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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Hallyuwood devider Sandara Park, others not yet paid for 'Be the NEXT: 9 Dreamers' show in PH

Sandara Park, others not yet paid for 'Be the NEXT: 9 Dreamers' show in PH

Published Oct 3, 2025 03:57 pm

At A Glance

  • The production company said it is willing to fulfill its obligation of paying the appearance fees
Sandara Park with the mentors and winning contestants of “Be the NEXT: 9 Dreamers” (Instagram/bethenext_ofc)
Sandara Park with the mentors and winning contestants of “Be the NEXT: 9 Dreamers” (Instagram/bethenext_ofc)

2NE1 member Sandara Park and other people who appeared on the Korean-Philippine TV show “Be the NEXT: 9 Dreamers” have not been paid. 

“Be the NEXT: 9 Dreamers” was a survival audition TV show that aired on TV5 from February to May this year. It selected nine winners who were supposed to debut in a boy group in Korea.

Sandara Park was the main host of the program.  

The mentors were EXO member Chen, Momoland member Hyebin, Bang Yedam, Park Woo-jin, Vinci of Filipino global group HORI7ON, Bull$eye, Bae Wan-hee and Han Seo-yoon. 

Korean media outlet YTN published an exclusive report on Oct. 2 stating that Artsro, a Korean production company for the TV show, failed to pay the appearance fees to emcee Sandara Park, and Korean panelists Bang Yedam and Park Woojin.

Sandara Park in the Philippines (X)
Sandara Park in the Philippines (X)
Sandara Park with the contestants of “Be the NEXT: 9 Dreamers” (Instagram/bethenext_ofc)
Sandara Park with the contestants of “Be the NEXT: 9 Dreamers” (Instagram/bethenext_ofc)

It added that while a small number of contestants did receive their appearance fees, the majority received only a portion or none at all. The total amount of unpaid appearance fees amounts to hundreds of millions of won.

Abyss Company, the agency of Sandara Park, which suffered the greatest damage, filed for the seizure of Artsro’s assets in Korea, and a court recently approved this.

The news report stated that the seizure application is a preliminary step to a full-blown legal battle, and if the non-payment situation is prolonged, it is highly likely to escalate into a legal battle between the agency and the production company.

The non-payment of appearance fees is reportedly due to the situation of the main production company, the Korean agency MLD, the report said. 

However, Artsro was the one that signed contracts with entertainment agencies regarding appearance fee payments. 

Artsro told YTN Star that it will take responsibility for repaying the unpaid appearance fees regardless of the production company's circumstances. 

"We are willing to repay the unpaid appearance fees, and we are actually repaying them little by little," said Artsro. 

The situation resulted in the cancellation of the planned debut of the winners, YTN reported. 

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