I don't understand this deal between EXO and SM

I know nothing about contracts but maybe it is a condition given they are still somehow managed by SM as a group.

Maybe SM is willing to let them promote solo as long as they are not doing it under another established agency.

I thought each member had to establish their own company but SC proved it is not the case.

Maybe they are opening their own companies because opening with another artist might lead to conflict in the planning and promotions in general.

Maybe they want to truly fly solo and see how far they can go on their own.

all the other Korean members except D.O. renewed in December 2022, that was just a condition they made SM agree to if they wanted them to renew.

Whereas, D.O. is signing to a new agency made by a longtime SM exec, it's very similar but not quite the same. He won't actually be the CEO of this company. He chose a familiar situation but it's a different deal than all the other Korean members are on.

Quote from sveznalica

I am not talking about that, I am talking about exo and SM agreement that thye can leave SM (peacefully I guess) only if they move to a company established by members themselves.

I think SM just did that because they know the financial risk involved in each member starting their own individual company. They probably made that condition precisely because they knew most of the members would be wary about doing it; and as such be more likely to just stay with SM.

Quote from sveznalica

And this is what I don't understand, moving to better company is industry standard

This is a crazy take: maybe EXO are the ones who don't want to be under another company, SM is enough

Quote from soshilovelife

This is a crazy take: maybe EXO are the ones who don't want to be under another company, SM is enough

That can be a choice made afterwards but to bake it in a contract is coercion by SM lol. Whether they make their own company or join another shouldn’t be dictated by a contract. That’s definitely SM’s stupid shitty central freak nature rearing it’s ugly head.

Quote from redcurtain

all the other Korean members except D.O. renewed in December 2022, that was just a condition they made SM agree to if they wanted them to renew.

Whereas, D.O. is signing to a new agency made by a longtime SM exec, it's very similar but not quite the same. He won't actually be the CEO of this company. He chose a familiar situation but it's a different deal than all the other Korean members are on.

It’s literally called SOOSOO agency what are you on about? “Owning” is a weird word here I think the clause is they can’t join established agencies. SOOSOO is brand new so Kyungsoo’s clause is exactly the same as everyone else’s.

Really? We don't know the content of the contract. This is pure speculation. Must we go there?

If D.O.'s company is for acting and the others are for music....maybe that's the difference in terms of contracts?

Quote from sveznalica

Okay lawsuits aside, I simply don't understand why the only option for exo members to leave SM is if they establish their own companies?

Infamous saying says if you leave SM peacefully they will let you go.

So okay lets say SM has beef with CBX but Kyungsoo, Sehun and Chanyeol never sued SM so why this reasoning applies to them too? Tons of SM idols left SM for different agencies so why is that a problem for exo??? They were with that company for 12 years, they did that mandatory 7+3+2.

I don't get it.

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All I can think of is that there's a non-compete clause in their contract if they want to continue on as Exo. That way, SM gets to control their music career even outside SM because if they are Exo, SM automatically gets a cut which makes it difficult to sign to another label to do music if they are still signed to SM.

So I guess it's easy if they want to do other things like acting but not music.

Honestly, this now makes so much sense why Snsd Tiffany and Seohyun never released music in Korea even after leaving SM even though they are main vocalists and yet they still take vocal lessons. They can't do music outside SM in Korea and probably in Asia because they are still Signed to SM as Snsd and doing music requires signing to a music label which can lead to breaching the contract.

So for Exo to be free, they have to live the name Exo and leave SM.

It's so sad.

Quote from sveznalica

And this is what I don't understand, moving to better company is industry standard

A better company means competition with SM (coz the idols make SM what it is) while individual companies don't mean sh*t as they are easy to covk block, sabotage and destroy.

I'm learning that this is how SM and other Kpop labels keep the idols they've made from growing and competing with those still in the company. SM can't give them a chance to leave and become huge competitors or make huge money for another label when SM made them what they are.

Quote from ISaidISaid

That can be a choice made afterwards but to bake it in a contract is coercion by SM lol. Whether they make their own company or join another shouldn’t be dictated by a contract. That’s definitely SM’s stupid shitty central freak nature rearing it’s ugly head.

You're eright I forgot SM's statement about SC where thy state that

Quote from sonemariam

A better company means competition with SM (coz the idols make SM what it is) while individual companies don't mean sh*t as they are easy to covk block, sabotage and destroy.

This is what I thought reading the other topic.

look what happened to Jessica. She basically "disappeared" in South Korea. Although when she released a single a few years ago she still went to a music show, didn't she? Can't remember now.