Musical actress Ock Joo-hyun, who previously defended herself regarding casting intervention controversies by saying she was “honest,” has been revealed to have not complied with the law for several years.
It was confirmed on the 10th that Ock Joo-hyun’s agency, TOI Entertainment, was not registered as a popular culture and arts planning business. The one-person agency Title Roll, which Ock Joo-hyun established in the past, was the same. Musical actress Lee Ji-hye, who was also involved in casting intervention controversies with Ock Joo-hyun, is listed as an auditor at this agency.
Ock Joo-hyun and Lee Ji-hye are affiliated with Title Roll but are currently listed under TOI Entertainment. Neither Title Roll nor TOI Entertainment is officially registered.
Under the Popular Culture and Arts Industry Development Act, entertainers operating as corporations or as sole proprietors with more than one person must register as a popular culture and arts planning business. This is a mandatory legal requirement, and violations can result in legal penalties, including criminal punishment.
Operating without registration itself can result in imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of up to 20 million won. Furthermore, all business activities, including contracts made while unregistered, are considered illegal and can lead to business suspension if detected.
In addition, failing to report changes, temporary closures, or business closure on time can result in fines of up to 5 million won. Since establishing her one-person agency in April 2022, Ock Joo-hyun has been illegally operating an entertainment agency, including TOI Entertainment.
Attorney Jeong Tae-won from LKB Pyeongsan Law Firm stated, “The Popular Culture and Arts Development Act does not have specific provisions to nullify contracts with unregistered operators, but depending on the circumstances, the contracting party could claim contract termination based on this.” He added, “The law has been in effect for over ten years, so it is difficult to dismiss this as a simple mistake or ignorance.”
He also stated, “If entertainers or agencies continue operations without registration, it fosters an underground market and undermines legal order. Especially in the unique entertainment industry, operations should be transparent and fair within the framework of the law.”
Regarding this matter, a representative of the agency said, “There was a perspective of oversight due to a change in the person in charge,” and added, “We are currently checking how past staff handled procedures related to the actress herself and why something was omitted.”
