Our boys won just by a tiny percent O.o
TVXQ! (MV: Mirotic) - 48%
Super Junior (MV: Sorry Sorry) - 47%
Big Bang (MV: Sunset Glow) - 3%
Wonder Girls (MV: Nobody) - 1%
TVXQ "This lawsuit must end quickly"
TVXQ's Jaejoong, Junsu and Yoochun says they're "upset" in connection with this lawsuit.
TVXQ being represented by their law firm, stated this during the first hearing last August 21st at 10:20 in the morning with which they later met with reporters and stated that "the members of TVXQ are very upset" they said. And that "We're hoping to end this case in a good way" they added.
The three members applied a suit claiming for the invalidity of their exclusive contracts and the revenue distribution. On the other hand, SME said they have communicated the contracts properly to the five members before and that settling the contract was done properly.
The hearing of the case went for 1 hour and 20 minutes and said that all needed evidences/data should be handed in by September 12.
#02 - Yoochun's doggie
#05 - AADBSK3
#09 - 12:34
#10 - 090814 Jaejoong
Thank all of you who concern / donated / support us.
The first AD came out today, please check these links below.
★ AD #1 - Online ver.
(if you want to see it by yourself,
Aug.14 FOCUS Seoul -see page 41)
★ AD #2 - Offline ver.
(Published newspaper / photo taken by Daum cafe MODs) - sorry for poor quality!
※ All images are take-free, but please take them out with link to this post and/or DAUM CAFE (DAUM LINK), Thank you!
And another news!
We're now officially join with DNBN.
It means we will keep raise fund as like before - but we will pass our fund to DNBN for their upcoming AD, which will be published before Aug. 21, 한겨레(HanGyeoRae) Newspaper (this will could change in detail, but SURE it will be out before boyz first trial.).
This AD will be nation-wide one, unlike our first AD which only coverd Seoul / Kyungi Area.
Thank for your help, now we are having more than about 1,000,000 Korean won(and keep rising), even after we paid 1,650,000 Korean Won for the first AD.
So much money for so short term. We're really appreciate of your help.
Always Keep the Faith! ♥
To donate, read this post - Donate for ADs
On July 31st, three members of TVXQ, Xiah Junsu, YoungWoong Jaejoong and Micky Yoochun, filed for an Exclusive Contract Validity Suspension and Provisional Disposition Request Form, and the Seoul Central District Court has accepted the three members’ Preservation of Evidence Request.
The Seoul Central District Court has accepted the three members’ Preservation of Evidence Request that they submitted on the 5th earlier this month through the Sejong Law Firm. This request was for the preservation of all receipts, transaction slips, account books and such to calculate the exact amount of TVXQ’s income.
It has been found that the Court demanded that SM hand in all documents relevant to this lawsuit.
Actor Kim Jyesun will cast as a rival soccor player of Yunho
in the MBC's new Wedensday & Thursday drama series
"Hedding to the ground".
Name: 김재승 / Kim Jae Seung
Profession: Actor
Birthdate: 1983-Aug-15
Height: 185cm
Weight: 74kg
TV Series
Shining Inheritance (SBS, 2009)
Terroir (SBS, 2008)
Love Marriage (KBS2, 2008)
Hong Gil Dong (KBS2, 2008)
Billie Jean, Look at Me (MBC, 2006)
Sea of Sisters 자매바다 (MBC, 2006)
Nonstop 4 (MBC, 2004)
Good news to share , the ticket for Boy Pop F@ctory on August 20 which Jaejoong and Yoochun will participate in is sold out now. Though the ticket for August 18and 19 is still available. They had released more tickets (maybe the one that they were gonna sell at the door) at Lawsons and apparently, those were sold out too. The event will be pack for sure
Out of all the celebrities who have left their idol groups and set out independently, only a handful have succeeded. From the left, Eun Jiwon who is doing extremely well in a entertainment program, Lee Hyori who has succeeded as an actress as well as a singer, and Ok Juhyun who now performs in musicals.
Top idol group TVXQ’s exclusive contract dispute with their agency SM Entertainment has triggered voices that call for a change of how young idol stars are treated and trained. Although there have been dance groups who received the passionate support of teens in the past, the ‘Idol system’ in which agencies train and raise their stars is quite recent as it started in the 1990s.
