[Sports Today Reporter Kim Tae-hyung] Sixty-three actors and staff involved in the musical Eyes of Dawn issued a joint statement addressing the production’s cancellations and suspension.
On the 24th, the cast and crew released an official statement denying reports in some outlets that "the show was canceled because some actors boycotted" and called those accounts completely false. They said the disruption did not stem from a few actors acting unilaterally, but from the producer’s repeated failure to honor payroll commitments and its irresponsible handling of audience communications, which forced the production to stop.
The cast and crew also pushed back on reports that the unpaid wages totaled 50 million KRW (approximately $37,500 USD), calling that figure inaccurate. They said 20% of the first-run wages went unpaid and that nonpayment continued during the extended run. As of the final performance on March 19, they put the combined unpaid amount for actors and staff at about 220 million KRW (approximately $165,000 USD).
On the matter of contract terms, they said the producer even proposed a clause that allowed actors and staff to halt performances if payment was delayed by a single day and stated the producer would bear no liability. Trusting that promise, the cast and crew agreed to join the production.
Regarding the March 8 cancellation, they said the producer failed to meet the March 6 payment deadline and then offered on March 7 to pay only 50% of the outstanding first-run wages as a priority. The producer never resolved the unpaid wages and, despite knowing it could not, provided no advance notice to ticket holders. On the day of the March 8 performance, actors and staff gathered at the theater and asked the producer to notify the audience of the cancellation, but the producer ignored the request.
About the March 22 cancellation, they said the producer requested a 10-day grace period to secure funds for outstanding wages and the remaining production budget, but later admitted it had failed to raise the money and issued a final notice to stop the production.
The group said the opening had been postponed five times under circumstances they called unreasonable, and that the originally promised schedule was broken because of the producer’s failures. They said their trust in the producer collapsed after a serious safety incident at the theater and the producer’s lax response.
According to the cast and crew, during the first run from December 4 to January 31, the stage floor LED caught fire twice, forcing performances to stop. The cast and crew demanded a full replacement and repairs for the floor LEDs for safety, but the producer, citing costs, made only partial, patchwork fixes.
They added that during the same run the theater leaked whenever it rained or snowed, sometimes forcing same-day cancellations. The leakage problem continues.
Finally, the cast and crew said that despite threats from fire and leaks and repeated wage delays, they endured out of a determination to protect the stage and the audience. They emphasized that the producer bears full responsibility for betraying that trust and neglecting audience safety and rights.
Below: Full statement from the cast and staff of the musical Eyes of Dawn
First, we sincerely apologize to all the audience members who supported and anticipated the musical Eyes of Dawn.
Some media reports about this production contain facts that are clearly incorrect. We issue this official statement to set the record straight.
Contract structure for this production
1. During the premiere and revivals (2019, 2020), producer Byun Sook-hee’s company Suki Company (CEO Byun Sook-hee) created unpaid-wage issues for actors and staff and faced litigation, yet those wages remained unpaid.
2. The current production company, Next Sketch (CEO: Im Cheol-bin; producer: Jung Jong-hee), has a different name, but producer Byun Sook-hee still plays a lead planning role. Vice CEO and producer Jung Jong-hee previously served as Suki Company’s finance director.
3. Cast and crew who joined this production loved the work but feared another unpaid-wages incident. Those who had participated in both the original and revival runs understandably worried even more.
4. To prevent recurrence, the producer promised advance payments before performances. The producer also proposed a contract clause stating that if a payment was even one day late, actors and staff could stop performing without liability. Trusting that promise, the cast and crew agreed to participate in the production.
The truth about the performance suspensions
1. What happened with the March 8 cancellation
- Five days before the incident, actors repeatedly warned that if wages were not paid by March 6, they would have to stop participating in performances beginning March 7.
- On February 22, the producer signed an agreement to pay the unpaid fees for first-run actors by March 6. The March 6 payroll was supposed to include both the second payments for actors in the extended run and the unpaid 20% from the first run. The producer did not fulfill that promise.
