Latest Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen EXO, These 7 SM Entertainment Artists Have Been Involved in Legal 'Fights' with the Company

Kapanlagi.com - Recently, three members of EXO, namely Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen, surprised fans after they filed for contract termination with SM Entertainment. Although the company stated that this was caused by external influences trying to hunt down the artists, according to the artists' lawyers, the reason behind their lawsuit is contract disputes and related wages.

But shocking news like this is not the first time it has happened at SM Entertainment, where the company has been involved in contract disputes with its artists. Here are a series of SM artists who have been involved in legal battles over their contracts with the label. Take a look!

1. JYJ (TVXQ)

C-Jes

In July 2009, three out of five members of the second generation boy group TVXQ, namely Kim Jaejoong, Park Yoochun, and Kim Junsu, filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court to investigate the legality of their contract with the label. The artists felt that their thirteen-year contract period was excessive, and income was not fairly distributed among the members.

In addition, in the event of contract cancellation, they would owe the employer three times the total investment amount and twice the usual profit during the remaining contract period.

This lawsuit became a major issue in Korea, resulting in a decline in SM Entertainment's KOSPI stock price. The court ruled in favor of the three members, but SM responded with a press conference in which they stated that it was a fraud lawsuit.

SM also filed a lawsuit but was dismissed by the Seoul Central District Court in 2011. In November 2012, SM and JYJ reached a joint agreement during voluntary arbitration at the Seoul Central District Court to terminate all contracts between the two parties and not interfere with each other's activities in the future as a closure of the lawsuit.

2. Han Geng (Super Junior)

Weibo

Just five months after three former members of TVXQ filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment, Han Geng, the only Chinese member of Super Junior, followed in their footsteps. The reasons given were similar, including unfair wage distribution and a thirteen-year biased contract that could not be revised or terminated.

Sun Le, Han Geng's friend who later became his manager, testified in a Korean court that SM had discriminated against the artist both financially and in management.

Almost two years after filing this lawsuit, in September 2011, SM and Han Geng's lawyers issued a joint statement confirming that both parties had reached a peaceful settlement, closing the case. Han Geng submitted a 'Notice of Withdrawal of Appeal' and left Super Junior.

3. Kris Wu (EXO)

Louis Vuitton

In May 2014, Kris Wu, a Chinese-Canadian descendant and former member of EXO, filed for contract termination with SM Entertainment. Kris openly stated that the company's mistreatment was the main reason why he wanted to leave.

Kris told the media, "The company has treated me like a machine part or as a control object rather than showcasing vision as an entertainer."

Kris left EXO the same month the lawsuit was announced, but his contract with SM remained valid until 2022. Nevertheless, he was able to pursue a career outside of Korea and Japan through other labels and agencies, though he eventually stumbled upon a case that landed him in jail.

4. Jessica Jung (Girls Generation)

W Magazine

On September 29, 2014, Jessica Jung, who was then a member of Girls Generation, posted on Weibo that she had been forced to leave the group "without justifiable reasons." The next day, she released a statement explaining her situation.

Jessica claimed that in August 2014, the members of the group and their label joined in the launch of her fashion line Blanc and Eclare. But in September, they all changed their minds. Jessica said she was given two choices: close the business or leave the group.

On the other hand, SM claimed that Jessica had informed the company that she would leave the group after one more album. However, before both parties could reach an agreement, she had established her independent business, causing problems in the group's schedule.

So, management decided to promote SNSD as an eight-member group, not nine. At the same time, they still wanted to handle Jessica's solo schedule.

But before they made an official announcement, Jessica had posted her "own perspective" on the issue. Jessica and SM finally reached an agreement in August 2015, and her contract with the company was terminated.

5. Luhan (EXO)

Weibo

Luhan is another Chinese member of EXO who followed Kris Wu's footsteps and filed to terminate his contract with SM Entertainment in October 2014. The singer claimed that he faced discrimination from the label because they favored the Korean subunit EXO-K over the Chinese subunit EXO-M.

However, unlike Kris who left the group immediately after his lawsuit, Luhan officially left EXO almost two years later, in July 2016. Like Kris, his contract with SM still remained until 2022, but he could promote in other countries besides Korea and Japan through various labels and agencies.

6. No Min Woo (TRAX)

bnt

SM Entertainment used to manage a rock band called TRAX, which was led by Jay, Jungmo, Rose, and Jungwoo. Rose aka No Min Woo was the group's drummer who made his debut with TRAX in 2004. No Min Woo decided to leave the band in just two years of his career.

In 2015, No Min Woo filed a lawsuit against SM for making him sign a seventeen-year contract that violated the law. He also claimed that the company had tried to sabotage his career after he left TRAX and demanded compensation of 100 million Won (around Rp 1.14 billion).

In July 2016, No Min Woo lost his lawsuit against SM on the grounds of insufficient evidence. However, the court ruled that the contract between the two parties was invalid.

7. Huang Zitao (EXO)

ELLE

Tao filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment in August 2015, making him the third Chinese member of EXO to cancel his contract. His lawsuit was based on claims of unfair contract duration, discrimination by the company, and unfair compensation.

However, in January 2016, SM won the case against Tao for failing to repay the advance payment he had received from SM to the company as promised. Tao's legal battle with SM continued for years. He won a lawsuit against SM in China in 2016, but his request to terminate his contract with the company was denied in Seoul in 2017.

He won his second case against SM in a Chinese court in 2018. Like Kris and Luhan, his contract with SM also continued until 2022, but he is no longer a member of EXO and is free to return to China, where he founded his own company, Z.TAO Studio.

(kpl/rsp)