Where are the first generation idols now?
Many of singers who were in the first generation idol groups, such as H.O.T. SechsKies, Fin.K.L. and S.E.S., have left their original agencies and are currently participating in solo activities. However, they have not been able to achieve the success they achieved when they were still part of idol groups. Lee Hyori, who was labeled a ‘Sexy Icon’ in 2000, has been testing the waters of acting, singing and shooting commercials and has been greatly successful in all three areas. Eun Jiwon stands out as he has gained much love from all age groups for his appearance in a popular TV entertainment program. In the case of Ok Juhyun and Bada, they have been using their amazing vocal abilities to succeed in musicals and the K-pop industry.
In the case of popular group GOD, who came after the first generation idol groups, the members have all gone solo with acting and singing but they have not been able to make as big an impact as they did when they were together.
In the case of long-running group Shinhwa, their activities have halted due to the enlistment of various members to complete their military service, but the others are busy with their solo activities.
After breaking off, they must train their abilities to be self-sustainable
The life of an idol group is very short and many say the longest an idol group will probably go is five years. This dispute TVXQ has with SM Entertainment may turn out like H.O.T.’s dispute with the agency, with the group naturally disbanding when the contract expires. However, it is not easy for a star to succeed on his own after he leaves his agency.
These days, many agencies teach each idol group member many talents to make them ‘multi-entertainers.’ However, this is not enough to be self-sustainable later on. A representative of A Agency said, “Compared to the first generation idols, idols these days are better at everything from composing and writing lyrics to playing instruments, to acting. However, there is a limit to all of these things,” and “Agencies should try to nurture the singer’s creativity level.”
Singer B, former member of an idol group, said, “When you become a trainee at an agency, they only teach you what they want you to know. So when you leave the agency and try to go solo, you don’t have all the abilities to do so because they didn’t teach you enough,” and “Idol group members can only survive afterwards if they’ve properly prepared their own unique talents.”
Music Critic Lim Jinmo said, “What is embarrassing about the current TVXQ dispute is that people are focusing only on the money aspect with no thought of any issues dealing with their music,” and “Agencies shouldn’t just focus on the income, they should be actively interested about the education that builds character and the development of individual talents if they want to maintain good relations with their celebrities.”
Remember that I have mentioned about this here? sorry for long wait... Let watch it... ^^
With Korean pop group TVXQ embroiled in legal action against its agency, SM Entertainment, over an allegedly unfair contract, fans and agencies alike are focusing attention on the validity of so-called “slave contracts.” Contracts are dubbed as such for reported disadvantaging the stars and would-be stars who enter into them with management agencies.
These excessively binding contracts came into focus when actress Jang Ja-yeon ended her life earlier this year amid allegations that she was threatened and forced to provide sexual favors by her former agent.
TVXQ brought yet another perspective to ongoing speculations regarding unfair practices carried out by both large- and mid-sized entertainment agencies here.
According to the legal document filed by three members of the group ― Micky, Xiah and Hero ― the agency prohibited their freedom as artists by claiming that the group’s and members’ activities belonged to the agency, requiring them to follow the agency’s demands to appear at certain performances and broadcasts, and requiring them to stay under the agency’s wing for 13 years.
Experts say that this type of contract is standard in Korea’s entertainment industry. A newcomer’s path to stardom depends highly on local agencies’ investments, unlike in the United States, where up-and-coming artists often sign deals with agencies after proving their talents at bars and small theaters on their own.
“From top stars like the late actress Choi Jin-shil and singer Uhm Jung-hwa, celebrities were ‘made’ into stars by their agents and agencies. These young artists need to be ‘invested in’ for at least 10 years,” said Choi Jung-han, a lawyer and former head of the Korea Entertainment Law Society.
The agencies, naturally, extend contracts for more than 10 years to collect investments in the future. Of course, this only applies to successful cases.
Choi explained that although agencies spend their time and money investing in several groups and aspiring talents, only a few of those clients ever taste success. This leads to contracts that trap successful stars into what is now referred to a “slave contract.”
“If the case with TVXQ and SM does not settle down in a proper way, the same incidents will continue again and again. We must revise contract terms regarding the contract periods and profit distribution,” Kim Won-chan, chairman of the Korea Singers Association, said during a radio interview last week.
