Episode 60: The Rise and Fall and Rebirth of TVXQ Part 2—A Double Debut (2003-2005)
This is the second part in an episode series on the rise and fall and rebirth of TVXQ aka 東方神起 aka 동방신기. I touched on the group in my history series—which you may want to listen to first if you haven’t—but the circumstances surrounding the group’s almost disbandment and multitude of legal problems which began in 2009 and lasted for years afterwards are still contentious with fans (and anti-fans) to this day and their story really deserved proper time and attention paid to it.
I tried my best to remain as neutral as possible throughout this story and where a single narrative wasn’t possible I attempted to steel man all sides of the argument. Listeners can make up their own minds about the heroes and villains of this story.
The first episode is available here and covers the founding of S.M. Entertainment and some of the circumstances that led up to the creation of TVXQ.
Part 2 takes a look at the critical years 2003-2005 and the circumstances that led S.M. Entertainment to pivot their new boy group TVXQ to the Japanese market.
One of the most fascinating pieces of the TVXQ story is this successful localization of TVXQ to Japan as 東方神起—it’s Lee Soo Man’s Cultural Technology at work. In Korea and the broader pan-Asian market, TVXQ was a glittering idol group in the mold of H.O.T., performing Yoo Young Jin’s bombastic “SMP” songs like “Rising Sun” and “Tri-Angle" to screaming teenagers. In Japan, 東方神起 was a cool, urbane, vocal boy group singing Avex-style R&B ballads to an audience heavily skewed towards the over-30 housewife crowd that was in love with all thing Korean thanks to Bae Yong Joon and Winter Sonata.
The story of “K-Pop” is often presented as this linear march towards Current Day, where “4th generation” idol groups battle each week for global fans and trophies on shows like M Countdown but the truth is a lot more complicated. If rock band Trax had taken off in Japan as planned, would S.M. Entertainment have needed to establish TVXQ so firmly in the Japanese market? If Avex had not taken a larger role in molding TVXQ into 東方神起 would the group have seen the success in Japan that they eventually did? If S.M. Entertainment had not successfully tied TVXQ to the global narrative of “K-Pop”, would we correctly remember SG Wannabe as the top domestic Korean boy group of the era?
As you’ll hear in part 2, TVXQ’s success was not guaranteed and they will face many more problems in the episodes to come…
SG Wannabe doing what they do best: singing.
Photo of the protest outside LG Telecom against the new “MP3폰” that would not respect the DRM agreement (article and source). I believe that is H.O.T.’s Kangta to the far right of the picture?
東方神起 performing at the 2005 Avex-hosted a-Nation festival to a disinterested audience.
Sidewalk press conference to address the member rotation rumors, November 26, 2004; comments on the YouTube page contain translations.
Japanese news report from 2004 on Bae Yong Joon’s trip to Japan and the “Bae Yong Joon Fever” that erupted. Please note the ages of the women being interviewed. This point has been lost in the English narrative but Hallyu was not a youth movement when it popped up in Japan and to a certain extent the auntie fans remain a dedicated core group of support.
The songs played are:
“Mirotic” by TVXQ (live on Music Bank, December 26, 2008)
“Street's raised Us feat. Supasize” by Joosuc (from 2002 대한민국)
“Money” by Lisa
“Get Up” by CB Mass
“O Holy Night” by TVXQ (performed live on Britney & BoA, December 26, 2003)
Kim Junsu pre-debut footage.
“Diamond” by Dana (Yunho was a featured dancer.)
Kim Jaejoong pre-debut footage.
Shim Changmin pre-debut footage.
“Hug” by TVXQ (official MV)
“Sweet Dream” by Jung Na-ra (theme song to My Love Patzzi, 2002)
“Timeless” by SG Wannabe (official MV)
“My Little Princess” by TVXQ (performed live on Music Camp, May 15, 2004)
“The Way U Are” by TVXQ (official MV)
“Drive” by TVXQ (official MV)
“Mideoyo (Believe)” by TVXQ (performed live at the Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, October 16, 2004)
“Tri-Angle (feat. BoA and Trax)” by TVXQ (official MV)
“Scorpio” by Trax (written and produced by Yoshiki of X Japan; official MV)
“Konnichiwa” (TVXQ greeting to the media, Narita Airport, November 23, 2004)
“最初から今まで” by Ryu (theme song to Winter Sonata, Japanese version)
“Stay With Me” by 東方神起 (official MV)
“Somebody to Love” by 東方神起 (official MV)
“My Destiny” by 東方神起 (official MV)
“Rising Sun” by TVXQ (official MV)
“Love After Love” by TVXQ