- After missing the March 6 deadline, the producer offered on March 7 to pay only 50% of the outstanding first-run wages as a priority. That offer excluded advance second payments for actors in the extended run, but the cast and crew—acting in good faith—gave the producer another chance. The producer failed to resolve the unpaid wages on March 7, and despite knowing it could not resolve them, provided no prior notice to ticket holders.
- On March 8, the cast and crew gathered at the theater and requested that the producer notify the audience of the cancellation, but the producer ignored them.
- Correction of false reports: Media stories claiming the show was canceled because some actors boycotted are entirely false. We reiterate that the suspension resulted from the producer’s repeated failure to honor wage promises and its irresponsible handling of audience notices—not from unilateral actions by a few actors.
2. What happened with the March 22 cancellation
- Producer’s grace-period request and conditional agreement: Immediately after the March 8 cancellation, vice CEO and producer Jung PD requested a 10-day grace period to raise funds for unpaid wages and the remaining production budget. Despite difficult circumstances, the cast and crew accepted this to try to resolve the situation. We signed a written agreement on March 13 that if the problem was not resolved by March 19, we would stop performances and the producer would later make full restitution.
- Broken promises and notice of suspension: On the agreed date, March 19, Jung PD admitted he had failed to secure funds and delivered a final notice to suspend the production. The cast and crew therefore understood that performances would cease starting March 20.
- Acceptance of delayed public notice: On the morning of March 20, just before we planned to issue an official suspension statement, Jung PD proposed delaying cancellation announcements and canceling only the March 20 and 21 performances to leave a slim chance to find a solution. We agreed to that proposal out of goodwill.
- By the night of March 21, the producer still could not provide a convincing plan. Following the prior agreement and the producer’s own notice, the performances were canceled. The producer finally posted the notice of the March 22 cancellation around 10 a.m. that day. A producer that should have minimized audience harm delayed notification to an unacceptable degree. After learning that some audience members still arrived at the theater unaware of the cancellation, actors and staff rushed to the venue, but several patrons had already made the trip in vain.
3. Why we accepted the producer’s 10-day grace request
- The cast and crew deeply love Eyes of Dawn and desperately wanted to complete the run and meet audiences. Despite serious contract violations, we gave the producer another 10 days because of our moral responsibility and affection for the work.
- Another decisive reason was solidarity with new cast members who joined the extended run and had not yet performed. On March 10, three actors had still not made their first appearances: Kim Jin-woo (Harim role, scheduled first performance on the 13th), Baek Seong-hyun (Daechi role, scheduled first performance on the 17th), and Hong Seo-jun (Yun Hong-chul role, originally scheduled for the 21st but moved to the 19th). We wanted these colleagues, who had worked hard despite uncertainty, to finally stand on stage, which motivated us to tolerate the uncertainty and wait.
4. Correction about the unpaid amount
- Reports that the unpaid amount was 50 million KRW (approximately $37,500 USD) are inaccurate. Twenty percent of the first-run wages went unpaid, and unpaid amounts continued during the extended run. As of the final performance on March 19, the combined unpaid amount for actors and staff is about 220 million KRW (approximately $165,000 USD).
5. Whether the repeated delayed notices were deliberate
- Reviewing the entire process, we see a pattern of consistently late notices. The cast and crew cannot help but suspect the producer acted deliberately.
- We strongly suspect the producer used unattainable promises to buy time and intentionally delayed audience notices, effectively using the audience as leverage to pressure actors and staff to continue performing.
Root cause of the suspension (broken trust)
1. Five postponed openings
- The cast and crew accepted lower-than-normal pay out of love for the work and agreed to a contract that assumed a shorter-than-usual six-week rehearsal period. Even with limited time, everyone worked hard to raise the production’s quality.
Unreasonable five postponements: But the producer repeatedly broke the promised schedule. After the initial rehearsal schedule (Sept. 12–Oct. 29, 2025), the opening set for Oct. 30 at Suwon Gyeonggi Arts Center was delayed five times because of venue construction and related issues.