Kim pointed out that although SM Entertainment claimed that they offered 11 billion won to the members, the fairness of the payment amount should be questioned, considering the overall profit the agency has received over the past years.
“There must be separate regulations detailing the maximum and minimum amounts in profit distribution,” he said.
The Fair Trade Commission posted a recommendation notice regarding the issue last month, setting forth a standard contract for artists and agencies.
“The commission did release the notice as a standard contract, but this does not have any legal effect, which is why many agencies and artists are quarreling about the actual practice of it,” culture critic Kim Sung-soo said.
Kim added that the overall atmosphere must change to scrap such “slave contracts” and messy legal disputes.
“This type of discontent appears because Korea focuses on only a number of stars. Agencies have no choice but to rely on those who are popular and successful. In the case of major entertainment agencies, newcomers have no choice to follow their contracts to become famous. We have to change the overall system so that the entertainment business can focus on a larger and longer perspective and nourish various types of artists,” he said.
Meanwhile, the group is expected to follow through with their scheduled performances in Japan. Avex, the group’s agency in Japan, said last week on its official Web site, “We will support TVXQ’s Japan activities to the full. We expect fans to continue to root for TVXQ,” according to Yonhap News.
“We have received assurances that both sides don’t want the group to disband. This is interpreted as meaning that SM and the three TVXQ members will go ahead with their scheduled performances in Japan,” Avex said.
The K-pop group will sing in Tokyo on Aug. 22 and 23 and Osaka on Aug. 29 and 30.
The five-member boy band will also appear on “Music Japan,” NHK’s music program next month.
090810 Oricon Daily Single,Album,DVD Chart Ranking
Single~
SM, Fights for the Trademark a little too late
This is an updated and more detailed article on this case.....
SM Entertainment has once again applied for the trademark rights for Dong Bang Shin Ki.
It is known that SM Entertainment had gone to apply for continuation of trademark rights for the name ‘Dong Bang Shin Ki’ at the Korea Industrial Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS) on 5th August together with 3 other names
SM Entertainment is now attempting to secure TVXQ's name, a little too late. On the 5th of this month, SM sent an application for the exclusive rights to the name 'TVXQ' four times to the Korean License Information Center. Amidst the dispute SM has with some of the members of TVXQ, this application for the trademark is bound to cause controversy. Many will want to know, is SM's bid to be the sole owner of the name 'TVXQ' to 'secure' their rights for their business, or to 'shackle' the group?
On the day before, SM also applied for the exclusive rights to 60 other names such as 'Girls' Generation', 'Soshi', 'Sonyuhshidae', '小女時代', 'Super Junior' 'Suju'. The agency has applied for the rights of 64 names in a short span of only two days. In these 64 names, hundreds of calendars, cosmetics, glasses, lenses, furniture, bags, and beds have been included in the sub categories.
The application for a trademark is to stop third parties from getting money by unlawfully using the names of certain products. It also gives the person with the exclusive rights the ability to make supplementary businesses using the name. Therefore, the act of a group asking for the exclusive rights is usually seen in a positive right for the group would be asking for the rights to themselves. However, when an entertainment agency asks for the rights completely disregarding the celebrity in question, it can be seen as an act to shackle the celebrity from performing in the future.
Hwang Sukpil, a lawyer who specializes in the entertainment business, said, "Applying for the rights to a trademark is to protect the rights of that celebrity," and "But there is always a chance that this application can turn into a struggle to secure that name. It can be used to corner the agency's celebrity so that they can't do anything. Most of the time, agencies get the exclusive rights to celebrities without the celebrity even knowing about it."
Of course, just because one applies for the rights, does not mean they get them 100% of the time. Regarding 'Dong Bang Shin Ki', SM's application was rejected in 2004. Nonetheless, it seems SM is trying to get the rights again because of the dispute between them and TVXQ. We have investigated the reasons behind agencies' attempts to get the exclusive rights. What is waiting to be uncovered?
Agencies' Applications for Trademarks
To a star, their name is like brand that distinguishes them. This applies to when they use pseudonyms as well as when they use their own names. This is because when the public hears a celebrity's name, the image and the popularity of that celebrity comes to their minds. This occurs more amongst idol groups where many members form one team. Because the group's name is the image that represents all the members, there have been many instances of agencies applying for the exclusive rights.
