K-pop sensation WOODZ (Jo Seung-yeon) has issued an official apology regarding the recent controversy surrounding unpaid staff at his international concert tour.
On May 8th, EDAM Entertainment, WOODZ’s agency, released a statement to Star News, acknowledging the situation. “We have verified the facts with the local concert organizer concerning the reported content. We sincerely regret not having thoroughly reviewed this matter in advance,” the agency stated.
EDAM Entertainment further committed to addressing the operational issues, adding, “We will work closely with the local concert organizer to implement all necessary measures to resolve any shortcomings in local concert operations. Furthermore, we pledge to strengthen communication with our local partners, ensuring more meticulous checks and comprehensive oversight of all aspects of future concert operations to guarantee smooth execution.”
The controversy first emerged when a staff recruitment notice for WOODZ’s ‘Archive.1’ world tour concert in Germany was circulated across an online community platform.
According to the notice, volunteers for the day of the concert would be assigned various roles, including audience crowd control, merchandise (MD) booth management, show runner duties, and meal assistance. Desired qualifications included proficiency in Korean, German, and English, with a preference for applicants who had K-pop concert experience or knowledge of lighting and sound. While meals were provided and volunteers could watch the concert, the positions were explicitly unpaid.
Despite being unpaid volunteer roles, reports indicated that the application period for these positions had already closed, highlighting the high demand even for uncompensated work within the K-pop industry.
This situation drew significant scrutiny, especially given the considerable ticket prices for WOODZ’s concert. VIP seats were priced at approximately 420,000 KRW (around $308 USD), priority entry tickets at 190,000 KRW (around $139 USD), and general admission tickets at 150,000 KRW (around $110 USD).
– Below is the full official statement from EDAM Entertainment.
“We have confirmed the facts with the local concert organizer regarding the related content. We sincerely regret not having thoroughly reviewed this matter in advance. We will closely consult with the local concert organizer to implement necessary measures concerning any operational shortcomings at the venue. Furthermore, we commit to strengthening communication with our local partners, ensuring more meticulous checks and carefully overseeing all aspects of future concert operations for seamless execution.”
