![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
It just blows my mind that this keeps happening--SM treats its employees like shit, so much so that the employees take legal action to get away from them--and yet the company (and the industry at large) learns absolutely nothing. They didn't learn anything from Shinhwa, they didn't learn anything from Han Geng, they didn't learn anything from JYJ, and they won't learn anything from Kris. Nothing's going to change at SM or industry-wide until the law forces them to change or until they can't make money off of mistreating dreaming young people, and I don't foresee either of those things happening any time soon. I'm glad Kris is getting out while he can. I'm sure he didn't make the decision lightly.
What I really want to know is whether the female idols are treated better or (more likely) they're treated so much worse that they have less leverage (emotional or otherwise) to leave when they want to. Because it's significant to me that only guys have gotten out.
What I really want to know is whether the female idols are treated better or (more likely) they're treated so much worse that they have less leverage (emotional or otherwise) to leave when they want to. Because it's significant to me that only guys have gotten out.
no subject
On top of that, institutions like this are always corrupt and abusive. Across the board. I know of no exceptions. Perhaps JYJ were no more ill-treated than idols at any other company, but Han Geng was. Like Ranya said, he thought his only other option was suicide. Just because JYJ may or may not have escaped that level of mistreatment doesn't mean others weren't/aren't suffering.
And of course all the other companies are terrible too, and I complain a lot about the schedules the idols are forced to endure. But SM has a consistent record of being so bad that its employees pursue legal action to get away--I know of no other company who has that kind of record. And I make sure not to give them any money, because I don't want to contribute to their abuse of their employees.
no subject
about other companies - there are lots! CCM may well be worse than SM, block b succesfully sued their old company, some of kara's members were going to, even woollim whom some infinite fans seem to think is blameless: there's a reason why epik high left. the infinite boys have also spoken about how inhuman their practice sessions are. SM is absolutely NOT the only company to mistreat its idols. just because nobody is suing woollim (for e.g) doesn't mean shit isn't going down. i believe a lot of idols rationalise the abuse they endure because they can't bring themseves to confront the reality of what's being done to them. my point in the comment wasn't to defend SM in any way, i'm just saying that idol abuse is largely ignored unless something like this happens and we all need to realise that even tho SM is one of the biggest culprits they are.not the only one. and the reason why all of this keeps happening is precisely because fans benefit from the abuse of idols - more concerts, more comebacks, more fansigns. i find that just very hypocritical.
no subject
I would never deny that, and I spoke up a lot, say, during that stretch of time when Infinite H was promoting to the point that Dongwoo was literally hallucinating he was so tired. I think it's important to talk about these things all the time, and I try to do that.
i believe a lot of idols rationalise the abuse they endure because they can't bring themseves to confront the reality of what's being done to them.
Absolutely. And just as much as that, there's the fact that for many of them, it's been their dream all their lives, they've sacrificed huge amounts to get to this point, and the sunk costs are too much to actually face. On top of that, the larger culture doesn't seem to disapprove of what's happening to them, so they must think it's just the price they have to pay. I mean, even in Hollywood, where people have more control over their own lives, you'll see a lot of people claim that celebrities should never complain about invasive paparazzi because "they signed up for it/they knew what they were getting into." People seem very willing to sacrifice other people's basic rights if they think those other people are privileged in some way, and I think that's very wrong.
CCM have T-Ara, right? I had forgotten about them because I haven't heard anything about them in a while and I was never invested in any of their artists on a personal level--yes, I'd definitely agree they may be worse.
I'm aware that other idols/groups have taken legal action against their companies, but I don't know of any who have such a consistent record of their idols having to do so. (But my kpop knowledge is limited.) SM is the biggest, most influential company and I think for that reason they do deserve the biggest backlash--which is not at all to say the others don't deserve the same thing.
i'm just saying that idol abuse is largely ignored unless something like this happens and we all need to realise that even tho SM is one of the biggest culprits they are.not the only one. and the reason why all of this keeps happening is precisely because fans benefit from the abuse of idols - more concerts, more comebacks, more fansigns. i find that just very hypocritical.
I definitely do not disagree with you, but I think that's largely irrelevant to my post? I am pretty consistent in saying that I would prefer less activities if it meant the idols could rest, that I think the way the companies overlook sasaengs and other fans invading the idols' lives is unconscionable, etc. I understand your frustration with some of the larger elements of fandom that are given to rumors and hypocrisy, I just don't think that's got anything to do with me, unless you can point out to me some times when I've done that.
no subject
about why SM has a longer record of artistes suing - i had a think about this and i think it's significant that everyone who's sued has gone on to have really successful careers elsewhere. idols from smaller companies can't do this because they don't have the same clout the former SM artistes have built up. that's obviously not the whole picture but i do think it plays a part in why shinhwa, jyj and geng chose to leave. i'm trying to think of a company as big as and that has been around for the same length of time as SM and the only ones i can come up with is probably jyp/yg (tho i'm probably wrong): interesting to note no one from those companies have sued.
sigh, after the geng debacle we all hoped SM would change, and we were hopeful that park youngmin taking over would mean a departure from the old ways. now im just scared for exo's remaining foreign members (especially yixing! god, he reminds me so much of geng it hurts.)
no subject
Absolutely I think there's something to the fact that SM can put so much money and publicity into their artists, then their artists are successful and feel that they're in a position where they can put their foot down about things. The CCM artists, for instance, have far less leverage. And yeah, it's interesting that no one from the other two of the big three has sued--though I know it's not for want of mistreatment, as the things I've heard about how GDragon (who I don't like, but feel a lot of sympathy for re: his childhood) was treated. But nothing there was illegal, just emotionally abusive, and afaik there aren't any laws in place against that.
I feel really bad for Yixing--he's been talking a lot about how much he misses his mom. I'm not sure what's worse--him being separated from his mom he adores or Luhan's family turning their backs on him. It's a very sad situation.
no subject
i don't follow exo, so would you mind telling me about luhan's family turning their backs on yixing? omg ;_;
no subject
Ha, I used ambigious pronoun antecedents--Luhan's family basically did what Hoya's family did and kicked him out, only they haven't come back around now that he's successful. I don't think he sees them at all and he doesn't mention them when the others are talking about their families. From what I understand, he's completely estranged from them. It's really heartbreaking.
no subject
no subject