슈퍼스타 K3 준우승팀 버스커버스커의 드러머 브래드 (본명: 브래들리 무어)가 미국 언론과의 인터뷰에서 당시 결과가 미리 정해져 있었으며, 자신들이 사전에 섭외되었다고 주장한 것으로 밝혀져 논란이 되고 있다.
브래드는 음악 전문 매체 노이지(Noisey)와의 인터뷰를 통해 투개월과 합동공연을 한 슈퍼위크 당시를 회상하면서 “투개월이 통과하고 버스커버스커가 탈락하는 것으로 결정되었다”고 말했다. 브래드는 “그것은 이미 정해진 것이었다. 나중에 알게 된 것이었지만 (제작진은) 우리가 상품성이 있다고 생각하지 않았던 것이다”라고 회고했다.
브래드는 그러나 버스커버스커의 탈락 이후 예상치 못한 일이 벌어졌다고 말했다. 공연 당시 녹음 상태가 너무 좋지 않아 투개월의 보컬을 재녹음하는 것을 포함해 경연무대를 대대적으로 편집해야 했던 것.
“내 드럼 파트를 오토튠해야했고, 모든 걸 오토튠으로 정리해야 했다. 그래서 TV에 방영할 때쯤에는 전문가의 곡처럼 들렸다”고 브래드는 말했다. 결국 밴드의 훌륭한 경연에 감명을 받은 대중들의 요구로 인해 “톱11”에 버스커버스커가 합류하게 되었다.
이 밖에도 그는 슈퍼스타 K3 제작진이 버스커버스커의 오디션 참가를 먼저 제안했고, 합숙 과정이 24시간에 가까운 일정을 소화해야 하는 등 강압적이었으며 방송 도중 발표해 인기를 끈 “막걸리나” 등의 음원 수익 배분이 제대로 이뤄지지 않았다고 주장했다.
또한 그는 결승 당시 울랄라 세션의 우승을 염두에 둔 제스처를 주문받았다고 전했다.
CJ E&M과 버스커버스커의 소속사 청춘뮤직은 3일 이와 같은 이용에 대해 브래드가 한국 방송 시스템과 정서를 이해하지 못해 빚어진 일로 그가 인터뷰에서 지적한 내용은 문제 될 것이 없다고 밝혔다.
CJ E&M의 관계자는 경연 결과가 정해져 있었다는 설에 대해 강하게 부인하면서 “방송 결승에서 울랄라세션과 버스커버스커 가운데 누가 우승할지 모르니 두 팀 모두에게 상대가 우승했을 때의 제스처를 주문했다”고 주장했다.
이어 수익 관련해서는 슈퍼스타 K3 방송 도중 발표한 음원에 대해서 가창료만 받기로 사전 계약되어 있었다고 전했다.
청춘뮤직 관계자는 “사전섭외설”에 대해 “보컬 장범준이 오디션 지원을 위해 동영상을 올렸고 제작진 측에서 동영상 예선에 합격했다고 통보한 데 대해 브래드는 섭외 전화가 왔다’고 생각했다”고 해명했다.
이날 브래드는 트위터에 “슈퍼스타 K3에 참가할 당시 한국말이나 한국 문화에 대해 잘 몰랐으며 여러 가지에 대해 오해를 했다”면서 “슈퍼스타 K3가 준 도움과 내 삶에 미친 영향에 대해 감사한다”고 적었다.
<관련 영문 기사>
Busker Busker paid according to contract: CJ E&M
CJ E&M on Thursday said members of band Busker Busker were paid in accordance to their contract while a part of popular audition program “Superstar K3” in 2011, denying reports in South Korea saying it did not pay them “fairly.”
“The participants of (Superstar K3) were contracted to be paid only the ‘performance fee,’ which had been fully paid,” an official from CJ E&M told the local media. The entertainment arm of CJ group also denied reports that the results of the audition had been fixed prior to the airing of the show.
In a recent interview with Noisey, a music channel with VICE Media, Busker Busker drummer Brad Moore spoke of some of the uncomfortable aspects of Korean entertainment, including the conditions of their contract with CJ E&M. One in particular gave the company rights to all profits made from the band’s songs recorded during the program. Moore said one song, “Makgeollina,” made $1.4 million in a month and a half, but the group received nothing from it.
After the report was issued, many people questioned the fairness of CJ’s contracts with so-called “audition stars.”
Also according to Moore, the result of at least one of the stages of the show -- their collaboration with duo Togewol -- had been pre-determined. Moore said they found out later the producers didn’t think Busker Busker was “marketable.” Prior to that, he said producers contacted the band first asking them to audition “because they needed diversity.”
The band’s agency Chungchun Music said that some parts of Moore’s interview stemmed from his failure to understand Korean broadcasting culture.
“For example, (band leader) Jang Beom-jun uploaded a video of him playing for the preliminary stages of the audition, and producers called him to tell him that he had passed. Brad (Moore) mistook the process for producers recruiting the band,” said an official from Chungchun Music.
Moore on Thursday said via his Twitter account that he did misunderstand things at the time he was participating in the show.
“When I was on Superstar K3 I didn’t know Korean and Korean culture well and misunderstood things,” he said. “I am very thankful for Superstar K3 for all their support and their contribution to my life.”
(khnews@heraldcorp.com)
Busker Busker paid according to contract: CJ E&M
CJ E&M on Thursday said members of band Busker Busker were paid in accordance to their contract while a part of popular audition program “Superstar K3” in 2011, denying reports in South Korea saying it did not pay them “fairly.”
“The participants of (Superstar K3) were contracted to be paid only the ‘performance fee,’ which had been fully paid,” an official from CJ E&M told the local media. The entertainment arm of CJ group also denied reports that the results of the audition had been fixed prior to the airing of the show.
In a recent interview with Noisey, a music channel with VICE Media, Busker Busker drummer Brad Moore spoke of some of the uncomfortable aspects of Korean entertainment, including the conditions of their contract with CJ E&M. One in particular gave the company rights to all profits made from the band’s songs recorded during the program. Moore said one song, “Makgeollina,” made $1.4 million in a month and a half, but the group received nothing from it.
After the report was issued, many people questioned the fairness of CJ’s contracts with so-called “audition stars.”
Also according to Moore, the result of at least one of the stages of the show -- their collaboration with duo Togewol -- had been pre-determined. Moore said they found out later the producers didn’t think Busker Busker was “marketable.” Prior to that, he said producers contacted the band first asking them to audition “because they needed diversity.”
The band’s agency Chungchun Music said that some parts of Moore’s interview stemmed from his failure to understand Korean broadcasting culture.
“For example, (band leader) Jang Beom-jun uploaded a video of him playing for the preliminary stages of the audition, and producers called him to tell him that he had passed. Brad (Moore) mistook the process for producers recruiting the band,” said an official from Chungchun Music.
Moore on Thursday said via his Twitter account that he did misunderstand things at the time he was participating in the show.
“When I was on Superstar K3 I didn’t know Korean and Korean culture well and misunderstood things,” he said. “I am very thankful for Superstar K3 for all their support and their contribution to my life.”
(khnews@heraldcorp.com)