Former TVXQ Member Praised For How He Handled His Encounter With “Nemesis” Lee Soo Man

Beef, resolved after a decade.

Kim Jaejoong, of TVXQ and JYJ fame, appeared in the latest episode of Radio Star and shared his encounter with his former management’s founder, Lee Soo Man, who is believed to be the nemesis of “OT5.”

Kim Jaejoong | @jj_1986_jj/Instagram

Long drama short: In 2009, during the peak of TVXQ’s career, members Kim Junsu, Park Yoochun, and Kim Jaejoong requested to terminate their contracts with SM Entertainment—a move that shocked K-Pop fans worldwide. The three cited two main reasons for this request, one being that their 13-year contracts were too long. The other was their low and unfair pay.

The three parted ways with TVXQ and formed JYJ. And while JYJ continued to make waves in the music industry, their presence on TV entertainment programs became conspicuously scarce. Despite their immense talent and popularity, the doors to major broadcasting networks seemed firmly shut, leading many fans to believe that an unspoken “blacklisting” was at play.

TVXQ: The Sad Truth On How They Went From 5 Members To 2

That said, in light of finally being able to return to public television, Kim Jaejoong revealed that—after running into SM Entertainment’s founder Lee Soo Man on the same flight—whatever “beef” there had been has since been resolved.

Lee Soo Man | News1

Kim Jaejoong: I ran into him on a plane, actually. It was a good 4 years ago, I think.

Kim Gu Ra: Oh, so there had been plenty of time passed.

Kim Jaejoong: Plenty of time, for sure. I realized he and I were on the same flight. And he was sitting two seats away from me!

What could have been an awkward moment, Kim Jaejoong decided to turn it into a valuable one of letting the past go and focusing on the good.

It had been such a long time since all that had happened. And, despite whatever feelings I had piled up, I wanted to let him know that I’ve changed. So, I asked [the flight attendant] for  one of those postcards they have in cabin, and for the whole two-hour flight, I wrote him a letter. Before getting off, I handed it to him and… He pat me on the back and told me to keep working hard. For me, that was enough. I was glad that I had the chance. But later, I heard from Super Junior‘s Heechul and other SM Entertainment people that he had talked about the letter somewhere else! He didn’t brag about it, per se, but he talked about how he had received a letter from me. So… It became clear to me that I made the right decision to write that letter, and I was thankful for the chance.

I’m grateful for him. Yes, he and I went through a lot of this and that, but… At the end of the day, I know that I am here today because he let me debut back in the day. He’s the one who made me, so I wanted to let him know how much I appreciated that.

— Kim Jaejoong

Following the episode, K-Pop fans are praising Kim Jaejoong for doing what he did.

| @MBC_officialchannel/YouTube

• “Congratulations on the first TV appearance in 15 years, Jaejoong! It’s incredible how you never blame anyone else for the blacklist that kept you from appearing on TV and music shows. Instead, you always say you’ll work harder… I hope you really do get to do everything you want now!”
• “I think Jaejoong is SM Entertainment’s first true love. All of SM Entertainment’s idol groups included someone Jaejoong-esque.”
• “Yes, SM Entertainment let Jaejoong debut as TVXQ and got him some fame. But SM Entertainment also blacklisted him and tried to end his career, too. It’s amazing how (except Yoochun) JYJ survived those years. Sheer talent.”
• “If I were Lee Soo Man and I got a letter from him thanking me for the past, I’d brag about it, too. Jaejoong is the bigger person for being able to look back and reflect on the things that happened to him.”
• “Jaejoong is the Buddha of our era.”
• “I love how Jaejoong speaks. He’s never excessive, and he’s kind of soft-spoken. But he’s still funny.”
• “Wow, he’s so forgiving. I would’ve splashed wine all over Lee Soo Man instead. SM Entertainment idols should forever thank and respect JYJ for getting rid of the terrible practice of slave contracts.”

Read more about ITZY Chaeryeong‘s reaction to accidentally mentioning SM Entertainment in front of Kim Jaejoong:

ITZY’s Chaeryeong Panics After Mentioning SM Entertainment To Kim Jaejoong