Union & Non-Union Talent Management

Talent rules in South Korea are set by the Labor Standards Act. Performers work through established talent agencies on standard industry terms. KOFIC, the Korean Film Council, certifies qualifying productions for incentives, while bodies such as the Korea Film Producers Association shape sector norms. Our team turns these rules into production-ready contracts for principals, day-players, extras, and stunt performers. We staff shoots at Seoul's Digital Media City hub, Paju Studio Cube, Namyangju Studio Tricky, and Busan's coastal stages. Each buy-in is matched against standard performer rate cards, and we register the four major social insurance inputs. We also confirm working-time entitlements before the first call sheet goes out.

During production, our team runs a daily compliance loop. It tracks call times, meal breaks, turnaround between days, and late hours triggers against the Act's hour caps. Time sheets reconcile to payroll with set deductions for the National Pension Service, National Health Insurance, and employment insurance. We also remit industrial accident cover and standard contractual dues directly where they apply. Our records hold signed two-language contracts and KOFIC-friendly rate evidence for shoots claiming the content cash rebate. This builds an audit trail ready for completion-bond and broadcaster review. Disputes go through Korean entertainment counsel before they reach mediation. The same workflow scales from one inbound talent in Seoul to multi-hundred crew counts on Busan-based features.

Talent management starts in prep, while the schedule and budget are still open. We read the cast list and the shooting plan to set the right engagement type for each performer. Principals, day-players, and background talent each carry different terms under the Labor Standards Act. We confirm availability through the Seoul agencies that represent most Korean cast, then lock holds against the stripboard. Settling the contract structure early lets the line producer cost the talent line in Korean Won before prep locks, with no surprises once shooting starts.

Compliance reaches beyond labour hours into the wider permit and safety picture. Stunt performers and special-effects work bring a duty of care that we map onto a KOSHA-aligned safety plan. We build rehearsal time, rest, and medical cover into the schedule for those days. Minor performers follow Korean child performance rules on hours and guardian presence, which we respect in the call sheet. For international cast, we reconcile their home-country obligations with Korean terms, so a single engagement satisfies both sides without leaving a gap.

Payment terms and rates sit at the centre of every engagement we manage. We agree day rates, overtime multipliers, and buyout scope up front, all priced in Korean Won with the 10% VAT shown clearly. Payroll runs on a fixed cycle, with the four social insurance deductions and any withholding handled correctly. We coordinate with talent agencies so the payment schedule matches their standard contracts. Clear terms agreed before the shoot keep cash flow steady and stop a rate dispute from stalling the unit mid-production.

At wrap we hand the production a complete talent compliance file. It holds the signed bilingual contracts, the daily time sheets, and the payroll and insurance records for each performer. Releases and any guardian forms for minors are filed alongside, indexed by cast member. The bundle is built to satisfy a completion-bond audit, a broadcaster delivery check, or a KOFIC incentive review. Korean and overseas accounting teams read the same documented trail. That clean handoff closes out every labour obligation before the unit moves to post-production.