Anyone who follows k-pop may have heard about the slave contracts that new artists tend to sign before they have a chance at becoming idols. As it turns out, similar practices may be prevalent even in other countries as an open letter from fans addressed to Jiaxing, also known as Jaywalk Studio, expresses concern for Dilraba Dilmurat.
While the letter acknowledges that Jaywalk Studio has been instrumental to Dilraba’s success, it also alleges that Dilraba has essentially signed her youth away through a 15-year-contract all while having no freedom to make her own choices because at the end of the day, she is not a stockholder nor a partner, but an employee. There hasn’t been any confirmation to know whether any of the details mentioned are true, but 15 years does sound awfully long. Dilraba joined Jaywalk Studio before she graduated from college and has since become one of the company’s biggest stars next to Yang Mi. To end, fans hope that Jaywalk Studio can take good care of Dilraba as an artist and to think about her career.
Source: 1
xiao
Jesus, I hope this shit is not true
Anonymous
Well, Dilreba signed it. For whatever reason it was back the , they are promoting her like crazy.
Anonymous
If you think about it, Jaywalk and Yang Mi helped her to be where she is at… better and easier than many other actresses out there. She got they best resources among all the Jaywalk artists as well.
Who is the other actressses are this popular with only successful supporting roles and not leading roles? Other actresses her age range have more successful dramas than her but not as popular
Plus if she isn’t happy she can get out by paying penalty. She can afford it with her current fame
Anonymous
C-fans usually overreact and are over protective when it comes to their faves, especially in regard to their future. I believe Victoria Song has called out her own fans who scolded her manager for casting her in "Love Switch" (which in the end, wasn't true lol). Dilraba's fans are surely overreacting here as well; since she's not getting mistreated. Her resources are also far better than most actresses her age like someone said, for someone who hasn't yet had a hit drama as a lead.
But I agree that they should stop pairing her with the few guys in her company. I understand if they have to use her to promote the other artists; but cast them as supporting roles instead – like what Yang Mi is doing.
The one I feel bad for is Yang Mi LOL. Heard she had to reject doing a serious drama with Zhang Jiayi and other acting veterans because she have to film another drama (one that can squeeze all her Jay Walk artists in it, apparently). Like seriously haven't she done enough? And furthermore she didn't get famous through anyone…
Sunny
15 years is a long time but it's not like Jiaxing/Jaywalk Studio are leaving her on backburner languishing. They have pushed her relentlessly and she's become one of the top 10 biggest actresses in China very quickly even without any big hit lead role to her name. I'd feel more sorry for the other ladies at Jaywalk Studio who are stuck in the background playing jealous rivals and third leads in dramas whilst Yang Mi and Dilireba get their pick of roles, endorsements, awards.
I think the thing to worry about isn't the length of the contract but the terms. Hopefully she is getting fair compensation. If she is stuck on this contract for 15 years but she doesn't get a cut of her endorsements, unable to negotiate her salary and is just getting paid a fixed wage or something whilst all the profits go the studio then it is understandable to complain.
Anonymous
Yang Mi chose that route though.
Anonymous
it's all for her company, she sacrifice a bit so that she got long term profit if her company success promoting their actors/actresses,
a good strategy
Anonymous
She is everywhere. They promote her crazily and give her all the best for reasons compared to their other artists
It’s a win win situation for them.
Yang Mi can’t even have the control over the projects she wants even she basically built Jaywalk and their artists names. Their profits come first because it’s business nature
Anonymous
Dilireba seems to have a good head on her shoulder and if she wants to break her contract I think it will be her own decision. She has the talent to prosper on her own and if she continues with Jaywalk Studio, I think that she has her own reasons.
Anonymous
She doesn’t choose. Yang mi is a stock holder so the company put the profit on top of her career
She herself said she wish to do more projects that she wants this year and also mentioned companies convinced her to do projects she didn’t want to the point she can’t reject
Anonymous
I read they are changing the terms now after she got more popular
Unknown
15 Years contract is not bad, time run so fast. Reba started in 2014 now she has only 11 years left in Yang Mi's agency. The agency promoted her well in just 4 years she already a well known actress with a lot dramas and project not only her. Yang Mi's agency also did great a great job on promoting their actors like Leon Zhang, Zhang Bin Bin, Vengao Gao, Lai Yi, Li Sierra, Liu Wayne, Dai Si and others. I think Yang Mi's agency is a good agency they let their other actors and actress shine as well, they always work together.
Unknown
Working together to expose your other artists is a good idea. And Dilraba has been really lucky with the help of her agency she shoot up to fame very quickly… It's not like where other female actresses like Yang Mi herself and Zhao Li Ying have to work their way up one drama at a time. She's lucky so fans need to stop complain. Jaywalk has been trying to promote their other artists like Vengo and Zhang Yunlong but look who's ahead of them now? Zhang Bin Bin. They promote him the least out of the 3 guys but he did what little could have with his role in 10 miles of Peach Blossom and started to get better works outside of their studio production, landing his first lead outside of the agency produced drama. The other artists just need more exposure and try to make what little small roles they can in Yang Mi bigger projects and it should be good.