SM Leisure have been fortunate that each one eyes have been on the dumpster fireplace over at HYBE for the time being as a result of new administration has not precisely been overlaying themselves in glory. For some time now, veteran artists have been publicly expressing their disdain on the communication and remedy they’ve been given, and lately issues have seemingly boiled over a bit with the upcoming SMTOWN Reside 2025 live performance.
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Backtracking a bit*, one might argue that the mess with their remedy of veteran artists began with BoA. Early final 12 months, she was beneath heavy criticism for typical dumbass netizen shit (attempting to behave, her seems to be not remaining static, and so forth.), and whereas she did inform everyone to fuck off, she additionally hinted at retirement not lengthy after. Whether or not it was a reactionary second or not, simply that it acquired to that time sucked for followers (me).
*Not even counting the EXO-CBX disputes.
After some months, issues actually acquired rolling when Taeyeon blasted the corporate after her newest comeback, because it wasn’t supported with a lot promotion like her earlier releases.
The communication with my administration was not clean this time, so there have been some errors in finishing up the discharge promotions. They wanted to have promoted it effectively earlier than the album is launched. I’m additionally actually unhappy that point was wasted like this. I’m sorry to the followers too. It’s late, however we’re working exhausting with a purpose to see what promotions we are able to do even now. I’m sorry for being unable to fulfill all of the wants of the followers immediately. I’m so upset.
A pair days later, she spoke up once more, mentioning that she wasn’t going to SMTOWN LIVE on account of not being on the identical web page with administration.
”i don’t suppose i’ll go to sm live performance, there aren’t any good conversations going forwards and backwards between the corporate and me. the discover… they haven’t modified it, what are they planning?”
Regardless of this, it took till December 10 for SME to formally announce she wouldn’t take part.
The complaints towards SME continued to mount, as a number of days in the past, Purple Velvet‘s Wendy spoke up to apologize to followers. She had mentioned her absence from SMTOWN over a month in the past, however it was solely introduced lately after the merch was launched.
You could or could not have already seen the announcement… I really mentioned this with the corporate over a month in the past, however the discover was solely posted immediately…
I’m positive there have been plenty of ReVeluvs who had been trying ahead to seeing Purple Velvet carry out as a full group of 5, and I’m actually sorry about that. Because it’s the thirtieth anniversary, there are a selection of levels being ready. I hope you’ll have a good time. Thanks, as at all times, and I’m sorry.
As you may think, this didn’t go over effectively.
Followers really resurfaced feedback made by veteran artists, together with Tremendous Junior‘s Yesung talking chilly remedy again in December.
Additionally, I’ve been seeing some questions concerning SMTOWN. As it’s an occasion at an organization that I’ve been in for over 20 years, I do strive my finest to take part. Nevertheless, I used to be not in a position to take part a lot within the album. I’m additionally bored with speaking in regards to the chilly remedy, particularly with regards to the group tune. I’m going to be focusing extra on my live performance, so I’m simply letting you already know.
TVXQ‘s Changmin additionally alluded to poor remedy in a reply to a fan about merch gross sales.
Fan: SM merchandise! Oppa is so good-looking that I’ll purchase 1988218 of them!
Changmin: If I actually bought that a lot I ponder how the corporate’s remedy of me would change.
That’s like … nearly all of their legendary artists nonetheless related to the corporate.
So yeah, whereas junior fandoms and artists have complaints as effectively, it’s principally the veterans who’re talking out fairly instantly about their issues with the corporate. If SM is a “City” then a number of the constituents appear to be they’d want a brand new mayor. It’s messy and solely appears to be getting messier.
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Once you boil it down, plenty of the complaints from SME appear to allude to poor communication or lack of look after the veteran artists (additionally that each one they care about is cash*). In a means I suppose that’s not shocking, as a result of from the sociopathic enterprise state of mind, the gross sales of artists are likely to lower as they age. Even for individuals who proceed to maintain reputation, their second contracts imply the corporate earnings much less off their actions than their youthful artists, so precedence on the investments and a focus would go to the latter. That’s why enterprise information writers will champion the significance of technology change, and are thus bullish about SME’s state of affairs regardless of all these complaints.
*On that word, in April of final 12 months, SME workers had been posting on BLIND, complaining about new administration solely caring for increased gross sales and threatening their salaries, saying that there was excessive turnover now and described the state of affairs as “chaos”. Lower than excellent.
In fact, that doesn’t imply it’s not fucked up or that corporations are proper to do it. These are the artists, in spite of everything, whose labor actually constructed the corporate and put these executives in a state of affairs the place they may very well be ruthless sociopath wannabe tech bros. It’s additionally simply unhappy to see corporations seemingly lose an appreciation for his or her roots, as you’d suppose at a naked minimal they’d wish to flog that to the general public and stuff.
The answer on the opposite finish is that hopefully extra artists be aware of not simply how SME is treating their veterans, however plenty of different corporations as effectively*. Largely that extra artists will really feel much less sense of loyalty to the company they had been raised beneath and can equally simply coldly deal with themselves with the most effective deal they will get as an alternative. That chance appears to ring very true after we’re seeing an period the place older teams both reunite or proceed on collectively greater than I’ve ever seen earlier than. So the demand for veterans is on the market, and hopefully an increasing number of will discover higher conditions going ahead.
*(G)I-DLE’s state of affairs with Dice Leisure may very well be fascinating to observe as a result of they’re on their second contract but additionally have the corporate by the balls trigger they’ve no person else. On a smaller scale, the identical applies to teams like Dreamcatcher, who actually simply are their firm now. Leverage, not simply in negotiations but additionally projected in the direction of the long run, appears as essential as the rest, truthfully.