Jessica Jung saga and more: SM Entertainment's troubles with 3 other acts
Jessica Jung and SM Entertainment have released conflicting statements about what led to her departure from top girl group Girls' Generation.
SM, one of the top K-pop record labels and management agencies, has had other artists leave under a cloud of controversy.
The record label represents many top acts including BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls' Generation, J-Min, SHINee, f(x), EXO, Henry and Red Velvet.
Here's a recap of the artist-centred controversies the agency, first founded in 1995, have dealt with in recent years.
1. TVXQ: Dispute with JYJ
Three members of the initial quintet who made South Korean boy band TVXQ applied to the Seoul Central District Court in 2009 to determine the validity of their contract.
The lawyers that represented each of the singers Kim Jaejoong (known as Hero), Park Yoochun (known as Mickey) and Kim Junsu (known as Xiah) had made their case about how their contract with the agency had been too long. The initial contract with the band was set for 13 years.
TVXQ before singers Kim Jaejoong, Park Yoochun and Kim Junsu (known as Xiah) left to form JYJ. PHOTO: Warner Music
It was said that early termination of the contract would cost the three men two times the profit that the group was estimated to have made for the rest of their contract period. TVXQ was formed by the agency in 2003.
The court eventually favoured the three men, deeming the contract excessively long and established that there had been no proper profit distribution among the members.
Subsequently, the three guys formed their own band calling themselves JYJ (representing the first letter of each of their names).
In November 2012, the two parties reached a mutual agreement to terminate all contracts between them. Both sides were obliged to not interfere with each other's activities going forth.
TVXQ are now a duo, with remaining members Yunho and Changmin.
2. Super Junior: Dispute with Han Geng
It wasn't long after the JYJ dispute that Han Geng of boy band Super Junior also went to court.
Han Geng's lawyer also argued that his client's contract was excessively long (also 13 years) and that the financial repercussions of termination were unfair.
Super Junior live in Singapore four years after Han Geng left the boy band. PHOTO: Singapore Press Holdings
Han Geng's lawyer also said the singer wasn't allowed to renegotiate his contract despite allegedly being forced to do things against his will.
Also, it was disclosed that because of SM Entertainment's refusal to give him a day off in over two years, he had developed gastritis and kidney disease.
In September 2011, Han Geng officially left Super Junior after legal representatives from both sides released a statement stating, "Han Geng and SM Entertainment have amicably settled on a mutual agreement."
3. EXO: Dispute with Kris Wu
Chinese-Canadian singer Kris Wu, who was the leader of EXO-M member (subgroup of EXO) filed a lawsuit to terminate his exclusive contract with SM Entertainment in May this year (2014).
According to Wu, the agency never gave thought to his health or his opinions. Wu will be represented by the same lawyer that took Han Geng's case five years ago.
EXO performing at their first concert in Singapore at the Singapore Indoor Stadium just three months after Wu's lawsuit was filed. PHOTO: SPH
Wu is also said to be suing for medical reasons. According to Chinese publication Sina, Kris has higher-than-average creatine kinase and isozyme levels and is suspected of having myocarditis, although as of now he is required to go back for another examination to confirm if he has a heart problem.
SM Entertainment trainee, Song Byung Yang, posted on Weibo, "As an old friend (of Kris), it wasn't easy seeing him struggle due to the severe mental stress and fatigue. Because his body couldn't handle it, he even developed heart problems."
Wu has since embarked on a solo career.
In June this year, Chinese film director Xu Jinglei announced Wu would be the leading actor for her new movie Somewhere Only We Know.
In August, it was said that Wu is also set to take the big screen with Han Geng in an upcoming movie. He will take one of the three male leads in the film that's based on an Internet novel.
Related report: Fans react to Jessica Jung being ousted from Girls' Generation
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