In the case of singers, the application applies to their songs and performances. Since most of their income comes from album sales and concerts, these areas must obviously be protected by the law. For instance, if Seotaiji applied for the exclusive rights for their albums and concerts, they have protected themselves from having any third parties putting out albums or giving concerts under the name 'Seotaiji'.
Many of the applications for the exclusive rights for singers applies to albums and concerts. However, there have been instances where the singer or the agency applies for other areas. On the 4th, SM Entertainment filed an application for Girls' Generation and Super Junior regarding, not their albums and concerts, but bags, wallets, beds, etc that have nothing to do with the singers' activities.
The Meaning of A Trademark Application
It can be said that the application for exclusive rights to names is not simply to protect the rights of the celebrities from third parties. It can be also seen as an act of the agency to protect the rights to other businesses regarding the names in the future. It can be as an act of saving the name so the agency can put it on cameras or cosmetics which they would sell to the fans later.
Attorney Hwang Sungpil said, "The rights to a trademark is the right to expand the name's products. For example, if the exclusive rights for drama or movie titles were taken, the person who has those rights would be able to earn a lot of money from products related to the drama or movie titles." Therefore, an agency's application for rights can be seen as preparation to branch out their image later using that celebrity's name.
The majority of applications for singers is done by the agencies. There are times when the agency asks for joint-rights with the singers, but if they ask for exclusive rights, they open themselves up to more financial opportunities. Most of these opportunities have nothing to do with the skills and talents of the celebrity.
What are the Real Motives Behind the Agency's Application?
Of course there have been many instances where the applications for the rights to celebrities' names have been rejected. According to the Trademark Law Clause 7.1.6, "Brands that already include a part of an already famous name or nic-name cannot be given exclusive rights. However, the application can be accepted only if the person applying has received permission from the already famous person."
For instance, 'Dong Bang Shin Ki' can be seen as an already famous name. Therefore, without the permission of each individual members, it will be close to impossible for SM to receive exclusive rights to the name. In fact, SM applied for the rights for the Chinese character version of 'TVXQ' (東方神起) in 2004 but was rejected. Nonetheless, SM has applied for the rights once more.
One agency's representative said, "When one gets the rights to a name, the income one can get off that name is massive. The reason they are trying again, even though they've been rejected before, is because they know this," and "An agency's attempts to broaden the business markets other than music of a singer can be seen as the agency's attempt to reap in supplementary benefits from the singer even after the contract has ended as they already have the rights to the singer's name."
"Protecting Rights and Abusing Power, What is the Solution?"
The application for exclusive rights to a name goes by a 'first come, first serve' system. The first person to apply will get the rights even with they are not the ones who's name is being applied for. If the agency gets the rights to a group's music and concerts before they debut and become famous, this can cause problems regarding the team's name when the contract ends and moves agencies.
Therefore, it can be said that the agency has the upper hand in such a situation. If the group wants to continue working under their group name, they have no choice but to work under the agency that holds the rights. In reference to such an unfortunate situation, Attorney Hwang Sungpil advised, "To stop disputes regarding rights in the future, it would be wise for singers and agencies to have joint-rights to names."
Other than the Chinese character version of the members names and 'Tong Vfang Xien Qi HERO MAX Xiah U-Know Micky', no other forms of TVXQ's names have been passed through the application course. Therefore, if the members leave SM, they will still be able to perform under the name 'Dong Bang Shin Ki'. This also applies to each of the members' individual names.
However, if the application SM handed in the 5th is approved, the story changes entirely. Attorney Hwang Sungpil said, "Depending on how someone uses the exclusive rights, they can be a helper or a hindrance. Therefore, celebrities must always be very cautious when it comes to their rights."
You can read the full article at here:
Summary: Yoochun is known to have a Audi R8 model, and he sold his car to the dealer a while ago. The car taken by Yoochun is a leased one, paying 400,000 KRW per month.
This captured image is from the car dealer's website.
He was on his Cyworld Yesterday, and now~ he Vamped it out, he Changed the Background add BGM Music and put "What If..."
Do you realise the graph went down went down???
