Agencies show concern over new fair contract changes

Article: Agencies worry over changes for fair contracts "Our A-tier trainees might get stolen"

Source: Ilgan Sports via Nate

In an effort for fairer contracts, recent changes have made it so that trainees can terminate their contracts by paying back only what was invested in them (previous contracts demanded 2-3 times the investment). This is mainly concerning for mid-tier agencies who are now afraid that bigger agencies can "steal" their best trainees by paying the lower fee for termination.

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1. [+259, -3] Considering how much is invested in these trainees, these companies only get paid back once those trainees debut under them and make money. If those trainees end up debuting somewhere else, then of course it's a problem for agencies... especially mid-tier agencies who spend all their time and investment in training someone only for a bigger agency to scoop them away.

2. [+194, -4] It is a gray area... it will also be a big blow to mid-tier agencies since most celebrities are willing to backstab and will go wherever is willing to pay them the most

3. [+184, -4] I'd be pissed too if I spent all this money on training someone just to have them picked out by another agency

4. [+20, -0] Well on the flip side, it's extremely profitable for big agencies. For mid-tier agencies, though, it's going to be like having all their best gems picked out by bigger agencies.

5. [+18, -2] These changes will make mid-tier agencies just like a temporary academy before bigger agencies pay the fee and take them away. I've noticed even on 'K-Pop Star' with YG and JYP openly admitting to wanting to cast trainees who are already under mid-tier agencies.

6. [+13, -0] It's great for big agencies... Not like anyone can pay to steal any of their trainees, and they obviously have the money to steal ace trainees from smaller agencies. Mid-tier agencies will just have to resort to casting trainees who were eliminated from the bigger agencies already.

7. [+8, -1] Make it like soccer where you have to pay a transfer fee too

8. [+4, -0] Maybe we need transfer fees or buy outs for contracts like in soccer ㅋㅋ

9. [+3, -3] But it's pretty much like quitting an internship at your company to start full time at another company, why is that bad?

10. [+2, -0] So mid-tier agencies have to invest all this money and time into feeding, housing, and training their trainees... only for a bigger agency to scout them away for a minimal fee. There's nothing that protects mid-tier agencies against that... other than say goodbye I guess.

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