On September 19, 2025, Yonhap reported that several celebrities, such as actor Kang Dong-Won, CL of 2NE1 and the singer of Trot Song Ga-in, were questioned on recent allegations. The allegations were that they would have exploited unregistered entertainment agencies. Yonhap News confirmed that the Yongsan police station was considering complaints concerning Kang Dong-Won and CL. Meanwhile, the Seocho police station had received a similar case concerning the song GA-in.
The cases arise from accusations filed by a private citizen who affirmed that the stars had not respected the registration rules under the law on the development of culture and artistic industry. For those who do not know, the law obliges the management agencies that take care of artists to register with the authorities.
Article 26 of the Act specifies that non-compliance can lead to sanctions that can go up to two years’ imprisonment or fines of up to 20 million krw (about $ 14,500).
According to reports, the Kang Dong-Won agency, AA Group, was only recorded as a clothing distributor and not as a cultural content business. Kang Dong-Won created his label in 2023 after leaving YG Entertainment.
The label of Song Ga-in, Gardal Entertainment, was founded in 2024 alongside his brother, Jo Sung Jae. They admitted surveillance and undertook to repair it.
Meanwhile, the agency of a person of CL, very Cherry, turned out to operate without the registration necessary for almost five years. The representatives are now rushing to finish legal deposits.
Context on Kang Dong-Won, Cl de 2ne1 and Song Ga-in, and wider implications
These developments with Kang Dong-Won, CL, and even more in the context of a wider control wave in the entertainment sector in South Korea. Earlier this year, artists such as Sung Si-Kyung and Ock Joo-Hyun have also turned out to lead agencies of a person without registration for years.
The two then published apologies and started the corrective deposits. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced that all agencies had until December 31, 2025 to comply with the registration requirements. They also warned that non -compliant companies after the grace period could face potential surveys and prosecution.
The National Tax Service has also been responsible for examining whether unregistered agencies may have poorly declared income and expenses. This has raised concerns about a possible tax evasion.
Actor Kang Dong-Won was born in 1981 and became famous through films such as Wolf temptation (2004), Secret meeting (2010), and Peninsula (2020). More recently, he returned to television with StormA Disney + and Hulu drama that was created in September 2025.
After leaving YG Entertainment at the end of 2022, he launched AA Group in 2023. He is now exposed not to register as an entertainment management company.
Lee Chae-Rin is better known as CL. She made her debut as a leader of the group of girls 2ne1 in 2009. The group became one of the most influential acts of the K-Pop before dissolving in 2016. Raised in 2016.
She created her label from a very Cherry person in 2020 to manage her career. However, the company would have neglected the obligation to register as a popular culture company for almost five years.
On the other hand, Song Ga-in is an eminent trotting singer. She founded Gindal Entertainment in September 2024 with her brother. The label was supposed to supervise its career and its activities, but it was revealed that the company had not been properly recorded. The agency recognized the lance and said that corrective measures were underway.
The law on the development of public culture and artistic industry has been designed to regulate agencies in order to guarantee responsibility for the entertainment sector. According to the law, companies and sole proprietorships managing more than one employee must register.
While investigations on Kang Dong-Won, CL and Song Ga-in continue. The case should establish precedents on how the industry addresses compliance and legal responsibility in the future.
Edited by Maithreyi s
