Actor Shin Hyeon-jun, special treatment suspicions after unpaid honorary mayor role… Wife’s company: “We will clearly explain” [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Amidst suspicions of special treatment surrounding a promotional video production contract with Seoul City for a company run by actor Shin Hyeon-jun’s wife, the company issued an official statement to refute the claims.

Yoon Sun-hee, a member of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee of the Seoul City Council (Democratic Party of Korea, Jongno 1), raised questions about the appropriateness of the Seoul City promotional video production contract with Jace & River, where Shin Hyeon-jun’s wife serves as representative, during an administrative audit of the Seoul City Public Relations Planning Office held on the 4th.

According to Councilor Yoon, Jace & River signed a contract worth a total of 375.65 million won for producing content such as Seoul City YouTube videos featuring Shin Hyeon-jun.

Shin Hyeon-jun was appointed as an honorary mayor of Seoul City in September last year, alongside actor Jung Joon-ho and volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung. The honorary mayor position is an unpaid honorary role appointed to reflect citizens’ voices in city administration.

Councilor Yoon pointed out that Jace & River had previously been engaged in the business of designing bags, clothing, and miscellaneous goods. She claimed that after the company added film production, advertising and promotional video production, and agency services to its corporate registration in March last year, it secured the Seoul City video production contract.

Councilor Yoon stated, “Only the industry type was added to the registration; the company’s original business is a fashion company, a bag company,” and asked, “It is hard to accept that they secured a Seoul City contract simply because they are the spouse of an honorary mayor, but do you think it is legitimate for a bag company to secure public video contracts worth hundreds of millions of won?”

She further alleged special treatment, saying, “Each video costs over 50 million won, and while spending about 400 million won in taxes on direct contracts without even checking the company’s track record, if one suspects rationally, it amounts to Shin Hyeon-jun acting stylishly as an unpaid honorary mayor in front, while taking care of a family corporation behind the scenes.”

In response, Jace & River clarified the raised suspicions through an official statement on the 6th.

The company stated, “Regarding the administrative audit by the Seoul City Council, various questions have been raised through recent reports about Jace & River’s founding background, business execution capabilities, and the process of producing Seoul City promotional content.”

In particular, they corrected the number of video productions mentioned in some reports. Jace & River explained, “Unlike some reports mentioning 7 videos for Seoul City-related production track record, we actually produced a total of 18 long-form videos over two years.”

They also refuted the claim that they started their video production business late. The company emphasized, “From the time of corporate establishment in 2022, we included content production-related businesses such as film production, advertising and promotional video production, and agency services in our business objectives.”

They added, “Prior to the Seoul City project, we had accumulated relevant track record and portfolio through in-house new media content production and collaborations with domestic and international companies.”

Regarding the expertise of Shin Hyeon-jun’s wife, who is also the CEO of Jace & River, they stated, “The CEO is a professional female entrepreneur who has accumulated over 10 years of practical experience in the entire content industry, including video content planning and production, entertainment business, and cultural event operations.”

Finally, Jace & River added, “We are sincerely cooperating with the submission of necessary materials and fact-checking procedures related to this Seoul City Council administrative audit, and plan to clearly explain the raised questions based on objective materials regarding contracts and business execution.”

Regarding the administrative audit by the Seoul City Council, recent reports have raised various questions about Jace & River’s founding background and business execution capabilities,

as well as the process of producing Seoul City promotional content. We are providing the company’s official statement.

Unlike some reports mentioning 7 videos for Seoul City-related production track record,

we actually produced a total of 18 long-form videos over two years.

Additionally, Jace & River included content production-related businesses such as film production, advertising and promotional video production, and agency services in its business objectives from the time of corporate establishment in 2022,

and prior to the Seoul City project, we had accumulated relevant track record and portfolio through in-house new media content production and

collaborations with domestic and international companies.

The CEO is also a professional female entrepreneur who has accumulated over 10 years of practical experience in the entire content industry, including video content planning and production, entertainment business, and cultural event operations.

(Note: This segment appears to be a continuation or repetition of the previous point regarding the CEO's expertise.)

Jace & River is sincerely cooperating with the submission of necessary materials and fact-checking procedures related to this Seoul City Council administrative audit,

and plans to clearly explain the raised questions based on objective materials regarding contracts and business execution.

We have attached the relevant official statement and press release. Please refer to them when writing articles and for follow-up reporting.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original