� NB 】 Lizzy reveals After School was once paid less than minimum wage in Japan

[Ash-Pikachu]

 

...

 

Article: Lizzy, "After School was paid 360,000 won for promos in Japan, less than minimum wage"

Source: Mydaily via Nate

"After School promoted a lot in Japan. We were fairly popular but only got paid 360,000 won for 6 months of work. Thinking about it now, it was less than minimum wage. We liked eating so we spent a lot on food. At the time, we were saying that we'd make more money working part time at a convenience store instead."

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1. [+719, -31] 360,000 won??? Are they crazy?? Pretty sure they didn't go through years of training just to make that kind of money ㅠㅜ

2. [+578, -18] By getting paid, she's talking about the money they were given after all of the travel expenses were taken out, right? So did they stay at VIP hotels and eat luxury meals every day or what?

3. [+555, -23] Hul...

4. [+52, -2] Their company's a thug

5. [+41, -2] ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ Yeah, they really would be better off working part time somewhere else

6. [+30, -4] Sounds like they're 100% on the verge of disbandment, otherwise why would she talk about stuff like this. She really sounds like she doesn't have 1% of affection left for them.

7. [+28, -2] Hul... As impressive as celebrities look on the outside, it's really exploitation on the inside ã… ã… 

8. [+27, -1] Just a flashy looking slave is all they are...

9. [+21, -1] Huk, I don't really get it. KARA promoted in Japan too and made a ton of money, enough to buy houses and stuff. Not that KARA and After School are at the same level but making 360,000 won in 6 months? How did that happen? Is there more staff in their agency? We need a better explanation
- They just didn't make enough money..

10. [+15, -4] Honestly, what group really is popular in Japan other than SNSD and KARA? Every other girl group just gave it a try after seeing Soshi and KARA's popularity there... I doubt any of them turned a profit after all the promo expenses went out.

11. [+14, -0] It was the cute groups like KARA that pulled in popularity in Japan... After School was not even that big there, I'm surprised they managed to turn a profit at all. I bet their Japanese agency is in the reds...

12. [+11, -0] If they were under FNC, they would've gotten paid 6 years later, not 6 months later..

13. [+9, -1] It's nothing to be so shocked over. That amount is after all of their living expenses have been taken out. They ate well, did everything they wanted, better than any of us probably, and was paid what was left. Not a big deal.

[paopufruit]

Pledis is trash

[Laamaa]

I dislike Pledis so much. As if I needed more reasons to.

[OldCottonAccount]

Lizzy out here spilling all the tea on Pledis and I'm here for it, expose they asses gurl!

[Wonder.]

4. [+52, -2] Their company's a thug

[Maiko Kyoka]

But aren't K-POP idols make less money in South Korea than in Japan? I heard that download price for songs is very cheap in South Korea. That's why the accessories, merchandise, lightstick, and other fan related stuff are often expensive. It's to cover for their underpriced downloaded songs.

[Seworf]

isn't this old news

 

they are such assholes for not paying the minimum wage, but if they make no money and they pay their living expenses then...

[Cymae]

[lepidoptery]

But aren't K-POP idols make less money in South Korea than in Japan? I heard that download price for songs is very cheap in South Korea. That's why the accessories, merchandise, lightstick, and other fan related stuff are often expensive. It's to cover for their underpriced downloaded songs.

No, it's more like the songs exist so they can sell merchandise to fans.  Anyway, the reason idols can make money in Japan even if they aren't that popular in either place is that there is a greater possibility for touring in Japan.  In SK you almost can't hold a concert outside of Seoul (I think CNB and... G.O.D? have, probably some other random acts), so it's just like you do (usually 2 days in a row, though some groups have been doing more) concerts there and then that's it.   T-ara was on the verge of holding an SK concert finally when their scandal broke, but they had already toured in Japan quite a bit.  Secret could never have a worthwhile solo concert in SK but they toured in Japan.  Etc.  It's obviously even better for the boygroups, but since hardly any girlgroups can hold concerts at all Japan has a lot of potential for them... or did.

[EunBRise]

Pledis is the worst company, SVT is being scammed too.

 

Sent from my ASUS_Z00VD using OneHallyu mobile app

[Eugene Carthaginian]

It is ridiculous to read charges to Pledis Entertainment: Pledis isn't responsible for the Japanese actions, After School worked through the Japanese label Avex Group there 

 

Besides, an interest rate for performances for foreign groups in Japan initially very low. Most K-Pop group isn't earned in Japan on concerts, it is only a part of their advance and a publicity move. Lizzy speaks about the income for performances. But she doesn't speak about that income which After School had gained from sales of albums, digital downloadings, and sales of the accompanying goods. And the main income develops from this.

[Nanandmilk]

13. [+9, -1] It's nothing to be so shocked over. That amount is after all of their living expenses have been taken out. They ate well, did everything they wanted, better than any of us probably, and was paid what was left. Not a big deal.

