Truths and Distortions Regarding the Dong Bang Shin Ki Affair…
“A Trap with a 11 Million USD Price-Tag” (An interview with insiders)
[SportsSeoul.com| Reporters Song Eun Ju, Na Ji Yeon]
August 4, 2009
“[They] are angry with SM’s lies”
The fate of idol group Dong Bang Shin Ki is uncertain. The relationship between 3 members of Dong Bang Shin Ki (Micky Yoochun, Xiah Junsu, Youngwoong Jaejoong) and SM Entertainment has soured beyond repair. Although everyone is saying, ‘They must not disband’, if one closely examines the current situation the breakup has already happened. Even if they manage to avoid the worst-case scenario of a disbandment, their separation with SM is a given in the current mood.
On the third, insiders close to the three members of Dong Bang Shin Ki revealed that “they (Dong Bang Shin Ki) already attempted many times to negotiate with SM. However, neither side could come to an agreement” and so “the reason why it has reached the level of the courts is because they couldn’t find common ground.” At this stage, further dialogue is meaningless, according to these evaluations.
The insiders that we met are those closest to Dong Bang Shin Ki on the level of acquaintances. These are people who’ve known [the Dong Bang Shin Ki members] from before their debut and have gone through thick and thin with them. According to them, the position of Dong Bang Shin Ki is single-minded and simple. Alleviate the burdens of the unequal exclusive contract. However, instead of addressing this core issue, the dialogue between the two parties ran in parallels that never approached agreement. They (the three DBSK members) “requested that the length of the contract and the earnings distribution scheme be changed. Because anyone could see the terms were irrational,” and “they tried until they could to solve all problems through dialogue. However, they got the clear impression that SM was trying to avoid it. In the end, both sides only grated on the other’s nerves. Now, the three members are feeling greater anger at SM’s response.”
◆ “The truth behind 3 of SM’s distortions”
In truth, after this controversy broke out, SM issued two press statements on the 1stand 3rd, respectively. On the first day of the heated controversy, [SM said], “we will try our best to resolve this issue which was caused by a cosmetics business” as their official position, and the day that the terms of the contract became the focus of attention, they responded, “but we gave them 11 million USD in cash and foreign sports cars as gifts.”
On this, the insiders told us, “the core issue of this case is the unfair contract not cosmetics. And yet, SM is not even bothering to address the terms of this irrationally unfair contract but instead are manipulating the media to make it seem like the cosmetics business is the reason why this controversy arose,” in refuting [SM’s position].
Then, they focused on the 11 million USD cash amount. They said, “According to SM, [DBSK members] received 11 million USD over six years. But this amount is pre-tax profit. If we calculate the amount received after tax deductions and then divide among five, the amount they received over six years comes out to be barely 200,000 USD per person per year,” adding that “in the latter half of this year Dong Bang Shin Ki earned 250 million yen (33 million USD) in album sales. However, Dong Bang Shin Ki was working for 200,000 USD per year.”
To give an illustration, Dong Bang Shin Ki thus far has released 48 albums. Of those, the ones released only in Korea, including singles, sold 1,960,000 units. In Japan, they released 4 full-length albums as well as 27 singles, of which 8 sold 100,000 units and 1 sold 250,000 units. If one includes sales from Southeast Asia, the number of albums sold goes up to at least 4 million. [The insiders] pointed out the absurd methods of calculation. They said, “SM arbitrarily removed fees for back-dancers and even meals. It appears overhead costs were paid for using Dong Bang Shin Ki’s share [of earnings],” and added, “even in Japan, several local subsidiary companies were used so that Dong Bang Shin Ki’s earnings were further depleted. For example, Avex shared the earnings with SM Japan, and then again with SM Korea. In the complicated distribution structure, Dong Bang Shin Ki’s share could only shrink further.”
They also revealed that the company did indeed give foreign cars as gifts. They said, “After [DBSK] received an award at a music awards show, SM gave [DBSK] cars as gifts. However, the cars are ultimately the property of SM. Dong Bang Shin Ki does not own them,” clarifying the parameters of the gifts.
◆ “Currently the 3 are fed up and exhausted”
According to the insiders, the three members of Dong Bang Shin Ki are fed up with SM’s manipulation of the media. They no longer have any desire to talk to a company that takes the truth and distorts it; their hearts have been sufficiently scarred by disappointment of the company’s comportments.
The three “predicted that SM would use the media to a certain extent but not that it would fall to the level of distorting facts. The more it continues in this fashion, the more they find it unreasonable to continue working together. It would be preferable to eventually separate with SM and go a different road.”
