Peninsula: You've been chosen here for producing girl groups.

Chapter 113 Jessica Jung: The Pandora's Box in Her Heart Has Been Opened

"The Korean entertainment ecosystem has three inherent weaknesses that have severely limited the development of the entire industry."

"In order to overcome these inherent flaws, the entire industry has worked together to achieve a series of strange and harmonious situations, which has led to the current prosperity of the Korean Wave."

"However, at present, this harmonious situation is on the verge of collapse."

"At a time when the entire industry urgently needs to re-evaluate the interests of all parties, those who have benefited are unwilling to relinquish the fruits of their years of theft. Instead, they are intensifying their exploitation of the downstream industries."

"In our words, the Korean Wave ecosystem is at a critical juncture, flourishing like a blazing fire."

Jessica Jung has a head that looks like it has two big eyes, and her eyes are wide open like copper bells.

It's one thing that she can't understand spoken Chinese, but why can't she even understand Korean subtitles?

What are the three congenital deficiencies?

What does it mean to be on the verge of collapse?

What is meant by "vested interests"?

I don't understand, I can't understand it at all.

And the title of this weekly Korean entertainment news special isn't "On SM Entertainment's Dirty Mind in Managing Infinite Groups," shouldn't we be criticizing SM Entertainment?

What are we talking about right now?

Fortunately, we finally got to the point: "The first disadvantage was that the process of going from a few trainees to a popular group was a thrilling leap."

"If a group project fails and does not receive the expected feedback, the group's activities will be declared a failure, and all the training and packaging costs invested by the management company during this period will be wasted."

This was a field she was familiar with.

A positive example is Wonder Girls, and a negative example is Kara.

The former quickly gained popularity with "TelIMe," and his business deals and schedules kept coming up. The latter's debut album received a lukewarm response, and he was once sidelined by his company.

If DSP Entertainment were to declare Kara's demise, it would incur a substantial loss.

This includes, but is not limited to, the training costs of the five members and the trainees who aimed to debut with Kara but ultimately left the company, as well as the production costs of Kara's first album, all of which were wasted.

"No one can guarantee that the idol groups launched by their agency will be embraced by the market. The shadow of failure and bankruptcy has always lingered over the agency."

"In order to reduce the risks for talent agencies, the exclusive agency contract unique to the Korean entertainment industry—the partnership agreement—has emerged."

"That is, the contract between idols and companies is not an employment contract, but a partnership contract."

The agency provides services to idol partners in the form of loans, including singing and dancing training, accommodation, subsidies during the trainee period, and support for their entertainment activities after debut.

This allows them to receive the vast majority of the revenue generated from their idols' entertainment activities.

Idols invest their own career prospects as equity and receive a small share of the revenue.

In other words, South Korean idols debut with loans, and their relationship with their management companies is that of both partners and debtors/creditors.

Idols must use the revenue they earn from performing arts activities after their debut to repay the company's debts first.

This loan-based debut model prioritizes the interests of management companies. Only when management companies can recover their costs first can they actively support the activities of their idol groups.

"I see."

Jessica Jung rarely considered this issue before.

At most, I would express my gratitude to the company for its training from a personal perspective.

After watching the video, she suddenly understood and her fascination with the company began to dissipate.

"The entire industry system is biased towards brokerage firms, prioritizing their interests and then distributing them among the firms."

"However, when a company gains absolute dominance, it's time to stop, and win-win cooperation becomes a joke."

"At the same time, the only result is that the living space for idols is infinitely compressed."

Which company's partners have to be on call 24/7, eat, drink, and sleep in their cars, rushing to seven or eight trips a day during their busiest times, and in the end only getting a 10% cut?

What?

Are SM Entertainment idols receiving less than 10% of the revenue from some activities?

asphyxia.

The suffocating words entered Jessica Jung's eyes.

Girls' Generation has had a busy schedule since their debut, participating in numerous variety shows and group variety programs in order to increase their exposure.

The promotional activities for their first full-length album have continued from last November to the current re-release.

The intensive killing schedule not only exhausted the members physically and mentally, but also threatened their lives and health at one point.

During the "Kissingyou" promotion, a collision occurred while traveling between the promotional schedule and the music show stage.

Fortunately, it ended without any serious harm.

