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The SS501 saga has just got to be one of the most mysterious ones in Korean show business in the second half of the year; or for their fans, the most frustrating episode. The five-member boy group’s contract with DSP has expired in early June. Now two months later, things are still not very much clearer.
It’s rather peculiar, if you think about it. After all, the five member should know the run-out date of their contract much better than anyone, and surely they would be pondering and discussing about it even before the deadline? But even now, some two months after their contract with DSP expired, things are still shrouded in much uncertainty.
SS501 leader Kim Hyun Joong has officially joined Keyeast on 29th June, and he is now busying himself with the filming of the drama Playful Kiss, slated to air on MBC come 1st September. But his new agency, Keyeast, has been releasing statements to say that they are supportive of whatever Kim Hyun Joong wishes to do, including the possibility of regrouping with the SS501 members to make music in the future.
Then another member, Park Jung Min, left a message on SS501′s official website hosted by DSP yesterday. He was keeping to his promise of informing the fans firsthand of his decision about which new agency he is signing with.
He has signed with a new company, CNR Media, which is a collaboration between Taiwan’s Comic-Ritz (famous for creating many idol dramas, including the wildly successful Meteor Garden and the dashing F4) and Roy Media from Korea. But he took pains to include the point that he will always be the Park Jung Min in SS501. Should we be reading anything into it at all?
What about the other three members?
Would the three be forming a three-member team like what they had done with the SS501 sub-unit back in 2009 when Kim Hyun Joong was filming Boys Over Flowers and Park Jung Min was involved in the musical Grease? The sub-unit had gone on to release U R Man mini album back then, and that actually became the group’s bestselling album up till then.
For now, things remain hazy. For the past week, maknae Kim Hyung Jun has been fulfilling his nightly DJ duty on Music High, whilst Heo Young Saeng and Kim Kyu Jong were holidaying in Japan and had just returned to Seoul a few days ago. Word has it that these three members are still in discussions with prospective agencies and the dust, for now, has not settled.
In this idol fandom world of short bursts of fame and even shorter memories (on the part of the fans), it is a mystery why these young men do not seem to be in much of a hurry to make decisions about their future. In the past two years, many new artists, solo and group alike, have made their debut and released more albums and done more tours than SS501. Are the fans the only ones who actually feel the urgency?
Or is there something brewing behind the scene that we mere mortals do not know about? It remains mysterious how the signals seem to be pointing that they will be heading for different agencies, and yet every single one of these five young men has said they will be together and call for the fans to trust them, to believe in them.
Wassup, SS501?
I find it rather ironic that external parties seem to be more rattled by the contractual 'limbo' of the 3 remaining members than the actual protagonists themselves. Come on, credit our SS501 boys with greater sense and maturity than that, especially when the decisions impact their future career path.
ReplyDeleteSomehow I can't imagine a scenario prior to their DSP contract expiration that only Hyunjoong and Jungmin were the only ones who made plans and the other 3 were twiddling their thumbs awaiting D-Day. All 5 would have initiated their action plans, and depending on the negotiating parties and terms, the length of time would vary. Moreover, there's that all important clause to factor in - 'Participation in FUTURE GROUP ACTIVITIES ' - which some agencies may find rather tricky to accede to. It's okay if Hynungjun, Kyujong and Youngsaeng take a longer time to reach the most optimal decision so there won't be regrets.
Of course, there is the accountability to the fans but there is no necessity to publicize every contractual move and discussion they are having since they have unanimously requested for trust and faith. For the true blue supporter, the final outcome of the promised reunion when all the dust has settled would suffice, whereas detractors would say that they are taking their fans for a ride with lip service. Hence there is no need to unravel the mystery of the wheeling and dealing behind the scenes. After all, does anyone know the real reason why Youngsaeng opted out from training with SM Entertainment to join DSP ? But it is out of this decision by the mysterious shy Prince that resulted in the lead vocal backbone of SS501 . Point made.
Based on the integrity of SS501 and their commitment to the fans, let everything play out it's course and revelation will come in due time.