Korea Artiz Studio closure: 66 complaints, $270k losses

Abrupt closure sparks complaints

Bridal photography studio Korea Artiz Studio has abruptly ceased operations, leaving dozens of customers with unpaid packages and prompting a wave of complaints to the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). Between August 14 and 18, CASE received 66 complaints about the studio, with reported pre-payment losses amounting to over $271,000, according to both CNA and The Straits Times.

CASE president Melvin Yong said on August 19 that the consumer watchdog received reports that the business had abruptly stopped operating. The complainants said they had reached out to the studio for fulfilment of contracted services or refunds, but received no response. Yong said CASE has contacted the studio to understand whether scheduled sessions will proceed and to seek clarity on remedies for affected consumers if services cannot be fulfilled.

Customer stories

Ms Lim Ying Xuan, a 26-year-old who paid $3,300 for a photoshoot package last September after winning a cash voucher through a lucky draw at the studio, said she was left "angry and stunned" by the closure. She created a Telegram group for affected customers, which had over 80 members by Wednesday evening. "Creating the group and then realising so many people (are) joining means that so many people are affected," she said. "So I feel like I'm less alone in a sense."

Another customer, Ms Glenna Tham, paid about $3,200 for a package after a similar voucher win and found out about the closure during a lash appointment. She plans to lodge a police report and dispute the charge with her credit card company. A customer named Crystal told CNA that she had been aware the studio closed in China a few years ago, but a salesperson at a wedding fair in May had reassured her it would not affect Singapore operations.

One customer, who spoke to The Straits Times on condition of anonymity, said he had paid $3,269 for a wedding photography package signed in January at a wedding fair, and was last contacted on July 17. Another, Luke, paid $3,269 in full and was told one day before his August 15 appointment that the studio was closing with immediate effect.

The studio required customers to pay for their packages upfront in full, according to CNA. Some customers declined to share their contracts, citing a non-dissemination clause in the terms.

Reasons for closure

A notice on the door of the studio at Carlton Hotel, seen by The Straits Times on August 18, stated that due to "recent internal operational issues" within the company, all employees had not received their salaries. The notice said employees were unable to confirm or guarantee that scheduled photography sessions could proceed and urged customers not to make a trip to the studio. It also said staff would not provide unverified information until they received a formal response from management.

A second notice, from production partner Xu Lei, offered customers the ability to contact her to collect or arrange the return of their photographs. Xu Lei owns a business called Dream Album and holds more than 50 sets of photographs. The majority of Korea Artiz Studio employees are Malaysians, about eight of them, according to The Straits Times.

Affected customers also received a message from the company apologizing for the "unexpected situation" and stating that all employees had not received their salaries. Customers were told not to go to the studio and to check the company's official Instagram and Facebook accounts for updates.

One customer said a salesperson left a WhatsApp group chat and later claimed she had not received her salary for two months and that her boss had "run away." The customer, who bought a $3,600 package in July, said the invoice came without terms and conditions attached.

Status of the company and police involvement

The police confirmed that a report was lodged regarding the closure, and investigations are ongoing, as reported by CNA. When The Straits Times visited the studio on the afternoon of August 18, no one was on the premises and the lights were switched off. According to the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority's Bizfile portal, Korea Artiz Studio remains listed as a "live" company as at August 18.

The studio was founded in 2008 by Kim Yong Seon in South Korea and expanded to Singapore in 2017, with earlier growth into Taiwan and Jakarta. CNA reported that the company, incorporated in 2017, is registered to a Singaporean man and two Chinese nationals.

Advice for consumers

CASE president Melvin Yong advised consumers to carefully review bridal packages, obtain written confirmation of key terms and deliverables, and consider splitting payments into smaller progressive amounts. He said consumers can approach CASE for assistance via hotline 6277-5100 or the website.