Despite Squid Game and Hellbound Fame, Netflix Reportedly Doesn’t Even Pay South Korean Actors Any Residuals, Won’t Return Their Calls
Amid the unfolding SAG-AFTRA strike that captured global attention in mid-July, Song Chang-gon, a seasoned 51-year-old actor and the incumbent president of the Korea Broadcasting Actors Union, found himself embroiled in a distinct predicament. As news of the strike reverberated throughout the entertainment industry, Song Chang-gon was still awaiting a response from the media giant Netflix, a company notorious for being difficult to engage with. At the heart of the matter lies an issue pertinent to South Korean actors associated with the streaming platform – the absence of residuals in their compensation structure.
Some actors in South Korea don’t get extra money when their work is used again on the platform. This is causing trouble and making the strike more complicated. Actors have been doing things like leaving events and stopping new shows from being made. This makes a lot of people notice and talk about the strike. The actors are asking for a bunch of things. They want things to be fair when shows are shown on the internet, and they also care about using computer stuff like AI. They want everyone to be treated the same way and get paid fairly.
The Unsettled Matter of Residual Payments to South Korean Actors by Netflix
Netflix‘s compensation and communication practices with South Korean actors are causing concern. The company reportedly doesn’t pay residuals, which has irked local talent. Additionally, supporting actors receive as little as $300 per episode, igniting a debate on fair pay given the company’s global success. President of the Korea Broadcasting Actors Union, Song Chang-gon, has struggled to communicate with Netflix, highlighting a lack of responsiveness and inaccessible contact information. These issues underscore the need for transparent and equitable partnerships between the streaming giant and the local industry.
The actors union, mirroring the worries expressed by South Korean writers and production staff, asserts that the streaming platform has consistently benefited from an underpayment structure for supporting actors, emphasizing the urgent need for improved remuneration. When asked, a Netflix representative refrained from confirming any potential meeting with the union. In a written response, the company stated its adherence to local laws and regulations, clarifying its status as a streaming service rather than a broadcaster, and thus contending that it isn’t obligated to provide residuals.
Netflix’s Profiting from South Korean Creativity
When Netflix started offering its shows and movies in South Korea in 2016, it became really popular. People liked watching Korean original shows on the platform, especially one called Squid Game, which many people enjoyed. Netflix became so successful that it decided to spend a lot more money, about $2.5 billion, to buy even more Korean content like movies and TV shows. At the beginning of this year, Netflix said they would make a lot more Korean shows and movies for 2023. This made their collection of Korean stuff much bigger, and they earned a lot of money from it, including from their special Korean projects.
South Korean actor Kim Ju-Ho noted the company’s substantial profits from Korean content, urging dialogue. Initially, Song Chang-gon, the current president of the Korean Broadcasting Actors Union, took a cautious approach, preferring to wait until Netflix established success before addressing financial matters. Kim Ju-Ho, overseeing the group explained this approach aimed to assess Netflix’s growth. Song Chang-gon acknowledged Netflix’s positive contributions such as job creation and wider exposure to Korean content but highlighted persistent and significant issues requiring attention.
Moreover, Netflix’s $160 billion success owes much to monumental Korean projects like Squid Game, which earned the company $1 billion and remains its top show. Despite the SAG-AFTRA strike’s efforts to increase actor residuals, South Korean actors lack these payments, as Netflix isn’t legally bound to provide them. This leaves those involved in the hit series, Squid Game, unfairly uncompensated.
Source: X
