Lee Seung-gi files to terminate contract with Hook Entertainment, ‘Minari’ actress Youn Yuh-jung leaves agency

South Korean actor-singer Lee Seung-gi has filed to terminate his contract with long-time agency Hook Entertainment amid an ongoing dispute about allegedly unpaid profits.

On December 1, SBS Star reported that Lee had forwarded a notice of his intention to terminate his exclusive contract with Hook Entertainment that same day. This comes after both parties began a public dispute last month over Lee’s alleged unpaid music profits.

Lee, who had been with the agency since his debut in 2004, had requested a full report of his music revenue under Hook Entertainment in November. His legal counsel later alleged that the star had not been paid for any of his music ventures over the span of his 18-year career, and that he “was not even aware of generating profits from music”.

Hook Entertainment denied these allegations, claiming that both the agency and Lee had signed an agreement in 2021 regarding his music revenue. This was soon countered by the actor’s legal representatives, who maintained that he “never received a statement of accounts for his music profits”.

In a later statement dated November 30, Hook Entertainment CEO Kwon Jin-young issued an apology to Lee and stated her intention to “take full responsibility” for the situation, adding: “I do not want to cause any harm to Hook Entertainment, the company I have established with all my 25 years, as well as to the celebrities.”

Lee and his legal team did not respond to the agency’s latest statement, and filed to terminate his contract the following day (December 1).

Yesterday (December 5), Hook Entertainment announced the departure of another one of its artists, Minari actress Youn Yuh-jung, following the expiration of her contract. “We, Hook Entertainment, inform you that our contract with actress Youn Yuh Jung, who has been with us since March 2017, has expired,” it shared in a statement to press.

Hook Entertainment had previously denied Youn’s upcoming contract expiry and intention to leave the agency when news reports first emerged in November.

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