1st change: Nov. 7 (moved and changed to a Seoul run)
2nd change: Nov. 14
3rd change: Nov. 28
4th change: Dec. 2
5th change: Dec. 4
2. Severe safety negligence that endangered audiences, cast and crew (fire and leaks)
- Beyond contract breaches, the decisive reason we lost all trust in the producer was the theater safety incidents and the producer’s complacent handling of them.
- Two stage fires and patchwork fixes: During the first run (Dec. 4, 2025–Jan. 31, 2026), the stage floor LED caught fire twice, forcing unprecedented performance stoppages. Thanks to quick action by stage managers and staff, we avoided casualties or a larger blaze, but the incidents could easily have become catastrophic. After the fires, actors and staff demanded a full replacement and repairs for the floor LEDs. The producer, citing costs, made only partial, temporary fixes, leaving us to perform in constant fear that another fire could occur.
- Chronic theater leaks ignored: During the same first run, the theater leaked whenever it rained or snowed, and the leaks sometimes reached the audience seating area, forcing same-day cancellations. The producer failed to implement a fundamental fix for these facility defects and rain-related leaks. The problem continues whenever it rains.
3. Complete collapse of trust
- Faced with repeated schedule changes and severe safety negligence, the producer responded without transparency or accountability. The suspension did not stem solely from recent wage delays. Over several months, the producer’s repeated deception and incompetence destroyed the minimum trust required to continue the production.
Closing remarks
The cast and crew endured threats from fires and leaks and repeated wage delays out of a single-minded commitment to protect the stage and the audience. We gave the producer chances and sought compromises to finish the run. Somehow false information circulated and became the basis for news reports; unless someone intentionally spread that misinformation for gain, it should not have happened. The producer alone is responsible for betraying the trust of actors and staff and neglecting audience safety and rights. The producer must take full, responsible action to address the material and emotional harm suffered by audience members and must fulfill legal and moral obligations to pay unpaid wages. Although the producer’s irresponsibility forced us to stop, we will never forget the affectionate looks and warm applause from the audiences who came to see Eyes of Dawn. We bow deeply and apologize again for failing to keep our promise to the end. We also deeply thank everyone for their support.
[Sports Today reporter Kim Tae-hyung ent@stoo.com]
「Closest to you, the most FunFun news ⓒ Sports Today」
On the 24th, the cast and crew released an official statement denying reports in some outlets that "the show was canceled because some actors boycotted" and called those accounts completely false. They said the disruption did not stem from a few actors acting unilaterally, but from the producer’s repeated failure to honor payroll commitments and its irresponsible handling of audience communications, which forced the production to stop.
The cast and crew also pushed back on reports that the unpaid wages totaled 50 million KRW (approximately $37,500 USD), calling that figure inaccurate. They said 20% of the first-run wages went unpaid and that nonpayment continued during the extended run. As of the final performance on March 19, they put the combined unpaid amount for actors and staff at about 220 million KRW (approximately $165,000 USD).
On the matter of contract terms, they said the producer even proposed a clause that allowed actors and staff to halt performances if payment was delayed by a single day and stated the producer would bear no liability. Trusting that promise, the cast and crew agreed to join the production.
Regarding the March 8 cancellation, they said the producer failed to meet the March 6 payment deadline and then offered on March 7 to pay only 50% of the outstanding first-run wages as a priority. The producer never resolved the unpaid wages and, despite knowing it could not, provided no advance notice to ticket holders. On the day of the March 8 performance, actors and staff gathered at the theater and asked the producer to notify the audience of the cancellation, but the producer ignored the request.
About the March 22 cancellation, they said the producer requested a 10-day grace period to secure funds for outstanding wages and the remaining production budget, but later admitted it had failed to raise the money and issued a final notice to stop the production.
The group said the opening had been postponed five times under circumstances they called unreasonable, and that the originally promised schedule was broken because of the producer’s failures. They said their trust in the producer collapsed after a serious safety incident at the theater and the producer’s lax response.
According to the cast and crew, during the first run from December 4 to January 31, the stage floor LED caught fire twice, forcing performances to stop. The cast and crew demanded a full replacement and repairs for the floor LEDs for safety, but the producer, citing costs, made only partial, patchwork fixes.
