Singer Kim Min Jong has decided to part ways with SM Entertainment after 17 years.
On July 13th, SM officially stated, “Kim Min Jong’s exclusive contract ended in late June, and both parties mutually agreed not to renew the contract. We ask for your support and encouragement for Kim Min Jong’s new path moving forward.“
Previously, in February, Kim Min Jong publicly expressed support for Lee Soo Man during his conflict with SM over management control. When SM’s co-CEOs Lee Sung Soo and Tak Young Joon announced the termination of Lee Soo Man’s leadership under the 1-person producer system, Kim Min Jong sent an email to SM employees expressing his disagreement.
Kim Min Jong openly supported Lee Soo Man’s leadership, “Lee Sung Soo and Tak Young Joon, the co-CEOs who claimed to prioritize Lee Soo Man and the SM family, unilaterally announced his departure without any discussions or consultations with Lee Soo Man, contrary to their public statement. Please treat producer Lee Soo Man, who dedicated his life to the founding and development of SM, with respect.”
It has been revealed that SM’s former producer Yoo Young Jin, who openly supported Lee Soo Man along with Kim Min Jong, is currently preparing a new agency together with Lee Soo Man.
Yoo Young Jin clearly stated, “Without Lee Soo Man’s producing, SM is not the true SM. I will follow his intentions from the side.”
With the departure of Kim Min Jong and Yoo Young Jin, attention is also drawn to the future moves of singer BoA, Kangta, and Girls’ Generation’s Sunny, who were known to have a special relationship with Lee Soo Man.
BoA was personally scouted by Lee Soo Man in 1996 and started her trainee life at SM from the 6th grade of elementary school. When asked about her relationship with Lee Soo Man, BoA stated, “He and I are like Tom and Jerry. It’s like a daughter and father. We speak frankly.”
Kim Min Jong, BoA, and Kangta all worked as directors at SM. In January 2016, Lee Soo Man mentioned these three individuals during an official ceremony. When explaining about NCT, Lee Soo Man said, “These three people probably paid the most attention. Directors BoA, Kangta, and Kim Min Jong were probably looking at them intently.”
Source: daum.
