Former 2AM member Jo Kwon opened up about his early days at JYP Entertainment during a YouTube appearance. He detailed the modest amount of his initial payment after years as a trainee.
Jo Kwon joined JYP in 2001 and remained with the agency for roughly 18 years. He explained that a need for personal change prompted his exit, while stressing he has no regrets and that the environment was not overly demanding.
In the June 30 video, Jo Kwon noted his eight-year trainee period meant the company had invested heavily in him. A legal shift around 2008 required him to repay those costs from earnings.
His first settlement arrived three years after debut and totaled 240000 KRW. Jo Kwon recalled the moment he realized the debt was cleared and used part of the sum to settle a phone bill.