Korean pop singer 'Rain' to pay $8M for canceling Hawaii concert

Posted: March 19, 2009 04:26 PM
Updated: March 19, 2009 04:35 PM

By Leland Kim

HONOLULU (KHNL) - Korean pop sensation Rain had a dark cloud over his head. A federal jury ruled Thursday morning he and JYP Entertainment, his management team, have to pay more than $8 million for abruptly canceling his Hawaii concert almost two years ago.
Rain, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, was scheduled to kick off his U.S. tour at Aloha Stadium back in summer of 2007. That never happened, and Hawaii-based Click Entertainment, Inc., says the singer breached a contract, causing the company to lose $1.5 million in concert related expenses.

"I hope they sent a message that people can’t do the kinds of things that this entertainer and his agents did," said Eric Seitz, an attorney representing Click Entertainment. "I think he probably received very bad advice. I don’t hold him personally responsible in that he testified that he relies on other people to make decision for him but the decisions were horrible."

The seven-person jury deliberated for just a day before handing out its verdict.
"I have to commend the jury," said Seitz. "I think they listened carefully and they did an excellent job. I mean the verdict was over $8 million."

A Click Entertainment executive says Rain never made any attempt to resolve the matter or even issue an apology to his fans in Hawaii. A similar lawsuit is pending in Los Angeles, where he also failed to perform. Rain also canceled concerts in New York, Toronto, San Francisco and Atlanta in 2007.

Source: http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=10039004
Credit: sixtofive1982.com