SM Entertainment has once again applied for the trademark rights for Dong Bang Shin Ki.
It is known that SM Entertainment had gone to apply for continuation of trademark rights for the name ‘Dong Bang Shin Ki’ at the Korea Industrial Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS) on 5th August together with 3 other names.
Currently the company is in a lawsuit with Dong Bang Shin Ki 3 members Xiah JunSu, Micky YooChun and Hero JaeJoong, and this application has brought up different interpretations from music experts.
With the case of SM Entertainment applying for trademark rights for the name, especially since there was once in 2004 SM has refused to do so for 東方神起, much interests are roused as to the intention behind the act.
SM Entertainment also applied for trademark rights of other groups like Super Junior and So Nyeo Shi Dae on 4th August.
One music industry expert said, “Applying for the trademark rights for the singers in your own company is a natural thing. Sometimes it has been taken as a sensitive issue by many.”
Another said, “The company has the right and this is a natural thing to do. It shouldn’t be seen as a bad intention.” While another said, “Dong Bang Shin Ki is a group that is wellknown throughout Asia and Korea. If the trademark rights are abused, it is damaging to their image. There was a problem of disbanding some time back. But it is true that the sensitive time comes when the company applies for trademark rights to the name.”
After three of the five members of the Korean pop band Dong Bang Shin Gi, a k a TVXQ, took legal action against the group’s management agency, S.M. Entertainment, on July 31, claiming an unfair contract, officials began examining how other top groups are being managed.
What they’ve found was sometimes startling. Yuna, a member of a band called Girls’ Generation that is under the same agency, is in a 13-year contract similar to the ones claimed by the three TVXQ complainants.
A member of Super Junior, a 13-member pop band managed by S.M., cannot leave the company for between five and 13 years.
“Even though I want to transfer to another management agency, it is not easy because of the long contract period and a large penalty I would have to pay,” the member said during a phone interview with the daily newspaper Ilgan Sports. “Since each member receives 1/13 of total profit earned from the band’s record sales, individual income is not that high.”
Wonder Girls, a Korean girl pop band. [JoongAng Ilbo]
Members of the Wonder Girls, a five-member girl band under JYP Entertainment, have signed an exclusive 7-year contract.
Members of pop groups Big Bang and SS501 are locked into 5-year contracts by YG Entertainment and DSP Entertainment, respectively.
During its investigation into 20 management companies starting in April, the Fair Trade Commission has found unfair contract clauses for 230 entertainers managed by 19 agencies.
Included in such clauses are ones mandating that entertainers have to report their whereabouts to the manager at all times, contractors are not allowed to get any job in the entertainment industry after terminating contracts and contractors cannot retire without authorization from the manager.
Following the investigation, large agencies have completed either renewing or revising contracts and small and medium companies are in the process of doing so. So far, most legal disputes have been between agencies and actors and actresses rather than singers. “The reason why controversies over unfair contracts among singers have not surfaced is that within Korean pop music, there still exists a custom of running the business by verbal agreement rather than strict contract clauses,” said an executive official from an agency who asked not to be named. “Many new singers think that it is hard to become a star if they file complaints against their companies. I believe there are a lot of entertainers suffering from unfair contracts.”
The official also said that members of idol pop bands are mostly teenagers when they sign contracts and have to serve two to three year apprenticeships. They have no choice but to accept unfair contracts because they will not have a chance to debut if they fail to satisfy managers during their training period.
Many experts say disputes between agencies and entertainers occur because agencies try to make up for initial investment costs they expend in promoting idol groups. Also, some budding stars fail to make it despite the investment, leaving the agencies holding the bag. Agencies complained that it is difficult to run the company when contracts are revised after an entertainer becomes popular because of various investment costs.
Others see things differently. “If Korean management agencies keep on taking the lion’s share of profits earned by their entertainers, more legal disputes like TVXQ are bound to happen,” said Lim Jin-mo, a music critic.
Experts say the only way to limit onerous contracts is to adopt new rules and regulations. Along with these steps, some suggest that the patriarchal system that lets agencies treat their entertainers as chattel needs to be modernized.