 

 

And you know because...?

[Maiko Kyoka]

No, it's more like the songs exist so they can sell merchandise to fans.  Anyway, the reason idols can make money in Japan even if they aren't that popular in either place is that there is a greater possibility for touring in Japan.  In SK you almost can't hold a concert outside of Seoul (I think CNB and... G.O.D? have, probably some other random acts), so it's just like you do (usually 2 days in a row, though some groups have been doing more) concerts there and then that's it.   T-ara was on the verge of holding an SK concert finally when their scandal broke, but they had already toured in Japan quite a bit.  Secret could never have a worthwhile solo concert in SK but they toured in Japan.  Etc.  It's obviously even better for the boygroups, but since hardly any girlgroups can hold concerts at all Japan has a lot of potential for them... or did.

Why? Because of safety reason?

[lepidoptery]

Why? Because of safety reason?

Oh, you mean my last sentence?  I mean because Hallyu is "dead" in Japan.  Like, Kara and SNSD were the only girlgroups who really became mainstream, and then in 2011 resentments flared up around Dokdo/Takeshima/the Liancourt Rocks so kind of cut off progress in those areas.  So now kpop artists are kind of relegated to being a niche.  I suppose it's also because of the general state of idols in Japan, they don't seem to have the most mainstream success anyway.

 

Groups like T-ara, Secret, and After School were able to hold tours in Japan (not sure what size) even after 2011, but I imagine the whole thing became less promising.  AS had a tour in 2014 but after that their contract with Avex was up and I think it was not renewed (signs from before that there was not going to be a renewal = releasing a Japanese Best of album, combined with how their releases were doing generally--they have a lot of members who aren't that active elsewhere so obviously touring in Japan was still their best option).  Secret haven't had many activities as a group for a while but they just didn't bother with Japan after 2014 either.  T-ara's agency obviously thought China was more promising than Japan.  However, I'm not sure how newer groups (or newer-to-Japan groups, anyway) have been doing, like APink and AOA for example.  I recall they had decent sales (even if they used gimmicks, the base level of sales seems fine for small tours, although it's harder to understand now that there isn't publicly available data for sales of individual versions) and they seem to be fairly active there.  Also, the new big3 girlgroups potentially could do pretty well in Japan.  So things could be turning around, although I would be extremely surprised if there were ever another group with SNSD/Kara-level success in Japan.

[Maiko Kyoka]

Oh, you mean my last sentence?  I mean because Hallyu is "dead" in Japan.  Like, Kara and SNSD were the only girlgroups who really became mainstream, and then in 2011 resentments flared up around Dokdo/Takeshima/the Liancourt Rocks so kind of cut off progress in those areas.  So now kpop artists are kind of relegated to being a niche.  I suppose it's also because of the general state of idols in Japan, they don't seem to have the most mainstream success anyway.

 

Groups like T-ara, Secret, and After School were able to hold tours in Japan (not sure what size) even after 2011, but I imagine the whole thing became less promising.  AS had a tour in 2014 but after that their contract with Avex was up and I think it was not renewed (signs from before that there was not going to be a renewal = releasing a Japanese Best of album, combined with how their releases were doing generally--they have a lot of members who aren't that active elsewhere so obviously touring in Japan was still their best option).  Secret haven't had many activities as a group for a while but they just didn't bother with Japan after 2014 either.  T-ara's agency obviously thought China was more promising than Japan.  However, I'm not sure how newer groups (or newer-to-Japan groups, anyway) have been doing, like APink and AOA for example.  I recall they had decent sales (even if they used gimmicks, the base level of sales seems fine for small tours, although it's harder to understand now that there isn't publicly available data for sales of individual versions) and they seem to be fairly active there.  Also, the new big3 girlgroups potentially could do pretty well in Japan.  So things could be turning around, although I would be extremely surprised if there were ever another group with SNSD/Kara-level success in Japan.

No, I meant your 3rd sentence about K-POP idols not able to hold concerts outside of Seoul in SK. Sorry to made you elaborate such long comment.

[Revel 04]

I feel bad for her ....

[lepidoptery]

No, I meant your 3rd sentence about K-POP idols not able to hold concerts outside of Seoul in SK. Sorry to made you elaborate such long comment.

LOL

 

OK, as far as that goes, it seems SK just doesn't much have much of a market for live music performances, and also half of the entire SK population basically lives in the Seoul Metropolitan area in the first place.  So hardly anyone bothers to hold concerts outside of Seoul.  It's not anywhere as efficient as parking yourself in the same (bigger than you could do outside Seoul) menu venue for multiple days in a row.  The population of the next-biggest city('s metropolitan area) is muuuuuuuuch smaller than Seoul's.  And the concert-going audience for girlgroups is just smaller than for boygroups, because.

[mary rose]

fact: pledis ruined after school, one of the best girl groups of kpop.

[Misa]

That's sad