In my observations of all the controversy happening between JYJ, other broadcasters and other companies, I can only come to the conclusion that SM is root cause for it.
The controversy at its onset with JYJ could have been fixed very early on if that damn company wasn’t so stubborn. A few small concessions, and none of this may ever have happened.
JYJ was never asking for the moon to begin with. But SM will fight to the death to keep JYJ from being successful if they can because they want to make an example of these three for speaking out.
SM’s problem is that they cannot control JYJ’s talent or the way fans have rallied around them. The more problems SM creates for JYJ (whether its under the table or not) the more people feel like protecting them.
If JYJ was thwarted twice or three times in their attempts to be part of things like promos for their dramas, you could probably write it off. But repeatedly? Time after time after time?
There isn’t a thing anybody can say to convince me that SM’s invisible hand isn’t in some way involved with all these attempts to keep JYJ off of TV. SM has a message to send to those who may consider leaving the company in the future and they’ll use JYJ to do it if they can.
SM can’t see straight, however. Their type of blind ridiculousness has them putting a higher priority on one-upping JYJ through KBS, for example, instead of realizing what the consequences would be for Jeju Island’s chances of getting designated as a New 7 Wonder.
How the Grinch TRIED to steal Christmas
SM’s quest for revenge and message-sending isn’t quite going as planned partly because JYJ’s fanbase continues to grow. Not only has it grown, but it’s become more tenacious, more ferocious, and more deliberate in it’s support.
Let me tell you what was SUPPOSED to happen for SM. JYJ was supposed to be shut out in the cold, become overwhelmed, go hungry and come running back to SM with their heads down like sorrowful little boys.
It was only supposed to be a matter of time before they ran back to SM after avex’s actions.
The JYJ World Tour, Their Rooms Musical Essay, dramas, award winning musical shows and record-breaking ticket sales (Junsu), sellout magazine sales, etc., etc., etc. weren’t supposed to happen. Their ability to create quality music wasn’t supposed to exist. The ability to direct and put on quality concert shows or take over an entire city (like Pusan) wasn’t suppose to happen.
Now even Jaejoong, following behind Junsu and Yoochun, is able to buy himself a posh penthouse apartment that nobody at SM can take away from him if he doesn’t do what they say.
None of that was supposed to happen. And the executives at SM are left looking like the Grinch for those few moments as he looked down over Whoville in total shock at the reaction of the people. Lord only knows if the sorry asses running SM will ever evolve into the next phase of kindheartedness.
Though SM’s greed pierces the sky, these challenges have allowed Jaejoong, Yoochun and Junsu to evolve and to gain invaluable experience.
JYJ isn’t even the first artists to fight against SM. Some of their top artists (you know, the ones bringing in the massive amounts of money?) have had to deal with this issue of total control + peasant-pay + brutal work schedules.
You should know the stories by now of groups like Shinhwa and certain members of H.O.T. Former Super Junior member Hangeng also sued SM and won his case. His contracts with SM were invalid, according to the Court ruling.
Anything you can do, I can do… worser?
SM added JYJ to the list of big artists they’ve screwed over and have had public legal fights with. In my opinion, SM is the cause for all this nonsense since everything stems from their business practices.
I’ve seen a few (not a lot) people defend SM with a sense of being grateful for introducing TVXQ to the world. However, there is no TVXQ without the blood, sweat and tears of those 5 guys. Creating TVXQ wasn’t like creating instant gravy: just add water and stir.
In fact, I’ve read some people who compare SM’s tactics to other big companies like Sony, Universal, etc. Don’t even compare SM to Sony, etc. Sony has been a real bi+ch to a lot of artists, including one of their biggest in history: Michael Jackson.
But the severe conflict of interest doesn’t seem to exist with Sony, etc. as it seems to with places like SM. There seems to be systemic problems with the Korean entertainment industry.
In the States, GENERALLY your record company isn’t also your management company, isn’t your agent, doesn’t assign a manager to you, doesn’t control all of your producers, doesn’t have control over how many hours you sleep, doesn’t generally own your house or car, doesn’t control who you can/can’t become friends with, etc.
The only thing comparable is the half-ass profit splits and who controls most of the money.
GENERALLY with companies like Sony, you hire your own managers, agents, accountants and attorneys. The people you hire go to the record label and fight for as much money as they can get for you because the more money they get for you, the more money they get for themselves. So the vested interest is generally on the artist’s side, not the company’s side like with SM.
You may have to worry about backroom deals, but your manager generally doesn’t flat-out depend on a paycheck from your label in order to feed himself/herself. If the company is signing his check, just with whom do you think his loyalty rests? His kid can only stay in a good school if tuition is paid and his family has a mortgage. Just who do you think he’ll side with in a dispute between an artist and the management agency that signs his paycheck? Obvious answer.
The point is the two systems are incomparable at this stage. And even if other companies were exactly the same as SM, it doesn’t make it right.
Its asinine to write off SM’s tactics by saying ‘other companies do it too’. In a slightly different form, it reminds me of the lame argument we as kids used to tell our parents when we wanted permission to do something stupid. ‘Kim’s mom let’s her stay up until midnight! Why can’t I?!’ That’s an immature way to view this conflict.
Some people may feel SM is too powerful to suffer the repercussions of its actions. Watching the Rupert Murdoch hearings and seeing how his “empire” is in trouble is proof that no business or organization is too large, too powerful or too well connected to someday suffer the fall-out of its actions.
Bottom line is the Korean industry will HAVE to evolve if they want to be internationally respected players. There’s no way around it.
@dongbanger