Before this video exposed everything, Jessica Jung and all the members were united and working towards a common goal.

But the video touched her deeply, and she suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

Why are they treated so harshly after working themselves to the bone, putting in far more work than legal hours?

"The shrinking living space for idols is reflected not only in the intensity of their work and the ratio of their rewards, but also in things like the length of their contracts."

According to insiders, the longest exclusive management contracts for SM Entertainment artists are 13 years.

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"Male idols also have to deduct the two-year military service period, which means their exclusive management contracts can last up to fifteen years."

Another steel knife plunged straight into Jessica Jung's heart.

Although she couldn't understand the Chinese comments on the screen, the sheer volume of comments at the time testified to the shock of the viewers.

Her exclusive agency contract was not extended to thirteen years after her parents argued for it.

However, there are indeed members who have signed contracts for as long as thirteen years.

An idol's lifespan is only a few years, and a contract length of thirteen to fifteen years almost locks all of an idol's potential into the company.

"You think that's all?"

"When no one restricts the expansion of the management company's dominance, even more perverse exploitative methods will emerge, such as Super Junior's infinite group model."

Let's first speculate on why SM Entertainment is so fixated on the endless group model:

First, launching a new group carries the risk of failure, and the model of incorporating new members into an existing group can effectively reduce this risk.

Firstly, it can effectively reduce the intangible losses caused by trainees leaving after their contracts expire.

With an infinite group like Super Junior, any trainee under the company who has the ability to debut can be placed into the infinite group to contribute to the company's success.

All of the above further reduces the company's training costs and expenses.

But you think that's all?

What else?

Jessica Jung frowned.

To be honest, the editor of this K-pop news special has a more comprehensive and profound understanding of the K-pop ecosystem than she, an industry insider, does.

"SM Entertainment's ultimate goal in launching Infinite Group is to erase the presence of prominent members."

Let's turn our attention back to the beginning:

Kpop has inherent flaws, but its established systems have forcibly compensated for these flaws, resulting in a strangely harmonious ecosystem.

However, this harmony is now on the verge of collapse, and the entire industry ecosystem has reached a point where change is needed.

"If we don't change, chaos will ensue!"

"SM Entertainment is clearly unwilling to accept this change, intending to weaken the image and presence of each idol with the Infinite Group model, so that the idol is a member of a certain group, rather than a member of a certain group."

"By weakening the personal image and value of idols, we deprive them of the means to resist."

Jessica Jung was terrified.

She almost fell into the pit.

Others may not know that Girls' Generation initially had a similar concept, with multiple sub-units under the Girls' Generation brand.

She used to think this concept would be very interesting.

She was now covered in cold sweat.

"The only negative consequence of SM Entertainment's unwillingness to embrace change is that both sides suffer."

"Allow me to make an irresponsible prediction: in the next three to five years, SM Entertainment will face a wave of contract terminations, and its groups will fall apart one by one."

"And this is definitely not an isolated case."

"When the entire industry remains in this chaotic state without any oversight, the shadow of contract terminations will loom over Kpop instead of failures and bankruptcies."

The essence of idols is beauty, and the experience of fans following stars is about pursuing passion and positive energy.

When a wave of contract terminations hits and ruins this experience, fans will be the first to run away.

The idols under the spotlight in the picture turn gray, and the picture is fragmented, which means that the group is broken up and its glory is over.

The screen went black.

Jessica Jung's heart brightened.

Many previously confusing and ambiguous ideas have gradually become clear:

Don't just be a member of Girls' Generation, be Jessica Jung of Girls' Generation!

However, on the other hand, their group is currently in the process of gaining popularity, and it's far from the point where they need to consider this issue.

She quietly saved the video, deciding to watch it from time to time.

Stay alert at all times.

"This special feature is of very high quality."

She wasn't sure if Kpop was truly on the verge of collapse, whether it would face industry-wide restructuring, or a wave of contract terminations.

But this special episode undoubtedly convinced her.

With such a deep understanding of K-pop and an intimate knowledge of SM Entertainment, could the writer of this video be Han Seok?

"What are you looking at?"

Sunny noticed something was off about Jessica Jung and crept up behind her to peek: "Are you secretly watching Han Seok's MV again?"

Han Shuo's two music videos, one is pure and sensual, and the other is pure and sensual.