Obviously a separation with SM does not necessarily signify the disbandment of Dong Bang Shin Ki. At the moment, the insiders are confident that there is no discord between the members. They are getting along well as a family, and they plan hereafter, under whatever circumstances, to continue activities together; on this point they all agree.
At the same time, an insider revealed, “In truth, in the beginning the five all moved with one mind, together. However, in the process of discussing with one another the other two started showing slight differences of opinion. Because of this, in the end only the three followed through on the decision to fight the company,” in spite of the fact that “all [five] of them agree that the terms of the contract are irrational. It’s just that their preferred methods of dealing with this were different.”
◆ “Even after separating with SM, we’ll continue with Dong Bang Shin Ki”
Right now, the resolve of Micky Yoochun, Xiah Junsu and Youngwoong Jaejoong is stronger than ever. According to the insiders, “they are showing a stronger resolve than even before they debuted. No matter what difficulty or animosity they meet, the three are absolutely determined to pull together and push through.”
They are also just as determined to reunite as five under the name Dong Bang Shin Ki. They said, “Even if the three end up permanently leaving their management company through this lawsuit, this just means they are parting ways with SM not that Dong Bang Shin Ki is disbanded,” and so “whether the other two follow them out on a later date or whether they each end up in different management companies, the [three members] want to continue working as five as the group Dong Bang Shin Ki.”
If that is case, can the three members who left use the name ‘Dong Bang Shin Ki’ for themselves? Upon investigating, we found out that ‘Dong Bang Shin Ki’ as a group name is not trademarked or patented. In 2004, SM submitted an application to have the name trademarked but was denied. To repeat, SM has no rights to the team name ‘Dong Bang Shin Ki’. According to Hwang Seong Pil, patent lawyer at the Office of Patent Law, “The term ‘Dong Bang’ signifies the East and so is not a unique enough term to merit an exclusive use [through trademark]. This is probably why the Patent Office rejected the application,” and “SM currently can’t claim an exclusive trademark. There is no problem with the five members using the name Dong Bang Shin Ki, regardless of SM’s position on the matter.”
At the present moment, what Dong Bang Shin Ki feels more than anything is apologetic toward their fans. It’s because they wanted to complete all their scheduled appearances as promised. The insiders revealed, “if they lose the lawsuit they might have to pay an incredibly high contract cancellation fee. However, they are finding it harder to handle the inevitable separation from their fans during the lawsuit,” communicating also their (the insiders’) regret with regards to this situation.
<Photographs = Reporter Lee Seung Hun, SM Entertainment, Singles>
Source: SportsSeoul.com
Translated by: Jimmie of TheJYJFiles
Shared by: TheJYJFiles
Please do not add/remove credits
OMG necesito una traducción al español de esto T.T
The fourth pic got me into DBSK so I’m thankful for that pic to know these people. Whatever happens, I will trust and believe in them until the end.
wow..200000USD for top star that realy low and after that sutract all extra expenses.debts,..taxes,gift????(gift in front of fans but have to pay in paycheck) how much they have left???
That is their take-home pay after taxes which is still ridiculously low considering their schedule and how much they’ve brought into SME. And they weren’t getting this paid regularly, which is why Yoochun ended up with debts.
I wonder if Yoochun has paid off all that debt yet?
@JYJ_fan I think they got a large chunk of that money in ’08 which is why they could invest and Yoochun could by TimeOut. I think he was likely going through a bad patch when he was trying to get his Mom to back to Korea. (Anybody remember when he bought the house and his mom and bro moved back?)
Yoochun is such a good son, he did so much for his family. I think i heard somewhere that he bought the house in 08 too. I think 08 was a big successful year for dbsk. Was that mirotic year? hmmmpp..don’t remember but man celebrities in korea is no where compare to the US. in the US, they can reach to millionairs soo fast, and in korean, as famous as dbsk, their paid check is 200,000 a year…
I like this article. It has information from the beginning to the end. However, is it true the members are still getting along well? From recently interview by new DBSK, it seems the two changed or at least appears different. It would be nice if they can eventually become 5 again but if it will never happen, just hope JYJ can go through all these difficulties and succeed in their music and drama/movie/musical activities.
This article was from august 2009, I think we know what has happened since then.
wow, so homin did support the three decisions but changed their hearts later? did sm gave changmin too much good foods and yunhoo too many 500 won coins to make them do this to their brothers?
Yes, I always believe JYJ when they said all 5 was in this together and then the 2 changed their minds but “stupid” fans don’t understand and try to blame on JYJ or say it’s just a rumor. People are so blind and can’t see things through. I may have not been a JYJ fan if they are not who they are. I have limited my visits to this site only but still go to a 5fan site when this blog has updated and see some so called 5fans give their sarcasm to JYJ. I just want unblock their brains, but somehow I manage to constrain myself from doing that.