They added that during the same run the theater leaked whenever it rained or snowed, sometimes forcing same-day cancellations. The leakage problem continues.
Finally, the cast and crew said that despite threats from fire and leaks and repeated wage delays, they endured out of a determination to protect the stage and the audience. They emphasized that the producer bears full responsibility for betraying that trust and neglecting audience safety and rights.
Below: Full statement from the cast and staff of the musical Eyes of Dawn
First, we sincerely apologize to all the audience members who supported and anticipated the musical Eyes of Dawn.
Some media reports about this production contain facts that are clearly incorrect. We issue this official statement to set the record straight.
Contract structure for this production
1. During the premiere and revivals (2019, 2020), producer Byun Sook-hee’s company Suki Company (CEO Byun Sook-hee) created unpaid-wage issues for actors and staff and faced litigation, yet those wages remained unpaid.
2. The current production company, Next Sketch (CEO: Im Cheol-bin; producer: Jung Jong-hee), has a different name, but producer Byun Sook-hee still plays a lead planning role. Vice CEO and producer Jung Jong-hee previously served as Suki Company’s finance director.
3. Cast and crew who joined this production loved the work but feared another unpaid-wages incident. Those who had participated in both the original and revival runs understandably worried even more.
4. To prevent recurrence, the producer promised advance payments before performances. The producer also proposed a contract clause stating that if a payment was even one day late, actors and staff could stop performing without liability. Trusting that promise, the cast and crew agreed to participate in the production.
The truth about the performance suspensions
1. What happened with the March 8 cancellation
- Five days before the incident, actors repeatedly warned that if wages were not paid by March 6, they would have to stop participating in performances beginning March 7.
- On February 22, the producer signed an agreement to pay the unpaid fees for first-run actors by March 6. The March 6 payroll was supposed to include both the second payments for actors in the extended run and the unpaid 20% from the first run. The producer did not fulfill that promise.
- After missing the March 6 deadline, the producer offered on March 7 to pay only 50% of the outstanding first-run wages as a priority. That offer excluded advance second payments for actors in the extended run, but the cast and crew—acting in good faith—gave the producer another chance. The producer failed to resolve the unpaid wages on March 7, and despite knowing it could not resolve them, provided no prior notice to ticket holders.
- On March 8, the cast and crew gathered at the theater and requested that the producer notify the audience of the cancellation, but the producer ignored them.
- Correction of false reports: Media stories claiming the show was canceled because some actors boycotted are entirely false. We reiterate that the suspension resulted from the producer’s repeated failure to honor wage promises and its irresponsible handling of audience notices—not from unilateral actions by a few actors.
2. What happened with the March 22 cancellation
- Producer’s grace-period request and conditional agreement: Immediately after the March 8 cancellation, vice CEO and producer Jung PD requested a 10-day grace period to raise funds for unpaid wages and the remaining production budget. Despite difficult circumstances, the cast and crew accepted this to try to resolve the situation. We signed a written agreement on March 13 that if the problem was not resolved by March 19, we would stop performances and the producer would later make full restitution.
- Broken promises and notice of suspension: On the agreed date, March 19, Jung PD admitted he had failed to secure funds and delivered a final notice to suspend the production. The cast and crew therefore understood that performances would cease starting March 20.
- Acceptance of delayed public notice: On the morning of March 20, just before we planned to issue an official suspension statement, Jung PD proposed delaying cancellation announcements and canceling only the March 20 and 21 performances to leave a slim chance to find a solution. We agreed to that proposal out of goodwill.
- By the night of March 21, the producer still could not provide a convincing plan. Following the prior agreement and the producer’s own notice, the performances were canceled. The producer finally posted the notice of the March 22 cancellation around 10 a.m. that day. A producer that should have minimized audience harm delayed notification to an unacceptable degree. After learning that some audience members still arrived at the theater unaware of the cancellation, actors and staff rushed to the venue, but several patrons had already made the trip in vain.
3. Why we accepted the producer’s 10-day grace request
- The cast and crew deeply love Eyes of Dawn and desperately wanted to complete the run and meet audiences. Despite serious contract violations, we gave the producer another 10 days because of our moral responsibility and affection for the work.
