It’s no secret that the South Korean entertainment industry is a difficult place to break into, no matter how big your aspirations may be.
Artists recognized as “idols” are known for their dedication, spending years in training to perfect their skills in dancing, singing, acting, and even maintaining proper conduct in public during special events or shows.
That said, their years of hard work often lead fans to believe that idols earn hefty incomes, especially when factoring in brand deals and sponsorships.
Unfortunately, for the girl group EVERGLOW, reports suggest they have been neglected in terms of compensation even after six years since their debut. On March 18—the same day EVERGLOW marked their sixth anniversary—lead dancer and Chinese member Wang Yiren addressed the issue on her Bubble account, revealing that she and her fellow members have not received any income since launching their careers in 2019.
Translated by The Korea Herald, Yiren wrote, “I love performing on stage, but in reality, my income is zero. Since my debut, I have never received any payment— I am essentially a worker earning zero won.”
A user on X (formerly Twitter) shared screenshots with translations of Yeri’s Bubble post.
it’s been 6 years since EVERGLOW’s debut and they haven’t been paid ONCE. pic.twitter.com/CTO9wtyBRn
— tess⁷ ✧ saw ateez! (@aishabear) March 18, 2025
While the interpretations from the Chinese text to English evidently differ in other sources, the issue of the matter persists in each translation, and that is Yuehua Entertainment’s years worth of neglect in allocating the members’ pay.
The performer continued sharing that she and her other band mates are still passionate about their music nonetheless, and do not want to give up amid the label’s alleged failure in providing them their salaries.
She also apologized to fans for their lack in producing “new songs and performances to show everyone,” with their last comeback dating from June 2024, with their fifth single album “Zombie.”
In light of this, Yiren realigned that “the tour is really what we want to show our fans, and we are working hard to prepare,” in reference to EVERGLOW’s “Pulse & Heart” tour with concerts happening in Tokyo, Japan this March 21 and 22.
Yiren ended with a reassurance to her fans after revealing her claims on the community app stating, “At least I can still see Forever (the name of the band’s fanbase), and have the chance to stand on stage. It’s fine.”
Word spread quickly, and fans have already voiced their strong support for the accusations, urging the company to pay their artists by flooding EVERGLOW’s official Instagram page with hundreds of comments demanding justice for the group.
Yuehua Entertainment has yet to speak on the matter.
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