Agencies sign acting students before classes even begin
Lee Jong-taek from Popcorn Management never thought that he would miss the old days when young star wannabes fell at his feet every time he mentioned he was "searching for a new face".
Mr. Lee's job is to visit schools and after-school classes, looking for prospective TV stars.
On a recent day, he stopped by a drama class at Chung-Ang University, the alma mater of many actors and actresses currently gracing Korea's TV screens. There were 30 people in the senior class ― half majoring in production and the other half in acting. He spotted a few people that looked ready for the camera and approached them. But he was taken aback by their response.
The first girl stared at him and said, "I've already made a contract with a management agency".
He moved to a second one, but she also gave him an odd look and said, "It's been a while since I signed a contract with another management company".
He found out that half of the stu...|
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