"Turning Fan Passion into Labor?" Singer Woods Apologizes for Unpaid Staff Recruitment Controversy on Overseas Tour

Online Users Criticize: "Unpaid at a Commercial Event?"

"Interpretation Work Is Paid" Explanation Fuels Further Controversy

Agency States: "We Sincerely Apologize for Not Thoroughly Reviewing in Advance"

The agency representing singer WOODS (real name Seungyeon Jo) has officially apologized regarding the recent controversy over the recruitment of unpaid staff for his overseas tour concerts.

On May 8, WOODS's agency, Edam Entertainment, stated, "We have confirmed the facts regarding this matter with the local concert organizer," and added, "We sincerely apologize for not thoroughly reviewing the matter in advance." The agency continued, "We will work closely with the local organizer to address any shortcomings in the concert management and ensure necessary measures are taken." They further promised, "Going forward, we will strengthen communication with local partners and conduct more thorough checks to ensure smooth operations for all future concerts, thereby preventing similar incidents from recurring."

Singer WOODS (real name Seungyeon Jo). WOODS Instagram

The controversy arose recently as a recruitment announcement for staff for WOODS's World Tour 'Archive.1' concert in Germany spread primarily through online communities. The post is known to have been uploaded by someone claiming to be an acquaintance of the concert organizer and included a call for staff members responsible for maintaining order and managing booths at the concert venue. The problematic aspect was the work conditions. The announcement specified that the positions were "unpaid," with "meals provided" and "the opportunity to watch the concert" as benefits. Additionally, it stated a preference for applicants who are proficient in Korean, German, and English, have prior experience with K-pop concerts, or possess knowledge in lighting and sound.

Upon seeing this, internet users criticized the announcement, saying, "How can there be unpaid volunteers for a commercial event?" "Isn’t this exploiting fans as labor?" and "Would you even be able to watch the concert properly while working?" In particular, as it became known that ticket prices for the Germany concert were about 420,000 won for VIP seats and about 150,000 won for standard seats, further criticism arose, with some asking, "Are you charging for tickets but paying zero for labor?" As the controversy grew, the person who posted the announcement explained, "It seems we are recruiting unpaid volunteers in exchange for the opportunity to watch the concert," and added, "For fans of this artist, it might be a good opportunity, so we hope only those interested will apply." They also noted, "Interpretation roles will be paid," but this explanation only fueled further backlash from netizens.

The controversy arose recently as a recruitment announcement for staff for Woodz's World Tour 'Archive.1' concert in Germany spread primarily through online communities. The post is known to have been uploaded by someone claiming to be an acquaintance of the concert organizer. Screenshot from SNS

Meanwhile, WOODS debuted in 2014 as a member of the group UNIQ and later participated in Mnet's audition program 'Produce X 101' as a member of the project group X1. He has since transitioned to a solo artist, releasing songs such as "Without You," "Blue," and "Deep Deep." Last year, his song "Drowning" regained popularity and drew renewed attention. In March of this year, WOODS released his new album "Archive.1" and is currently holding a world tour of the same name.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.