- The revised standard trainee contracts set clearer compensation timelines to reduce disputes and improve transparency.
- The contracts will now have expanded mental health provisions encompassing a wider range of conditions with access to counseling and care.
- Juvenile trainees to gain stronger protections against abuse, unsafe work conditions, and disruption to their education.
K-pop and acting trainees will now be a part of revised standard contracts as introduced by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Beginning January 1, 2026, the measure aims to increase legal protections while resolving long-standing industry issues regarding trainee rights, salary, and contractual fairness.
The changes affect two key documents, namely, the Standard Contract for Trainees in the Popular Culture and Arts Industry and the Standard Supplementary Agreement for Juvenile Popular Culture Artists (Trainees), which oversees underage artists. The move is a follow-up to the amending and implementation of the "Act on the Development of the Popular Culture and Arts Industry," which went into effect on Aug 1, 2025.
According to a ministry official, the new standard contracts “will further strengthen the protection of human rights for trainees and adolescent artists and enhance the transparency.” The spokesperson further stated that the standard contracts must be “continuously updated in line with changes in laws and the industry environment.”
Clearer Compensation and Mental Health Provisions for K-pop Trainees
Article 8, which addresses compensation after contract termination or cancellation, is the focus of the significant modification. The revised language mandates agencies to pay damages “within xx days from the date the cause arises, or within a period agreed upon by both parties.” This brings in specificity by replacing the subjective requirement of acting within a “reasonable period.” The change aims to curb the ambiguity that has led to several legal battles between trainees and agencies.
The amended pact also expands mental health protections. Previously, mental health support was only available in situations of severe depression, but the scope has now been widened to encompass a broader spectrum of depressive conditions and related issues. As a result, agencies can offer more comprehensive and suitable counseling and treatment with the trainee's permission.
More Rights for Juvenile Trainees
The supplementary agreement for young artists expressly prohibits any acts that interfere with education, including mandatory school absences or compulsion of dropping out. It also adds verbal abuse, coercion, sexual harassment, and violence to the list of forbidden behaviors, in addition to physical assault and threats.
Furthermore, agencies and event organizers are prohibited from requiring trainees to work amidst health risk or safety hazards. Additionally, they must appoint protection officers and notify both trainees and their guardians of their appointment.
High-Profile K-pop Contract Disputes
In June 2025, a Seoul court ordered a Majesty Entertainment trainee to pay penalties for violating contract requirements, such as leaving the dormitory and getting a tattoo, causing lengthy legal disputes over ambiguous terms. Around the same period, South Korea's Fair Trade Commission instructed agencies such as YG, JYP, SM, and Cube to amend unfair trainee contracts that contained ambiguous termination conditions and high penalties.
Furthermore, in late 2024, 17-year-old KG of the girl group VCHA sued JYP USA, citing abusive conditions and exploitation, highlighting broader concerns about trainee treatment. Historical incidents, such as the TVXQ and JYJ “slave contract” dispute, highlight the K-pop industry's longstanding concerns with unclear contracts and power inequalities.
TVXQ (DBSK), a five-member boy band debuted in 2003 under SM Entertainment, which helped to establish the K-pop market outside alongside BoA. Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu from TVXQ sued SM Entertainment in 2009 for abuse, overwork, unjust profit allocation, and overly long contracts (13 years).
The three left to form JYJ under CJ Entertainment as a result of the conflict, which led to government reforms that eliminated "slave contracts" and set a seven-year contract duration cap. Nevertheless, the newly formed JYJ has reportedly faced blacklisting, TV bans, and promotion limits in Japan and the United States because of SM Entertainment, all of which had a negative impact on their career.
The current reforms, however, represent a significant shift in how South Korea's entertainment sector would manage early-career talent, which has long been criticized for its practices.