As conflicts related to unfair contracts have flared in recent years, the Fair Trade Commission began a contract-by-contract probe into the issue and has requested revisions. Some improvements have been enacted. And the commission introduced a system of using “standard contracts” for entertainers last month and strongly recommended that the entertainment industry to use it.
However, there are exceptions in the revised contracts letting an agency sign long-term contracts for special reasons, such as a long period of overseas activity. Korea Entertainment Producers’ Association has come out against the new system, saying that it does not reflect the reality of Korean pop music.
Perhaps the Achilles’ heel of the proposed contract is that it is merely a recommendation that has no enforcement teeth. Japanese fans of TVXQ and many experts there deride Korean entertainment management. They said it is impossible to sign a contract that lasts for more than 10 years in Japan.
But there are differences in the entertainment culture of the two countries. In Japan, where the scale the entertainment industry is much larger than in Korea, a few big agencies are firmly in control of the industry. New entertainers renew their contracts every two or three years and get paid monthly. In the United States, one entertainer is sometimes managed by two separate companies, a management agency which supports overall activities, and an agent overseeing an entertainer’s products and contracts.
“The entertainment industries in the United States and Japan have developed after going through a lot of trial and error. It is impossible and not right for Korea to immediately follow their example,” said Hong Sung-kee, president of Korea Entertainment Law Society.
Some say culture is more important than changes in written rules and laws. In a culture that refers to an agency as an entertainer’s benefactor while treating a singer as a betrayer when he or she complains, it is difficult to develop a reasonable contract. “Even though more Korean entertainers are becoming popular on the global stage, the system of managing them has not changed,” said Lee Dong-yeon, professor of Korean Traditional Arts at Korea National University of Arts.
“A new management system and culture have to be developed so that new entertainers can also get legal advice when signing contracts,” he said.
By Yang Sung-hee, Lee Young-hee [smartpower@joongang.co.kr]
Singer/actress Eugene talks about her views regard the discord between SM Entertainment and Dong Bang Shin Ki. She said in a recent interview, “Even though I don’t know the details, I hope both sides can settle this amiably.”
Eugene was from S.E.S under SM Entertainment debuting in 1997. S.E.S was one of the first girlgroups and had the concept of fairies and had made issues with their songs and costumes. After which, there were the other girlgroups like Fin.K.L, Baby VOX, Chakra. And then recently we have WonderGirls and So Nyeo Shi Dae etc.
Eugene said, “It is true that SM have a good training system for a big company. With that, there are many youths who wants to debut under these big companies and there are many cases of them signing long term exclusive contracts with the company. When the singers grow and develop, the contract should also change if not there will be piled-up unhappiness. It is a shame that companies take advantages of the weaknesses of these new singers.”
She added, “Recently when I look at the juniors, it seems that their schedule is so tight they can hardly breathe. It would be great if they are able to find happiness and influence through their entertainer activities and at the same time are able to improve on things like profits etc.”
The list of SM Entertainment artists who will participate in new album Summer SMTOWN ‘09 is released.
On August 11th, representative from SM Entertainment said, “On August 14th, Summer SMTOWN ‘09 will be released.”
“Two years later, in 2007 we also released the album for whole Asia. The participating groups for upcoming new album are TVXQ, Super Junior, and SHINee. There will be 4 songs in the album which features the powerful summer atmosphere, including the title song “Seaside” where you can feel the warm friendship between these young men.”
In addition, for song “12: 34″ which features TVXQ, Choikang Changmin is in charge for the lyrics, while Super Junior will sing a song from their 2nd Asia Tour “Carnival” that is highly anticipated by the fans, and SHINee is coming up with a dance song titled “SCAR”. Meanwhile the title song “Seaside” is planned to be released for the first time through on line site.
So, these are screen caps from a show called Sisa Magazine 2580, and those are apparently their signatures for whenever they got paid. sm is saying that the boys knew how much money they were getting each time they signed…
SM Entertainment revealed recently, “We split profits with group Dong Bang Shin Ki at the ratio of 4:6.”
Revealed on MC programme “Current Affairs Magazine 2580′ aired on 9th August, Dong Bang Shin Ki has brought in a recorded 4.98 billion KRW. Of these, SM has invested 2.24 KRW. And the rest was split between the group and SM at 4:6.”
