'Dream High 2' producer apologizes over unpaid fees as GOT7's Youngjae disputes repayment claim

The head of Art One Company, the production company behind the musical 'Dream High Season 2' (hereafter 'Dream High 2'), has issued a public apology over unpaid appearance fees.

On June 10, CEO Kim Eun Ha told Dispatch, "I sincerely bow my head in apology for causing concern to so many people due to the issue of unpaid appearance fees," adding, "I have especially disappointed the actors and staff members who worked together to create the production."

On June 9, GOT7 member Youngjae publicly called out the production on social media, revealing that his appearance fees had remained unpaid for nearly a year. His agency later announced plans to pursue legal action, stating that more than half of the amount owed to him had not been paid.

According to Dispatch, Youngjae is not the only cast member affected. Several other actors have yet to receive full payment, with the total outstanding fees reportedly amounting to hundreds of millions of KRW.

The production company explained, "During the production process of Dream High 2, we encountered unforeseen financial management difficulties," emphasizing that it had been making efforts to resolve the unpaid fees as a responsible production company.

The company further claimed that it had agreed to complete payment of Youngjae's outstanding fees by June and that discussions had been resolved amicably.

However, Youngjae's agency, Andbut Company, disputed the statement, saying, "There has been no agreement or confirmation regarding repayment of the unpaid appearance fees by the end of June."

The agency added, "The other party verbally stated that it would prepare and deliver a repayment plan. However, a repayment plan was already submitted at the end of last year, and the proposed schedule was not followed. It is difficult to verify any genuine intent or ability to fulfill the repayment."

Youngjae's side said it intends to continue with its legal claim over the unpaid fees.

"We are closely reviewing the progress made so far and whether any actual repayment has taken place," the agency said. "We are continuing with the necessary legal procedures."

Meanwhile, Art One Company is preparing 'Dream High Season 3: Reboot' despite not having completed payments related to the previous production.

Kim stated, "We will take this incident as a painful lesson and do our utmost to prevent similar issues from recurring in future productions."