[KB] MBC Reveals Shocking Details About Mnet’s Terrible Treatment Of “Produce X 101” and “Idol School” Trainees

[OutroTearTheFirst]

MBC‘s Newdesk ran a segment looking into several aspects of terrible treatment that trainees on Produce X 101 and Idol Schoolreceived.
In their segment titled “The Unfair Power-trip By Massive Production Company CJ,” MBC once again interviewed former trainees who participated on both Produce X 101 and Idol School, who told their stories about their treatment in exchange for anonymity.

Beginning with Produce X 101, the trainee revealed the poor compensation they received for their appearance on the show.

We were given ₩100,000 KRW ($83.63 USD) for every episode that we appeared in.
We weren’t the underdogs, but more like just extras, and we had to bow our heads down and just do well, and just be careful in what we do, even if we didn’t like (the situation).
For each of the songs, the “underdogs” were just given ₩1,000,000 KRW (₩836.30 USD), and we weren’t given a portion of the extra profits.
— Produce X 101 trainee

An official from an entertainment agency also stated how the trainees would need to ask permission to do things, and how the companies didn’t get paid all of the money they were supposed to.

MBC also highlighted the treatment Idol School trainees received, with one trainee even comparing themselves to beggars.

We had to wear clothes suited for summer, throughout the winter. I even mentioned ‘this is how it would feel to be in the military.’ I was dying of the cold for 6 months, but we had to keep on wearing summer clothes. I kept on shivering.
— Idol School trainee “A”

The school allowed us to go to the store just one or two times a month. Because of that, some of the kids (trainees) would hide things like snacks in their hats or in their underwear, then they would all empty out their snacks from their underwear and share them together, like a group of homeless beggars.
— Idol School trainee “B”

Korea Music Copyright Association‘s secretary general Choi Kwang Hocommented how sometimes, agencies will compromise the safety and conditions for their trainees in order to try and get them to debut faster.

The agencies are operating under the position of ‘well, if the trainee’s ranking on the audition program goes up, then we can debut them in a much shorter time, and develop a variety of entertainment contents.
Whether there are human rights violations or unfair demands on the contracts, they are willing to take them (for the hope of hitting it big.)
— Choi Kwang Ho

Source

 

[fullofjoy]

Mess

 

[Icy]

why were they being forced to wear summer clothes?

 

[AKID❀KI]

I... gosh. I feel sorry for the trainees.

 

[munyuna]

why were they being forced to wear summer clothes?

idol school contestantes were almost always dressed in their school or gym uniform

Spoiler

so i guess that's what they mean?

the show aired from july to september though, that's not winter in korea

 

[echobunny]

there must be a lot more no one is talking about
dreamcather's agency sued yg for not paying their expenses on their survival show as well, though they said they would (let alone not debuting the winner group at all)

 

[DR. K💉M 👄]

I just hope mnet has to pay a huge sum at the end of all of this, for all of their bully act and scam.

 

[BianTwo]

Summer cloths in winter ?

Idol School was aired in summer right ?

 

[lilsone]

I just hope mnet has to pay a huge sum at the end of all of this, for all of their bully act and scam.

Me too, they have to pay but I dont want them to only pay with money. They also have to pay in something more valuable than money.

 

[Icy]

idol school contestantes were almost always dressed in their school or gym uniform

Spoiler

so i guess that's what they mean?

the show aired from july to september though, that's not winter in korea

it must've been filmed before july
i never watched the show

 

[rektinq]

... natty....