Some people said if Junsu had the right to talk, the other 2 have too so they said it was alright for the 2 to speak what they thought. Yes, I agree everyone has the right to talk,I don’t criticise them for speaking out loud but for Junsu I just love him more after that, and lose respect to the others 2 coz of the words they use, the attitudes they have to 3 people that were their brothers, the way they solve this problem, etc. All these just make me feel so angry about them, I used to say I don’t hate them but I don’t think I like them anymore.
@kdn: ya, I don’t hate homin but don’t like themm too. I don’t read the comments in other site because they are very hurtful. I don’t understand why those fans over there can be very unreasonables but then again, I always believes those anti are ppl who are either too stupid to see some logic or hire and paid by sm to create chaos. So I don’t bother to try to reasons with them, waste my time.
I love jyj from they were in dbsk together, there is just something about homin that wasn’t really standout among these three, so in a way, i’m glad that JYj has each other, and if someday, someday, the five of them want to reunite, I’ll still support them even if right now, i’m really really really really really upset at homin.
I think Yunho had been got a bigger check from other member,so he didn’t need 500 won coins any more,and then maybe his father got a paycheck too,so they couldn’t leave …..^_*
Ha! Very good, now another SM puppets wants to get involved?
Come on, you people will never be as talented as JYJ so I figured you have no choice but to slave under your master eh!?!?
In a GQ interview, Heechul had commented, “Of course I have a lot of problems with the company too. But I don’t think I need to complain about it to the public. Honestly, do I make little money? No. They talk about slave contracts all over the place now. But the funny things is, what kind of slave buys building for parents? What kind of slave has a car? What kind of slave has the time to play around drinking?”
Just shut up & keep your comments to yourself puppet!!!
i sense an overwhelming of jealousy there!
so…at the end of the day, the ‘family’
is actually green with envy of JYJ’s success
talent n charisma as well as courage which
these ‘families of puppets n geese’ r truly lacking!
-it’s so blatantly obvious from his comments.
right…just STFU n rot forever in ur own delusional world. i’d like to see these puppets n geese eat-up their own words one day.
*hugs*..i know unni..that’s very sad..*hugs*..is this what they called family?…I can’t believe he have enough heart to come with these word and was beating jyj..
ya shut up Heechul, I bet you don’t want you parents to live in a comfortable place, I bet your parents never went through what yoochun parents did…and they didn’t buy the car, sm “gave” it to them. Stupid, and because they are too famous, that’s why they have an incredible aweful schedule that’s why they need to release stress or else , they will go crazy. I’m not sure how famous super junior is, i don’t care.
Awwwww! Heechul 😦 It was he and Hangeng who got me into k=pop and this is so disappointing..Specially since he comes from the group who was(and still is?) given the most freedom (compared to the other groups) by SME..i am more of a j-pop/j-rock fan, and it was as TOHOSHINKI that i got to know JYJ and HoMin not as DBSK if you catch my drift.
You don’t know what kind of slave buys building for parents,has a car,has the time to play around drinking,that kind is your kind,HEECHUL,the slave who sold their soul to the slave owner to get more attention,more money,more food,and never ever feel ashamed of themself.You sold your soul to feed your….”vanity”.THAT KIND OF SLAVE IS YOUR KIND,IDIOT.
Dear DBSK fans,
“Silence is Golden” and this phrase don’t just surface on our books in our schooling days.
The truth will speaks for itself so do not post mean statements or even retweet back to all websites. It will only make those who wanted this FAN WAR to go ugly the way they have predicted so all supportive fans will be hurt in the end.
What you can do for your idols, just being supportive and keep your cool even harsh remarks has been circulating but remarks from medias might be a plot just to get these fans to a ‘different side’. The Truth will definatelly out as time comes. When ones angry,we tend to say words that we will regret later but we cannot “undone” the damaged that we have created.It will be a great help if Fans are reading the truth from what has been circulating around. So please just EYES on reliable source only.I am concerned on the lawsuit being dragged on and youngsters cursing and swearing online at each other. Pls keep our cool and you are representing your idols when you speak.
THANK YOU… I’LL TRY MY BEST…. BUT IT IS HARD THOUGH….
it’s okay now girl..let them to do what they want cuz right now jyj not their property anymore..it’s snsd..n also jyj had said they ready what getting ahead them..they don’t care if they cannot singing anymore..they’ll just go to the countryside..n live happily at there
how can ppl not believe sm is evil??? O_O??? it’s like right their… ok maybe not evil but they are way beyond shady at least… so i really don’t understand how anyone can say that SM is not evil and that the artists just want more money…