"Me Too" Adds Provision to Actor Contracts

The 'Me Too' Movement is changing the way contracts are written.

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'Me Too' is a campaign that has encouraged women to report sexual harassment and it has rippled the waters of the entertainment business. The accused, like Oh Dal-soo and Cho Jae-hyun, have been driven from their dramas, which has negatively productions and broadcasting stations.

As the situation continues, dramas have adjusted their contracts and added a clause that details a fine for those who are accused of inappropriate behavior under the Me Too campaign. A drama that aims for release in the summer has notified their existing cast of this update. The contract itself has changed, which was a long process in and of itself due to the depth of needed legal action.

A management stated, "The 'Me Too' movement affected many dramas and it's only fair. If no one is guilty, then they don't have to worry about it".

Although not accused as a part of the 'Me Too' movement, actor Lee Seo-won stepped down from the tvN drama "About Time" because of sexual harassment and threat accusations. He had already filmed over ten episodes, but had to be replaced with someone else. This led to additional costs and labor and it turns out although Lee Seo-won had the chance to step down from the drama a month ago, he kept it silent and went through with it.

Productions took this kind of case into consideration and established the new contract provision. The contract now says that if anyone was accused by the 'Me Too' campaign, he'd have to give up his guaranteed pay and even compensate for additional costs.

Professor Lee Ho-gyu, a cultural critic, said, "Productions seek for their drama cast worrying about 'Me Too'. They can't ask the actor directly and they would admit it even if they did".