Lee Soon-jae "Sorry to disappoint those who have trusted and supported me all along"
The agency of veteran actor Lee Soon-jae (85) stated on the 1st that there was no unfair contract termination regarding the recent controversy over 'gapjil' by a manager.
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Bong-ju] The agency of veteran actor Lee Soon-jae (85) recently addressed the controversy over alleged 'gapjil' (abuse of power) by a manager, stating that "there was no unfair contract termination."
They expressed that the issues of unfair dismissal and exaggerated damages will be resolved by the Labor Office.
Lee Soon-jae's agency, SGW Entertainment, released a statement on the 1st, saying, "We recruited a road manager through an online job site last March. Although the candidate had no managerial experience except for a brief period 10 years ago, we entrusted the work because of their strong willingness to work hard."
The agency added, "As a one-person agency, we missed drafting a contract due to office relocation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We considered the position freelance, so did not enroll them in the four major insurances, and set the salary at the industry average level."
They continued, "The Labor Office is currently investigating the road manager's complaint," emphasizing, "There was no contract termination with the road manager without just cause."
It was explained that the road manager persistently and strongly demanded the actor, not the agency, to resolve the issue, causing difficulties even for the manager's family.
The agency stated, "We judged that it was difficult to continue the contract with someone who does not consider the actor and cannot build trust," adding, "Contract-related issues are unrelated to the actor."
They also claimed, "Expressions like 'servitude' or 'gapjil' are exaggerated," asserting, "There was absolutely no assignment of typical household chores such as cleaning, laundry, or dishwashing to the road manager, and most of the errands described as menial tasks were naturally done by family members."
Through the agency, Lee Soon-jae said, "I apologize to those who have trusted and supported me for the disappointment. I still have many shortcomings. I do not know how much time I have left, but I will strive to become a better person than I have been for the rest of my life."
Previously, Lee Soon-jae's former manager Kim stated on SBS TV's 'SBS 8 News' that during the two months as a manager, he was subjected to gapjil by Lee Soon-jae's wife and was effectively treated like a servant.
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