CASE gets 66 complaints involving over $270,000 in losses after Korea Artiz Studio stops operations

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SINGAPORE – The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) has received more than 60 complaints against bridal store Korea Artiz Studio involving over $271,000 in pre-payment losses.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, CASE president Melvin Yong said on Aug 19 that the consumer watchdog received reports that the business had abruptly ceased operations.

CASE received 66 complaints between Aug 14 and Aug 18, he said.

The complainants also reported that they had reached out to the studio for fulfilment of contracted services or refund of their pre-payments, but the business was not responsive, he added.

Yong said that the association has reached out to Korea Artiz Studio to understand whether scheduled photography sessions and services will proceed as planned.

He added that CASE also sought clarifications on the remedies that will be offered to affected consumers if the services cannot be fulfilled.

A notice The Straits Times saw on the door of Korea Artiz Studio, located at Carlton Hotel near Raffles City Shopping Centre, suggests that the closure of the premises is over unpaid salaries.

Due to some recent “internal operational issues” within the company, all employees have currently not received their salaries owed to them, the notice read.

It said: “At the same time, we have been unable to obtain any clear or formal response, update, or further information from the company’s management.

“As a result, we are currently unable to confirm or guarantee that the scheduled photography sessions can proceed as planned.”

Customers were urged not to make a trip to the studio only to find that the relevant services cannot be provided.

The notice also said that until staff members receive a clear and formal response, employees will be “unable to provide customers with any unverified information, answers or commitments”.

When The Straits Times visited the studio on the afternoon of Aug 18, there was no one on the premises and the lights were off.

Another notice, written in English and in Chinese, was found pasted on the doors of the premises when ST visited on Aug 18.

In the note, the photo and photo album production partner for Korea Artiz Studio, Xu Lei, said that she has more than 50 sets of photographs in her possession.

Customers who want to collect or arrange for the return of their photographs should contact her, the notice read.

Korea Artiz Studio remains listed as a “live” company as at Aug 18, according to a report from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority’s Bizfile portal.

According to its website, the studio was founded in 2008 by founder Kim Yong Seon in South Korea. It then expanded overseas, including to Singapore in 2017.

One affected customer is Luke (not his real name).

He told The Strait Times that he and his fiancee were looking forward to their wedding photoshoot scheduled for Aug 15, but they now have to scramble for alternatives.

Just one day before the appointment, they were told by Korea Artiz Studio that it was shutting its premises with immediate effect.

Luke has already paid $3,269 for the wedding photography package. But with no sign of when the studio will be reopening its doors, Luke just wants his money back.

Multiple attempts by ST to contact Korea Artiz Studio by e-mail and phone were unsuccessful.

ST has contacted the Ministry of Manpower for comment.

CASE’s Yong advises consumers to carefully review bridal and wedding photography packages before committing to a purchase, obtain written confirmation of key terms and deliverables, and retain all relevant documentation, including contracts and proof of payment.

“Where appropriate, consumers should negotiate to split the contractual amount into smaller progressive payments to be paid at various stages of service delivery,” he said.

Customers who have been affected can approach CASE for assistance through its hotline on 6277-5100, or by its website at www.case.org.sg