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Unpaid Staff for $315 VIP Concerts? K-Pop Star WOODZ Faces Backlash

Daniel Kim Views  

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Singer WOODZ posed on the blue carpet at the \”2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer\” event on the 27th at KINTEX Exhibition Hall 1 in Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

An unpaid staff recruitment notice seeking so-called \”passion pay\” for singer WOODZ (real name Jo Seung-yeon)’s overseas tour drew swift criticism online, prompting his agency to issue an apology.

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A job listing for on-site staff at the German stop of WOODZ’s world tour, \”Archive.1,\” spread rapidly across online communities and drew backlash. The post sought people to handle crowd control and run the merchandise booth during the concert.

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The main issue was that the roles were unpaid. The ad listed detailed, professional qualifications — fluency in Korean, German and English; experience working K-pop concerts; and knowledge of lighting and sound — yet offered only meals and the chance to watch the show as compensation.

The outrage intensified after fans learned the German concert was a commercial event with VIP tickets priced at about 420,000 KRW (approximately $315). Netizens slammed the organizers, calling it blatant labor exploitation to require specialized skills while relying on fans’ dedication instead of paying fair wages.

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As the controversy grew, EDAM Entertainment issued an official statement on the 8th saying it had confirmed the facts with the local promoter and apologized for not reviewing the matter thoroughly in advance. \”We will work closely with the promoter to address operational shortcomings and take necessary measures,\” the agency said, promising stricter pre-event checks and improved local communication going forward.

WOODZ launched the world tour in March in Incheon, has since visited major Asian cities, and will perform for European fans in Berlin, London, Frankfurt and Paris beginning in June.

Daniel Kim
content@tenbizt.com

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