@USATODAY The Ugly Side of Kpop: As Gangnam Style continues to make waves in the US, the South Korean Entertainment Industry and Government bask in the reflected glory of Psy. However, here is the dirt beneath the glitter kpop is most anxious to hide from the world.

Xia Junsu (@1215thexiahtic) an established kpop artist with nearly 9 years of experience under his belt, several awards and nominations in the Korean Musical world and a recent solo album that made it to the BillBoard World Chart (link: http://www.soompi.com/2012/05/28/jyjs-junsus-solo-album-tarantellegra-reaches-10-billboard-world-chart/) performed last night at the 32nd National Para Games at the Goyang Sports Complex, an event to be broadcast by tv station @SBSNOW. However, of all the invited artists, Junsu was the only one @SBSNOW deliberately did not broadcast.

Is he a criminal or someone with a reprehensible social status to elicit such discrimination?

Indeed, IF terminating a 13-year slave contract with your entertainment company that you entered when you were 15 (Korean age 17) makes you a criminal.

SMEnt is famous for recruiting extremely young talent (as young as 11-12) and launching their musical careers and in return, keeping almost 98% of the profits.

Junsu, along with 2 other members (Kim Jaejoong and Park Yoochun) of former band DBSK, sought help from the court to terminate this unfair contract in 2009 and formed the band JYJ under a new company.

In retaliation, SMEnt has sought to block, hinder and obstruct JYJ's activities as a musical group for 3 years now, even recruiting help of the Korean media.

The result is that JYJ are cut out of the broadcasts of any public events they appear in, their interviews are cancelled, their songs do not appear on ANY tv or radio station even when it is topping the charts, their names are taboo on music shows, etc.,

In short, they are outcasts.

Which is why the incident of last night is not the first case of unfairness against JYJ by media stations and media outlets. This is also why I cannot link you an article in
news sites regarding the court-case between JYJ and SMEnt, though the facts are well-known to fans and general public.

Apparently Korean press is not about 'News' but 'Certain News.'

Last night's incident was only picked up by @enewsWorld (link: http://enewsworld.mnet.com/enews/contents.asp?idx=16997) and Soompi.fr (Link: http://www.soompi.fr/2012/10/08/les-fans-de-junsu-jyj-sont-en-colere-contre-sbs/)

Though all over the internet, forums are stating their anger and disappointment (Eg, http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/9959605.html) the pity is that major news sites like @allkpop @gokpop @seoulbeats @kpop_express @soompi @dkpopnews @Koreaboo @hellokpop @koreatimes as usual chose fluff articles over articles high-lighting how musicians are persecuted for standing up for their rights in S. Korea. Direct appeals to media outlets fail to produce any results each time.

It is clear that SMEnt exercises a mafia-like hold over the entertainment industry, not surprising when the company is headed by Lee SooMan, who 'graced' interpol's most wanted list (http://jyj3.net/2011/05/20/news-sms-lee-soomans-corruption-charges-and-being-put-on-interpol-watch-list-2003-article/) and has a net worth in excess of 171 million dollars (as of Oct, 2011. Link: http://www.allkpop.com/2011/10/snsd-helps-lee-soo-mans-stock-value-rise-to-171-million-dollars)

Indeed, it is not only the entertainment industry which is in the pockets of Lee SooMan but also the judicial system, as evidenced by the fact that after 3 years of fighting for their rights, the case between JYJ and SMEnt has been shelved indefinitely, with no date in sight for the final ruling and the courts repeatedly forcing JYJ to mediate as the scales are tipped in JYJ's favor.

@ BruceAutomatic , Sony Producer and CEO of InRage Entertainment who worked with Junsu on his newest single, tweeted this last night:
"@1215thexiahtic Being censored in your own country is awful, yet you went on and performed."

Fans around the world have demanded that @SBSNOW make Junsu an apology but from past experience, have no expectations that one will be made. No doubt they will find an excuse to explain away their shameful conduct.

This on-going situation between JYJ and SMEnt is not just about a contract. It's a war waged between power and money on one hand and a determination to follow your dreams on the other. There is a reason why Kpop artists and idols have one of the highest rates of suicide in the world, forced to make that choice after years of being controlled by their entertainment companies (who think nothing of offering their male and female artists as sexual toys to people who are influentially placed.)

This would never happen in the US. Such a gross violation of basic human rights and injustice would never be tolerated. Nor would the media condone AND actively participate in blatant bullying, in exchange for money and favors. Meanwhile, the Korean government is celebrating the success of Gangnam Style on foreign shores under the illusion that their dirty tactics are well-hidden from the rest of the world.

Since their own media doesn't see fit to pick up such a serious issue, I hope US media will. This is the only way SMEnt will be stopped and JYJ will be free.

Thank you for your time and patience.

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