I'm writing this post really angry, angry by how people can just overlook all the evil in this world and yet prefer to focus on one scapegoat, who made some unquestionable mistakes several years ago, and even though the lessons have been learnt - still bares the .fault up to this day
How comes anytime the name "S.M. Entertainment" comes up during conversations the reactions are "worst label ever!", "anywhere but there!", while I read about what's going on in other labels and can't help but be in deep shock?
Everything started with two bold cases - Hangeng's lawsuit (former Chinese member of Super Junior) and JYJ's lawsuit (former DBSK members) toward SM at that time. They both sued over legitimate subjects such as bad terms, low wages and unreasonable contracts that eventually caused harm to two of the most popular Kpop bands of all times.
Maybe it's the furious fans who refuse to forgive and forget that those cases remained as Cain's mark over SM's forehead; and don't get me wrong, those groups mentioned above truly suffered - Hangeng was kind of illegal immigrant, he didn't have a Korean visa and was forced to perform with mask on so he won't be recognized on TV, he wasn't allowed to visit his family while he's in China even though the Korean members could visit their family when they had free time and etc.
JYJ (Jaejong, Yoochun, Junsu) sued about very similar things and mainly about how their incomes did not fit with their hard work; A sue which eventually caused DBSK to split into two different groups - JYJ, the three men that sued SM, and the duo who refuse to join JYJ on the lawsuit and remained under the name DBSK – Changmin and Yunho.
It's true, those are truly horrible incidents; but SM have learnt their lesson since then. The management went through drastic changes, and to anyone who isn't updated - Lee Soo Man doesn't take any part of it, the current CEO is a person named Kim Young Min and he's in charge since 2010. Many of SM's artists own shares in the company, which makes them active participants of the incomes they gain themselves. Artists like BoA, Kangta, Zhang Liyin, DBSK, Super Junior, The Grace, Girls' Generation, SHINee, f(x), Go Ara and more.
Am I the only one noticing almost half of the company's artists own shares in it? So they basically manage their own company! is there something unfair here?
The Korean-Fair-Trade bureau counts the following conditions as fair:
1. A seven years contract, started with the artist's debut.
2. 60%-40% gains share, company-idol respectively.
3. One-sided decisions by the company regarding the artist's activity.
My opinion?
It's more than fair.
People often forget that during the entire trainee period the company spends a fortune on the not-so-soon-to-be-idols: singing and dancing lessons, teaches them how the industry works, facial treatments and many times also language lessons (from Korean to Japanese and even Chinese). And since the trainees aren't signed by the company yet they can stand-up and leave whenever they wish, with no questions about who's gonna return the money spent on them back to the company.
So I find 60-40 to be very much fair for all the investments during the trainee period, that by the way can last for more than 5 years. Not to mention that most of the times it balances to 50-50 after 3 years of activity.
Seven years are more than enough to utilize activities, and if the idol wishes for more so be it. I think seven years are giving fair incomes for all the investment in the idol during those years. Think about it, would you hire an employee who can work for only two months while learning the work itself takes the same amount of time? It's not profitable for anyone; the same goes for idols that have been trainees for eight years of practicing and rehearsing before debuted. So I think seven years are just fine.
The decisions might be one-sided, but the idol is the one who first came to the company because he believed that it would be the best for him, he's the one who signed the contract and he's the one who should take all these things under consideration. He should know that the moment he signed a contract he throw his destiny into the company hands, and fully believe that they'll do their best to help him succeed. At the end of day he's just a rookie who knows nothing about the industry compared to people that specialize in it for years. Sometimes an idol needs to understand that he won't always see the profits at the moment, but in the long-run he will.
Of course I don't think the company should use it for their own advantage, and that it would be nice to consider the idol's opinion about certain matters... but that's my general opinion about it.
Let's just open your eyes for some scandals happening at other companies in the Korean industry under everyone's nose. While we're all so focused on blaming SM for everything, serious things like these happen:
- Groups like AOA, despite debuting 3 years ago, claim to not gain a single Won. AOA also reported to be removing their makeup at their van on their way home from performances so they'll have enough time to sleep.
At the same company, CNBLUE, found themselves traveling in public-transportation with all of their instruments, because the company did not really care for giving them a van or other means of transport. - Groups like THE BOSS (also known as DGNA) that their CEO has been raping trainees in the company, slept in the girls dorms and made idols abuse trainees... but has anyone ever heard about that?
- B.A.P who are currently suing TS for inappropriate conditions - unreasonable number of years they signed on their contract, poor wage and the fact they released 11 albums in 3 years and traveled for tours all over the world with not being able rest is insane.At the same company - SECRET, do anyone remember how pretty and full they were? And how too-skiny they are today? Give the girls something to eat for God's sake!
- A recent story about a CEO of an entertainment company who raped a minor and got her pregnant, yet was found not guilty because their relationship was consensual. What is there to consent? The girl is 15! She cannot consent on anything that age!
- Block B, former members at STARDOM, sued the company for not paying them for a whole year, moreover - the company took money from their parents.
- At StarEmpire, once managed by a mafia member - the group ZE:A suffered from an enslavement contract of 12 years (later reduced to 9), in case of injuries the company used to renounce their responsibility and let the members treat themselves on local hospitals paid by the artists, dorms not suitable of living, the leader didn't get paid for two years, the group did not have proper transportation for their schedules, etc...
At the same company, 9muses, being forced to have sex with the crew and management or they'll get kicked out, physical and mental abuses and most of all - almost no promotions as a group.
- The actress Jang Ja Yeon, committing suicide after leaving a note says she was forced to have sex with CEOs and important people in the industry, plus - being physically abused.
I look at all these shocking scandals (and so many more!) and look at SM, a company where the idols are active, promoting, gaining and even get special events (such as a Halloween party) and I just can't understand all those recent hate and suing. I truly feel like suing SM became the easy solution, when an idol wish to leave it's like "let's sue them!" even though they can do it in proper ways without getting to court. That greediness, an idol can play over his fans' emotions and even if he's at fault he can portray it as if he's not; I mean... everyone hates SM anyway, so if an idol will say he wants to sue, the probability is that everyone will support him even if SM did nothing wrong. Why not, when you can get a lot of money out of it? huh?
There is some kind of "payment" an idols can pay to get off the contract it they want out, it's not like it's impossible, and I find it fair enough. But I keep on getting disappointed by the last idols suing SM after Hangeng and JYJ, I find it really childish. They can't say they "suffer" when they get so much from the company compared to Hangeng for example; they're crying over what all idols go through, so just stay strong and go on! We all know it's not easy to be an idol but look at other groups like AOA or B.A.P, they don't even get paid! so what are you suing about!?
To say "I have bad conditions" just because SM didn't let you play in that movie you wanted? You get dorms, you get facial treatment, you get free things, you have fans that love you and give you presents, the company gives you clothes, you gain money from selling your own products, you are famous now! And all you need to do is sing and dance and put a little effort in your work... I don't see the problem here.
Of course there are great companies like YG and JYP that the relationship between the CEO and the idols is much closer (also because other companies don't have as many idols as SM does) so it's easy to love them, but nobody knows what's really going inside the company... and nobody really cares as long it's not SM.
My point is - get things under proportions!
SM is a fair company who never abused its idols physically or mentally, and since they learnt their lessons with Hangeng and JYJ they treat idols with generous hands when it comes to finance. Everyone makes mistake and SM tries hard to fix... so why can't you be more considerable?
Stop blaming SM for everything.
And don't take your idols' work for granted :)
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I want to thank a lot Shani and Attie for most of the research and information, and Atar for going through my text <3
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