KOR
Actors Oh Jung-se, Gang Dongwon, Um Tae-goo, and Park Ji-hyun have joined the Federation of Korean Music Performers (FKMP) to protect their rights as music performers.
The Federation of Korean Music Performers (FKMP) recently announced that the lead actors of the film 'Wild Sing'—Gang Dongwon, Um Tae-goo, Park Ji-hyun, and Oh Jung-se—have registered as members.
The movie 'Wild Sing' is a comedy about 'Triangle,' a co-ed dance group that once dominated the music industry, dreaming of a comeback after 20 years. Gang Dongwon, Um Tae-goo, and Park Ji-hyun star as the group members, performing their own vocals and choreography, while Oh Jung-se plays a ballad singer and participated in the vocals.
In particular, the song 'I Like You' performed by Oh Jung-se in the film has garnered significant attention, drawing focus to the actors' musical endeavors. With the release of the soundtrack and music video alongside the film, their roles as music content creators—going beyond simple acting—have been highlighted.
According to the FKMP, inquiries and new registrations from actors have been steadily rising. As actors expand their musical footprint through drama OSTs, singing in movies and dramas, project single releases, and the global spread of OTT content, the necessity of protecting their rights as performers has grown accordingly.
Kim Seung-min, the executive director of the FKMP, stated, "Musical activities in movies and dramas are no longer just an extension of acting, but have established themselves as an independent field of performance. We plan to strengthen our rights protection system so that various pop culture artists, including actors, comedians, and creators, can receive fair rights and compensation."
Cho Hyun, head of the Data Business Team at the FKMP, explained, "In the past, an actor's singing was often consumed merely as a production element within a work. However, with the expansion of streaming platforms and OTT services, it is now recognized as an independent content asset. Consequently, the trend of actors joining the FKMP is steadily growing."
Industry insiders anticipate that the registration of the 'Wild Sing' cast with the FKMP will further raise awareness of performers' rights among actors who engage in musical activities. In particular, as the perception that "actors are also performers when they sing" takes root, the scope of rights protection is expected to expand even further.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)