Singer & actor Kim Min Jong, who was on Lee Soo Man’s side, did not renew his contract with SM and left the company after 17 years.
Kim Min Jong’s contract with SM reportedly expired at the end of June. As the two sides decided to not renew their contract, they naturally parted ways.
On July 13th, SM responded to Munhwa Ilbo’s request for confirmation of facts, saying “Our exclusive contract with Kim Min Jong expired at the end of June”, adding “We mutually agreed not to renew the contract. Please give great support to Kim Min Jong on his new path in the future.”
Kim Min Jong has maintained a close relationship with former SM executive producer Lee Soo Man since 2006 to the extent that he even became a registered director of SM. When the dispute over SM’s management rights arose earlier this year, Kim Min Jong claimed, “The current co-CEOs unilaterally cut contact with Teacher Lee Soo Man and announced a farewell without consultation. Please respect Lee Soo Man, who dedicated his whole life to establishing and developing SM.”
In addition, when the management rights dispute was at its peak in February of this year, Kim Min Jong attended a “Korea-Mongolia Economic Banquet” held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, assisting former producer Lee Soo Man, actors Yoon Da Hoon, and Lee Jae Ryong. For this reason, some raised concerns over the future of entertainers under SM who were on Lee Soo Man’s side like Kim Min Jong when the management rights dispute ended.
An insider from the music industry commented, “The fact that Kim Min Jong, who has a close relationship with Producer Lee Soo Man, failed to renew his contract with SM can be seen as a predetermined procedure”, adding “However, it’s a natural result of a contract expiration. Both sides parted ways with the utmost respect toward each other.”
Meanwhile, it is also confirmed that the contract of Yoon Da Hoon, who signed an exclusive contract with SM in 2006 together with Kim Min Jong, has not ended.
Source: Daum