SM said, “Of the benefits, Dong Bang Shin Ki gets 4 proportions and SM gets 6 proportions. Of the 2.74 KRW, Dong Bang Shin Ki gets 1.10 KRW and SM gets 1.64KRW.”
It was also revealed that for overseas promotions, Dong Bang Shin Ki gets 7 and SM gets 3 proportions.Also for overseas event, CF revenues, they are split at 7:3.
But according to the 3 members of Dong Bang Shin Ki, “The splitting of profits is not transparent. We cannot trust them.”
And also about their 13-year contract, SM said, “We also secured the time when the group went overseas to promote. In Korea 3~4 years, in Japan 3~4 year, in China, it was 3~4 years.”
And about this, the 3 members’ lawyer said, “This is a contract which will make this idol stars work their live. Also for album sales, they only receive no more than 0.4~1% for each member.”
Updates on the case of the lawsuit against SM Entertainment.
An example of a successful Idol Group
TVXQ was the third male idol dance group that SM debuted after H.O.T. and Shinhwa. SM, who is the forerunner when it comes to the K-pop Idol culture, used any and every one of it's producing methods when it came to created TVXQ. Different from their seniors who could not shake off the image of 'A dance group that emphasizes looks,' TVXQ was an idol group that emphasized the members' vocal abilities from the start. They came with an a capella song with excellent vocalist Xiah Junsu as the main vocal. Dance skills and good looks were standard. Their debut song "HUG"(2004), that had some embarrassing lyrics such as "I want to be your bed for one day," gave teenage girls the image of a sweet and charming boyfriend. (The members who would whisper 'girl' after their debut successfully evolved into a mature group who gave off their sexy masculinity in 'Spell(MIROTIC)')
Each member becomes a subject for Games and Stories
SM's ability to instill a unique character in each member was the most prominent with TVXQ. 'Visual Shock', pretty boy YoungWoong Jaejoong who has looks that seemed to pop out of a comic book, manly leader U-Know Yunho, sweet guy Micky Yoochun with soft features who shows his honest feelings by frequently crying on stage, tall and handsome Choikang Changmin who is the youngest and cute Xiah Junsu who talks and acts like a child. These characters can be seen anywhere from tv shows to performances, to even the smallest of actions. It is almost as if they have made a kind of drama about themselves unlike other groups.
'Xiahmori', known by the vast majority of fans, is the members' intentional bullying of Xiah Junsu. Not only does this bullying emphasize Xiah Junsu's cute factor, it also shows the closeness of the members. To compare, the members of TVXQ are like the members of 'Infinite Challenge', each having their own unique character and part, each member created their own story of their characters early on in their singing career. Their images grew stronger as they matured. Masculine U-Know Yunho's 'oldest brother' image sunk in and stayed. While Yoochun's warm acceptance of Xiah Junsu's childish behavior has given them a 'sweet couple' image. The team's youngest member Choikang Changmin, who had the weakest image at the start, became the cool, indifferent 'Chic Chang,' or the 'Real Leader.'
These images and characters were the deciding factor when it came to the fans' acceptance of TVXQ's existence as one story. There are endless 'activities' to do with TVXQ as the subject. Fan-Fictions that include the idol members loving each other are prevalent in other groups, but they are not as good quality or quantity wise as they are with TVXQ as the main subjects. There is also a game that is called 'TVXQ's Answers for Situations'. It is a game where fans imagine what members would say about a same situation. Through these games, fans are able to become closer to the members, and the relationship between fans become stronger as they share games and laugh about their content. Not only their official fan club site 'Cassiopeia', but also all their tens and hundreds of fan cafes and sites have become a playground for fans.
The world's greatest fanclub that got on the Guiness Book of World Records
The number of people in Cassiopeia is 800,000. The number of people in Daum's fan cafe 'Yuaerubi' is also 800,000. SM stopped signing Cassiopeia members in 2006. Nowadays, TVXQ's fans Cassiopeia are simply called 'Ca-A' or 'Kang'. Cassiopeia, a name that derives from the five star constellation, was included in the Guiness Book of World Records for the largest fan club in the world. TVXQ's fandom, that started off as most fandoms do with the majority of fans being in their teens or 20s, spread out to include people in their 30s and 40s, and international fans. The fan clubs have even divided based on age. 'Xiah Soul' is a fan site for people in their 30s who have a preference for Xiah Junsu, and 'DongnaeBangnae' is a fan page where many international fans participate.