The wet scenes in "Trap" are particularly alluring and are the group's favorite short videos to watch recently.

"It's nothing."

Jessica Jung closed the video.

She's feeling very confused right now and doesn't want to discuss this topic with the other members.

"Don't you think Han Shuo is being a little too nice to us? He's already fallen out with the company, yet he's still willing to provide us with resources."

Sunny's words unsurprisingly sparked a discussion among the members.

"Could it be that he likes one of us?"

Kwon Yuri's sharp eyes swept over the members present: "Who on earth is secretly doing something naughty behind our backs?"

Her statement was a bit far-fetched, but it also seemed to have some basis in reality.

Han Shuo can't be betting that they'll become a huge hit, right?

She decided that when she went to KBS to promote her song tomorrow, she would spend more time with Han Seok and subtly hint at her intentions.

However, things did not go as she expected. Han Seok's performance was pre-recorded, and he did not arrive at the KBS annex until after the afternoon broadcast.

The crowd first offered their congratulations to Han Shuo.

With a slight increase in album sales yesterday, reaching 3011 copies, Han Seok's debut album has now sold 6.7269 copies.

The gap between them and Kim Dong-ryul, the current year's top-selling album, has been reduced to less than two thousand.

We might reach the summit tomorrow.

Even if this is only the top sales position in the first three months, it is still a remarkable achievement.

Then, team leader Kim Tae-yeon stepped forward to express the company's initial intention to collaborate with Bilibili.

"Did your company agree?"

SM Entertainment's nod was within Han Seok's expectations.

No one but him could have predicted that Girls' Generation would experience a career surge in their second year after their debut, setting records and becoming a benchmark for girl groups ever since.

Bilibili has secured a two-year endorsement contract with Girls' Generation for free, as well as at least ten fan meetings in China and South Korea, allowing them to reap a significant benefit.

In exchange, Bilibili will provide Girls' Generation with a range of film, television, variety show, and OST resources.

For example, they would buy the rights to "You Are My Destiny" in advance, making it a certainty that Lim Yoon-a would play Jang Shibi.

However, he was unwilling to pay for the 58 additional episodes the TV station would add in the future, and would have someone stipulate in advance in the contract that the additional episodes would not require extra payment.

This kind of family-themed daily drama was never Bilibili's target for purchasing dramas, and they still paid the copyright fee for 120 episodes in advance.

I'm not worried that MBC won't disagree.

Secondly, two OSTs will be allocated from the previously purchased drama "Beethoven's Virus" for Kim Tae-yeon and Girls' Generation to sing, respectively.

"Also, we will be filming a variety show next year that focuses on the self-sufficient rural life of female idols, and we will reserve at least two permanent spots for your group."

Leading role in a daily drama, two OSTs, two MC positions in a seasonal variety show, ten fan meetings—

The resources that have already been secured have already satisfied the nine members of Girls' Generation.

Han Shuo looked at Kim Tae-yeon: "Tae-yeon sunbaenim, I think I heard that you host a radio program. Could you schedule a time for me to go and record an episode?"

"Hmm? Okay."

Kim Tae-yeon beamed with joy.

Her perfectly chubby little face was beaming with happiness.

Her radio show is a daily program, so there's no shortage of recording opportunities. Being able to host a popular guest like Han Seok shows the PD's confidence.

The writers will be very happy.

She looked up at Han Shuo and said, "I don't know how to thank you enough."

Han Shuo tilted his head and said with a smile, "I rarely participate in variety shows, and I rarely record radio programs. I lack entertainment experience, so please take good care of me during the recording."

"Leave it to me, I'll make sure you're satisfied."

Time was ticking away, and the moment for the announcement was fast approaching.

As expected, thanks to strong album sales and digital music chart performance, Han Seok became a candidate for first place this week, competing for the top spot.

When one of the award recipients receives an award, the backup dancers do not have the opportunity to go on stage.

Nine people accompanied him to the stage to participate in a live broadcast of an award ceremony.

The members of Girls' Generation were already convinced that Han Seok would easily win first place this week; the only question was whether KBS would actually award him first place.

It wasn't just the nine of them; their fans and friends in the audience, and even viewers in front of their television screens, were also concerned about this issue.

Kim Tae-yeon, Jessica Jung, Im Yoon-ah >

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