Do you think JYP pay less for Stray Kids as producers than they would pay for another producer do the same thing as them?

Quote from Minazuki

Well, yes, you are right. I don't think they are doing anything illegally, of course.

As I said to Mona, when the contract was signed, almost all of them were minors and I think hardly in the first contract idols or their parents make this kind of request. So If It isn't a company's politic to pay equally, then they aren't receiving equally.

The main priority for the members must be finally debuting and just in the contract renew, when they are already seniors and proved their value to the company, things might be different.

or maybe in certain recording contracts - at least I've read about some in the west (certainly don't know what kpop contracts are like) that are staggered...in terms of greater cut for the backend (ie. not the artists) until they reach a certain point

eg. first 1m albums sold artist (or producers) only gets 20% of profits (yes profits after expenses) but if >1m sold then artists (or producers) get a higher cut maybe???

which is what I've always said that contracts might be unfair (it's not surprising since the companies hold all the power) but if both parties consented (and in SKZ and most kpop idol's cases their parents) then it's a legal contract - BUT the performance of said contracts should be transparent - like if the contract is 50% company revenue, 10% artist, 40% other staff (producers, composers, etc) then the company should furnish monthly/weekly/quarterly accounts so that it is transparent what was earned or not earned!!!

I doubt even SKZ themself expected their own produced song to be that successful lol so yeah I think they aren't getting paid much since they won't think too much about the deal when they sign the contract as a rookie..

Quote from Minazuki

I think It's hard to believe your example applies to the reality of most K-pop companies, specially in the first contract.

About the transparence, I think It happens, at least. If they are always dropping the earnings publicly every quarter to make the investors happy, I don't see why the people benefiting from said earnings would be excluded from the details and just getting their part blindly

probably lol I have no idea - maybe it's like an incentive thing that the more albums sold or higher charting the artists gets a bigger cut (kinda like a bonus??)

I think for the larger groups it happens (big3/4???) but we've all heard horror stories like Omega X and Loona and even high profile non -idols like Lee Seung-gi who weren't furnished proper accounts (and those are only the stories we've heard about - imagine all the other lesser known or nugu groups)