The fandom's personality has changed as well. The generation of fans who not only worship their idols, but also protect and support them, or act as spokespeople for the stars has come. The motherly guardian fandom that watches the stars grow from a young age started off with 'the first Nation's Idol' GOD and has evolved and solidified with TVXQ. The fandom that considers themselves the spokespeople of the stars have served community service hours or donated money under the name of the star. 'Match Made in Heaven' and 'AVC' are some of the Cassiopeia community service groups that move around the nation helping others. Fans do these services to better their star's image but they also become great contributors to society. As many people know, when the Mad Cow Disease crisis occurred in Korea last year, the first people to protest on the streets were the fanclubs of TVXQ.
The Internet's groups for people with the same taste
A fanclub's strongest cohesion comes from liking the same thing. Especially for society's underdogs who are open to the economic aspect of life, teenage girls, it is hard to find the sharing of one's affection without any competitiveness. The only competition amongst fans happens to be their faithfulness of their stars. In fan sites that work on a ranking system, many ask detailed questions about TVXQ for 'level ups'. There are even essay questions such as, 'The effect of a capella on TVXQ.'
The made-up language and ceremonies that only the fans know have also solidified this fandom. Cassiopeia decides on the type of cheer they will use at a TVXQ concert through voting. There are thousands of words and phrases that only the fans understand. The word 'Ilko' refers to an adult who hides the fact that he/she is a TVXQ fan and acts like a regular person. But the biggest influence of the fandom can be found in the music market. Instead of downloading illegally, fans have opened up their wallets for CDs even if TVXQ releases three versions of the same album. At the same time, TVXQ has also become a victim of an excessive fandom. Because of them, the new 'personal life fan (A fan who follows them everywhere)' has emerged who follows the star's movements almost 24 hours every day.
'Fan-Fic', putting sexual imagination to paper
TVXQ is also at the top when it comes to Fan-Fiction, a characteristic of idol fandoms. Fan-fics refer to the romance novels written by fans that depict the idol stars engaging in homosexual relationships. Rather than going against their 소유욕 by having their 'oppas (older brothers)' taken by other girls, the fans have made the members gay in the stories. It can be seen as a branch off of Japan's 'Yaoi' culture. After TVXQ's debut, SM aroused the homosexual imagination aspect by linking the members as couples. Of course this does not mean that the members are actually gay, and they used this romantic imagination, that could be used for heterosexual situations, to relieve the built-up sexual tension that women in their teens and 20s have. Many of the fan-fic writers are up to par skill-wise to professional writers. The majority are free to read through the writer's homepage, but there are some that are sold for profit.
The Idealization of 'Me'
As most teens are limited from relationships because of their age, idols become a 'substitute lover' for them. At the same time, fans see idols as a part of themselves, feeling the success of the idols is their own success. Also, since teens live in a highly competitive society and do not have many successes of their own, they see TVXQ's success story with great awe (This is also why fans can be ruthless when it comes to tight competition with other groups.) If the members of TVXQ are not able to overcome this current situation, the devastating impact it will have on their fans is unimaginable.
They even have unwavering Vocal Abilities
The most important point of this TVXQ syndrome is their music. Even though they debuted as an idol group, they showed their vocal maturity and growth through their Japanese activities. Match the powerful dance skills trained through the SMP genre (SM's unique genre of song with powerful dancing), their stage presence, their ability to sing unwaveringly even after a powerful dance, and their good looks, and it's no wonder TVXQ started off the second Hallyu Wave. From dance to pop-ballads, the members have done them all and have used the members' star-qualities to their fullest potential. At live concerts, especially, has their music touched many hearts and that is why they are worthy of being called 'The Gods of the East' by their fans all over the world.
An interesting fact is that there has been a sudden surge of fans in their 30s and 40s. This correlates to the increase of Auntie-Uncle fans that have appeared in society these days. They act as a protective guardian fandom as well as a fandom that has physical desires for people who are extremely younger than those fans are. Like adults who love teen romance such as 'Boys Over Flowers' or "Gossip Girls', they have an air of people who are physically attracted to and wanting idols who are way younger.
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