On April 9th, a troubling incident surfaced as a musical actress reported to the Seoul Gangnam Police Station the unsettling discovery of illicit cameras implanted within the dressing room sofa of the ongoing musical “Next to Normal” at the Gwangrim Art Center.
On April 16, the actress’s agency shared,
“The dressing room in a musical theater is not merely a waiting area. It’s a space where performers wait until the performance begins, change into stage costumes, and even shower after the performance.
Installing illegal cameras in such a space is a flagrant criminal act and something that should never have happened. Currently, an investigation is underway.”
They further added,
“We earnestly request that indiscriminate use of photos and comments regarding the victim be refrained until the investigation is concluded.”
The perpetrator of the crime has been identified as the manager of B1A4 member Sandeul, who is also involved in the same musical production.
While it has been confirmed that this was the manager’s personal wrongdoing and neither the celebrity nor the agency associated with the manager has any connection to the despicable act, B1A4’s agency WM Entertainment has issued a statement announcing that they have fired the manager immediately and extended a sincere apology to the musical actress and her company.
Below is WM Entertainment’s full statement:
Hello. This is WM Entertainment.
We would like to share our official statement regarding the recent incident.
First and foremost, we would like to extend our deepest apologies to the actress and her affiliated company who must have been hurt and affected by this matter.
We fully recognize the gravity of this matter and will do our utmost to ensure the stability of the actress involved. We also extend our apologies to all the actors and staff members who are working hard for the musical, as well as the fans.
As soon as we became aware of the facts, we took immediate action by removing the manager from all duties related to our artists and terminating their employment.
Also, we have conducted an investigation into the areas where the manager had access, including the musical venue, staff dormitory, and our office building, and confirmed that there were no additional harms. However, we will continue to cooperate with the police investigation and monitor the situation in case [there are any new developments].
Additionally, we will make even greater efforts in employee education and ensuring the safety and protection of both artists and staff members in the future.
We kindly request refraining from speculative posts or reports related to this incident.
Once again, we sincerely apologize for any distress caused to those involved.
Thank you.
