According to an exclusive media outlet report on March 6 KST, management agency Fantagio recently recruited actor Kim Seon Ho by offering him a sign-on fee of 2 billion KRW (~ $1.4 million USD).
While it is becoming more commonplace for management agencies to not offer a sign-on fee for recruiting talents, Fantagio reportedly went to great lengths to make Kim Seon Ho an offer he could not refuse. Industry insiders claim that the agency's decision was to "prepare for singer/actor Cha Eun Woo's vacancy upon his enlistment for mandatory military service."
Initially, Kim Seon Ho had been in talks to sign with Song Joong Ki's High Zium Studio. However, at the last minute, the actor had a change of heart after being offered a sign-on fee of 2 billion KRW from Fantagio. The latter's bold move is now being questioned by some netizens.
Previously in 2021, Kim Seon Ho earned global fame for his role in the tvN series 'Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha'. However, that same year, the actor became wrapped up in a controversy over his private life, after an ex-girlfriend came forward with accusations that Kim Seon Ho had "forced her to get an abortion."
Many netizens criticized Fantagio's "poor decision-making", commenting,
"I see Fantagio is just as good at wasting their money as I remember."
"2 billion?? Is he seriously worth that much??"
"Whoever approved this, that was the wrong move my dude."
"Wow am I literally witnessing this dumb company throwing away the money that Cha Eun Woo made in the trash."
"Fantagio you've got to be joking kekekekeke. Who the heck is gonna watching anything with him in it??"
"A replacement for Cha Eun Woo???? I'm sorry what?????"
"Okay lol. Apparently Fantagio wanted to save Song Joong Ki from any more humiliation."
"This guy is not gonna make even a fraction of what Cha Eun Woo makes lol."
"That sweet and pristine image he built up before that incident came crashing down way too hard. He's never going to recover from that."
"Be good to the artists you already have Fantagio you dumb company!"
"If anyone still has stocks in Fantagio, pull out immediately."
Meanwhile, Kim Seon Ho is set to appear in several anticipated productions in 2025 and 2026, including Netflix's 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' and 'Can This Love Be Translated?' and in the new Disney+ series 'Delusion'.
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