Sidus HQ

Korean talent management agency Sidus-HQ is under police investigation for tapping on popular actress Jun Ji-hyun’s mobile to monitor her phone conversations and text messages.

The Seoul Police Department was investigating a routine case and by coincidence found Jun Ji-hyun’s number among the many victims, thus prompted the investigation on Sidus-HQ.

Two Sidus-HQ employees have admitted to the illegal eavesdropping; the police is now investigating if there’s a mastermind behind the act.

Earlier reports suggested that phone tapping is a way to monitor the artist’s private life, but it’s later believed that the agency might want to spy on her career decisions as her contract with the agency is coming to an end soon (easy decision for her now).

The celebrities’ privacy infringement by respected agencies is not unheard of, it’s so bad that the Korean Fair Trade Commission in November 2008 has requested agencies to change their contract terms which interferes with the personal life of their artists.

This is the first time though, that an agency has been caught red handed in such a serious act. Other Korean agencies are fast to deny any similar practices, but I doubt the public would take their words in good faith.