Learning KPOP was exactly how Bonnie Blake's teenage daughter Kelly wanted to spend her summer, and this promotional video for HITS NY summer boot camp caught her eye.
"She saw the video and the kids working really hard, and had a real passion for this, and wanted to experience it herself," said Bonnie.
Kelly made this audition video of herself and mother and daughter went to visit the Manhattan studios where Hits New York said it summer training session would be held.
Kelly and Bonnie say that Hits New York said that at the time, it was almost booked, and they had to sign up right away, or else they would miss out.
It was a stretch for the single mother, because the 6-week program cost $5,000.
But she says the HITS New York marketing coordinator, Lois Chun, promised not just dance,but a rigorous schedule of language immersion and voice training so Bonnie withdrew the tuition from her daughter's college savings plan.
"I paid $5,000 - they wanted to be paid in full they only accepted cash or a bank check," added Bonnie.
So you may have guessed where this going - 2 days before the camp was supposed to start, it was abruptly cancelled.
When we went looking for answers months after she failed to deliver on her camp contract guaranteeing refunds in 14 days, she refused to speak with us on camera but she called on the phone.
Chun said the tuition was used for deposits to set up the camp and she can't get that money back, but she promised to pay $100 a week to the parents owed refunds. But theyre not the only one who says she owes them.
Steve Roath runs Pearl Studios, HITS New York was renting space there until he says Lois Chun ran out on the bill.
"She stopped paying. She wrote us a check, the check bounced," said Roth.
After we got involved Chun paid the studio $100 and the mom of the camper $200.
She said in a statement she is had already been negotiating to repay the money and said HITS NY will repay 100% of all tuitions and outstanding debts, and that she regretted disapppointing the children and their families.
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