- Another decisive reason was solidarity with new cast members who joined the extended run and had not yet performed. On March 10, three actors had still not made their first appearances: Kim Jin-woo (Harim role, scheduled first performance on the 13th), Baek Seong-hyun (Daechi role, scheduled first performance on the 17th), and Hong Seo-jun (Yun Hong-chul role, originally scheduled for the 21st but moved to the 19th). We wanted these colleagues, who had worked hard despite uncertainty, to finally stand on stage, which motivated us to tolerate the uncertainty and wait.
4. Correction about the unpaid amount
- Reports that the unpaid amount was 50 million KRW (approximately $37,500 USD) are inaccurate. Twenty percent of the first-run wages went unpaid, and unpaid amounts continued during the extended run. As of the final performance on March 19, the combined unpaid amount for actors and staff is about 220 million KRW (approximately $165,000 USD).
5. Whether the repeated delayed notices were deliberate
- Reviewing the entire process, we see a pattern of consistently late notices. The cast and crew cannot help but suspect the producer acted deliberately.
- We strongly suspect the producer used unattainable promises to buy time and intentionally delayed audience notices, effectively using the audience as leverage to pressure actors and staff to continue performing.
Root cause of the suspension (broken trust)
1. Five postponed openings
- The cast and crew accepted lower-than-normal pay out of love for the work and agreed to a contract that assumed a shorter-than-usual six-week rehearsal period. Even with limited time, everyone worked hard to raise the production’s quality.
Unreasonable five postponements: But the producer repeatedly broke the promised schedule. After the initial rehearsal schedule (Sept. 12–Oct. 29, 2025), the opening set for Oct. 30 at Suwon Gyeonggi Arts Center was delayed five times because of venue construction and related issues.
1st change: Nov. 7 (moved and changed to a Seoul run)
2nd change: Nov. 14
3rd change: Nov. 28
4th change: Dec. 2
5th change: Dec. 4
2. Severe safety negligence that endangered audiences, cast and crew (fire and leaks)
- Beyond contract breaches, the decisive reason we lost all trust in the producer was the theater safety incidents and the producer’s complacent handling of them.
- Two stage fires and patchwork fixes: During the first run (Dec. 4, 2025–Jan. 31, 2026), the stage floor LED caught fire twice, forcing unprecedented performance stoppages. Thanks to quick action by stage managers and staff, we avoided casualties or a larger blaze, but the incidents could easily have become catastrophic. After the fires, actors and staff demanded a full replacement and repairs for the floor LEDs. The producer, citing costs, made only partial, temporary fixes, leaving us to perform in constant fear that another fire could occur.
- Chronic theater leaks ignored: During the same first run, the theater leaked whenever it rained or snowed, and the leaks sometimes reached the audience seating area, forcing same-day cancellations. The producer failed to implement a fundamental fix for these facility defects and rain-related leaks. The problem continues whenever it rains.
3. Complete collapse of trust
- Faced with repeated schedule changes and severe safety negligence, the producer responded without transparency or accountability. The suspension did not stem solely from recent wage delays. Over several months, the producer’s repeated deception and incompetence destroyed the minimum trust required to continue the production.
Closing remarks
The cast and crew endured threats from fires and leaks and repeated wage delays out of a single-minded commitment to protect the stage and the audience. We gave the producer chances and sought compromises to finish the run. Somehow false information circulated and became the basis for news reports; unless someone intentionally spread that misinformation for gain, it should not have happened. The producer alone is responsible for betraying the trust of actors and staff and neglecting audience safety and rights. The producer must take full, responsible action to address the material and emotional harm suffered by audience members and must fulfill legal and moral obligations to pay unpaid wages. Although the producer’s irresponsibility forced us to stop, we will never forget the affectionate looks and warm applause from the audiences who came to see Eyes of Dawn. We bow deeply and apologize again for failing to keep our promise to the end. We also deeply thank everyone for their support.
[Sports Today reporter Kim Tae-hyung ent@stoo.com]
「Closest to you, the most FunFun news ⓒ Sports Today」
