treatment and verbal abuse from Kim Tae-woo‘s wife Kim Ae-ri and mother-in-law, who serve as the agency’s management director and chief director, respectively. Lee also accused the agency of signing a contract tying her to the musical All Shook Up without her consent.
Soul Shop, however, denied these allegations and accused Lee of breaching her contract by participating in the final audition for Nickelodeon’s upcoming series Make It Pop, without notifying the label.
On Friday, the Seoul Central District Court ruled that Soul Shop cannot force Lee to engage in broadcast, film and musical stage activities against her wishes and cannot sign contracts in relation to promotions without the artist’s permission. It added that such acts were “an invasion of personal rights, personal autonomy and occupational freedom.”
The court also deemed some of Lee’s contract terms to be unfair. One such term gave Soul Shop the freedom to terminate the contract without giving any compensation to Lee, while requiring her to pay a large penalty fee for any contract violations, according to the Korea Times. Another term stated that Lee’s contract period would begin on the “day of her debut” and not the time of signing.
Soul Shop has expressed their interest in appealing the case. Meanwhile, Lee is preparing for the April 6 premiere of Make It Pop.
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Featured image via International BNT
