As someone alive and also a fan of TVXQ when the group split happened, this recent drama regarding the current and former members of TVXQ is such a headache to see. Why? Because it's genuinely pathetic and a waste of everyone's time.
JYJ's (former TVXQ members) lawsuit against SM Entertainment took place in 2009 (16 and a half YEARS AGO). The current members of TVXQ did not join in the lawsuit for their own personal reasons (they had every right to choose for themselves, and they decided to stay, which is 100% fine). The lawsuit was to terminate JYJ's contracts, citing unfair 13-year terms, unequal profit distribution, and SM's interference with their careers. The lawsuit ended in 2012 (OVER 13 YEARS AGO)
Here's a little more detail about the lawsuit, its outcome and the aftermath.
Lawsuit: JYJ argued their 13-year contract was excessively long and exploitative, calling it a "slave contract". They claimed the income sharing between SM and the group members was inequitable. JYJ alleged that SM was blocking their individual activities, even after they formed JYJ. You can read about the lawsuit in even more detail here.
Outcome: In 2012, JYJ and SM reached a confidential settlement, which terminated the contract and stipulated that they would cease all interference with each other.
Aftermath: The lawsuit set a precedent, empowering other artists to challenge unfair contracts with major agencies. The case was a landmark, leading South Korea's Fair Trade Commission to enforce a 7-year contract limit for K-pop artists, protecting others from similar exploitation. However, despite the ruling, JYJ faced significant challenges appearing on Korean TV, with allegations of SM continuing to block them, a practice later challenged in court. Jaejoong appeared for the first time on MBC in 2024 after a 14-year absence.
So if it wasn't for JYJ essentially winning their lawsuit in 2012, K-pop idols would still be signing 13-year contracts with abysmal conditions. Instead, idol contracts are now 7 years long and have better conditions implemented for the idols' mental and physical health and safety.
The current TVXQ members are Jung Yunho, aka U-Know and Shim Changmin, aka Max. There are no other members currently in the group, and there most likely never will be, since TVXQ are still under SM Entertainment.
So the possibility of OT4/OT5 TVXQ is almost 0. The only way it can ever possibly happen is if the current members decide to leave SM and also happen to be on friendly terms with their former members.
We know for an absolute fact that OT5 is NEVER going to happen, since 1 of the former members of TVXQ is a fraudulent and abusive criminal.
We also have no idea if TVXQ and JX (Kim Jaejoong and Xiah Junsu) are even on speaking terms with each other right now.
There is absolutely NO POINT in hating on either current TVXQ or JX. Neither duo are evil devils or perfect angels.
Changmin and Yunho deciding not to mention or discuss anything related to their former members is a valid choice that should be respected. At the same time, Jaejoong and Junsu discussing or mentioning the hardships they went through during and after the lawsuit is also a valid choice and should be equally respected.
The loud minority of you that is arguing amongst yourselves publicly online is having zero effect on TVXQ or JX. The only thing you're achieving is making the fandom look bad and somewhat toxic.
I personally stopped truly caring about TVXQ's music after the former members left. However, I still to this day respect both Changmin and Yunho as artists and even watch quite a lot of content they appear in. I do like a lot of their solo music, as well.
I'm a bigger fan of JX's music as well as their solos, and I also watch Jaejoong's YouTube show, where he chats with Korean celebrities and also cooks for them. However, even if I didn't like their music or content, I would still respect them as human beings, since they haven't done anything criminally bad that I know of.
You can have favourites within a group and also people who have left a group, but that doesn't mean you start bashing the members you don't like, as well as bashing and bullying their fans online.
It's rude, dumb and pathetic behaviour. It also makes you look like a childish teenager at best and a bratty toddler throwing a tantrum at worst.
Take it from someone who is in their 30s and therefore has most likely lived on this planet longer than most of you, there are far more interesting and important things to be worrying and arguing about than a group of people who sing and dance on stage as a profession. They are there to entertain us, and the only time we should be seriously discussing them is if they're doing/saying/endorsing something either highly meaningful or highly toxic or offensive. Otherwise, all you're doing is wasting your energy on something silly.
So enjoy their performances, admire their talents and appreciate their good looks. Don't get into unnecessary fanwars because all you end up getting is a headache.
vaporwave
stormborns
2087
yousharknotpass