Couple allegedly loses S$3,200 to Korean Artiz Studio after its sudden closure
On 14 Aug, bridal studio Korean Artiz Studio abruptly ceased operations in Singapore amid reports of unpaid salaries.
According to the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE), 66 complaints involving more than S$271,000 in losses were lodged after customers failed to get a response from the company.
Among those affected was 26-year-old Glenna Tham, who claims that she and her fiancé lost about S$3,200 to the studio.
Speaking about her experience in a TikTok video posted on 19 Aug, Ms Tham said the couple had paid for a pre-wedding photography package just months before the sudden closure.
Source: @glennaroo on TikTok
Couple paid about S$3,000 in full upfront
In the TikTok video, Ms Tham said she and her fiancé signed up for a package with the studio on 3 May, with their photoshoot scheduled for November this year.
Speaking to MS News, she shared that the couple visited the studio after winning a cash prize in a lucky draw.
She said the prize brought the cost of the package down from about S$4,000 to approximately S$3,000. However, they were required to pay the full amount on the spot.
Source: Google Maps
Ms Tham also described the salesperson as “quite pushy”, saying they used “typical wedding vendor techniques” to persuade the couple to sign up.
Even so, she did not find the studio suspicious at the time as she had done her research beforehand.
“They looked quite legit,” she said in the video. “They had 4.9 stars . . . a portfolio . . . [and] had multiple celebrities endorsing [them].”
Found out about closure from lash technician
Ms Tham only learnt about the studio’s closure by chance on 18 Aug, when she went for a lash appointment.
While chatting about her upcoming photoshoot, her lash technician asked: “Did you say that you have a package with Korean Artiz Studio?”
The technician then told her that she had seen posts on Xiaohongshu claiming that the studio had closed.
Curious, Ms Tham looked into the matter herself and came across a post from another couple who had booked a package with the studio for 23 Aug.
Source: @glennaroo on TikTok
According to the post, staff from the studio told the couple “not to come down” as employees had allegedly not been paid for the past three months.
Source: @glennaroo on TikTok
Ms Tham also told MS News that she had seen a comment on Xiaohongshu alleging that the studio’s boss was from China and may have already left with the money.
“The worst part is, I didn’t even find out from the staff,” she said in her video.
She shared that staff eventually responded to her, but only after she messaged them several times.
Closure came at a difficult time
For Ms Tham and her fiancé, the unexpected loss came at an especially difficult time as they were already juggling several major expenses.
“We were planning for our home, renovations, and wedding altogether,” she told MS News. “This was an unexpected blow to our plans.”
While she believes it is unlikely that they will get their money back, she said the loss has still been upsetting.
“I know S$3,000 is not that much in the grand scheme of things,” she said. “But it is still a pretty substantial amount we paid with our hard-earned money.”
Since posting the video, Ms Tham said that she has raised a dispute with her credit card provider and filed a claim with the Small Claims Tribunals.
She also had a warning for other couples: “Never ever, ever pay the deposit in full.”
As of 21 Aug, Korean Artiz Studio is permanently closed, with Carlton Hotel having taken back the premises previously occupied by the studio.
Source: Google Maps
Affected customers can approach CASE for assistance through its hotline at 6277-5100 or its website.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps and @glennaroo on TikTok.