A deep dive on Mingee and Subeen's agency controversy
Yesterday was messy, right? Well, I saw a lot of discourse over Mingee and Subeen's agency controversy. Since I'm a tv producer with degrees in Journalism and Marketing, I would like to share my point of view on this. Its a deep dive, I'm sorry if its too long 🥹🙏🏻
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Her youtube vlog was paid content. She used her paradise date with Subeen to help promoting a mattress brand which sponsored her youtube video and got her a new mattress for her new home. According to Subeen's manager, Mingee didnt inform or notify his agency for prior consent of image use. I know Korea is sensitive about controlling the commercial use of names, likeness, and image.
For those who dont know, Netflix doesnt allow using clips for paid content or commercial use. She might receive a strike on Youtube for this video and get it demonetized. A plus: the mattress brand didnt sponsor Singles Inferno, they supplied a mattress to the paradise hotel (the one that really sponsored the show).
Besides, any paid content on Youtube requires prior consent from all individuals involved, mentioned and captured on video (Mingee, Subeen, Netflix) which she allegedly didnt inform anyone.
However, on her vlog, she brought Sugmin along with her to the bed testing. In fact, Mingee and Sugmin did have a paradise date together but the video and screenshot that is shown on her vlog is actually Subeen and Mingee's paradise date. So why not show or mention her date with Sungmin instead?
The bed scene is the moment Subeen received the most backlash on social media because the audience accused him of being unfaithful to Heesun. He still receives a lot of hate comments (red flag, f*ck boy) everytime someone sees the scene on insta reels/youtube shorts. Its a sensitive topic for him. We know nothing happened there, he was just cold and had no place to sleep. But, people on internet can be very....... sigh 🫥
The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) is very strict too. These laws dictate that any promotional content must be truthful, non-deceptive and respect individuals' consent and intellectual property rights.
Then, she mentioned that 'maybe Subeen lay down on the bed because it was so good and comfortable', implying that he also approves the product. But where is Subeen to confirm this? Did he really like the bed? Someone could say its unauthorized commercial use.
I do think his manager acted poorly to this. He was trying to protect him and reinforce contractual rules bla bla bla. Maybe he should've explained it better. You know whats better? make a formal complaint via email. This guy.... really... sigh... 😮💨🙄
*All the hate against Subeen (the person) is completely unjustified.* And tecnically he is an actor. A rookie one but he is also an college student for performing arts. Subeen made his acting debut last year (may 2025) on MBC with veteran actor Park Sung Woong. And he is now shooting a kdrama with actor Kim Woobin for TvN.
I'm sure he is giving his best to become successful just like everyone else from SI5. *There is no reason to hate on anyone here.*
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*Another situation that I've noticed*:
Mingee's birthday party in april was also sponsored. She knew Subeen and others SI castmates couldnt be filmed for contractual reasons. She even asked around who she could film. While she didnt film others as they requested like Sejun and HyeonWoo, she still recorded Subeen [or parts of his lol but you could still recognize him] without his expressed consent and showed the brand of his personal gift. His agency might have complained about it privately and her agency didnt respond or Subeen's agency let it pass and she did it again.
It seems to me that since they're all friends, she thinks she can freely talk about them and show them on her channel. But most of them have agencies to manage personal brands and they have contracts signed.... she should be more careful because: thats business. Youtube is broadcasting and they have strict guidelines.
Just look at Seungil. Her video with him brought a whole new level of awful comments about him because there was an editing mistake and people thought he gave her meat that fell on the ground.
Yejin was also the target of malicious rumors and comments when she appeared on videos with Mingee.
I absolutely love Mingee's youtube channel. She is so entertaining and funny! But her team has been making some mistakes with editing, ads and copyrights. Her channel is new, popular and everyone is learning how to manager it but it could become a serious matter if they dont rigorously research and cross-checking things. Some situations can be avoided.