May 15, 2001
Fallout from HOT's Break Up: Fans React -- riceball
Tony’s, Lee Jae Won’s and Jang Woo Hyuk’s announcement on May 13 that they have signed with Ye Jin Media has drawn reactions from the self-controlled to the extreme from the more than estimated 500,000 HOT fans in Korea. From the initial shock of "I still can’t believe this." and "I’m in shock." to the latest "I still love them." and "Let’s not cry anymore." In HOT message boards around the Internet which were flooded immediately after the press conference reactions were mixed from the optimistic, "Let’s not cry. Think of this as a break. This is probably harder for them than us." to the angry, "How could they betray us like this? They said they would be together forever!" And of course there were the most extreme from, "I’ve lost my meaning in life." to "It’s not worth living anymore." But the constant in all of this was confusion and sadness, "I’ve cried from that night (the 13th) till early the next morning."
The tumult has not been as violent as around the same time last year when Sechskies broke up because many of the HOT fans are taking solace in the hope they will come back together again when Kang Ta’s and Moon Hee Jun’s SM contracts end early next year. That has not stopped the protests and criticism directed at SM by fans though. About 100 of them at about 1PM on the 14th showed up at SM headquarters at Seoul’s Kang Nam District carrying white balloons to shout out "Give us back HOT!" SM’s official website http://www.smtown.com was temporarily down in the morning of the 14th due to the great number of HOT fans trying to access it. "Let’s get back the name of HOT by boycotting all SM albums and downing their servers," said one fan. Later on that day the 14th at about 7 PM another 200 fans gathered outside the SM building and caused a wide disturbance by throwing rocks at the building’s windows and trashing the film of the cameras of the reporters there. Meanwhile SM’s stock prices has taken a stumble since the announcement from about 11,200 won on the 12th to 11,100 won on the 13th to 10,550 won on the 14th. (Note: one US dollar is the equivalent of 1,300 won) Uncoincidentally Ye Jin’s Media’s share has gone up from 13,550 won on the 9th to 14,200 won on the 13th to 14,900 won on the 14th. The HOT craze probably won’t subdue anytime soon though. HOT fans have declared that they are planning a grand scale protest/rally outside the SM building on the 20th which is a Sunday when kids are out of school.
Kim Gun Mo: A Million or I Quit! -- riceball
Kim Gun Mo who's releasing his first album in 18 months has declared that if his self-produced 7th album which was released today 5/15 does not sell a million copies he will retire as a singer and go study in the United States. Kim Gun Mo a usual million seller was severely disappointed to see his 6th album (released 11/99) sell only 600,000. Kim Gun Mo's 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th albums were all successful 1 million sellers especially his 3rd album released in 1995 which sold a whopping 2.5 million CD's a record at the time. "I felt that with the 6th album selling only 600,000 I was in a slump but I've started over again (with the new album). If I don't sell a million this time it's probably better that I retire," said Kim Gun Mo. The singing star even already made up his mind to go to New York where he has several friends to study music there if he fails. But he's confident that his 7th album will sell a million with the help of Choi Jun Young who produced his 4th album "Speed." The title track is a ballad called "Mi An Hae Yo." (written by Choi Jun Young and composed by Kim Gun Mo) The new album already has 200,000 preorders which has made Kim Gun Mo's goal achievement more likely.
May 14, 2001
Hyori Attacked -- solid07
FIN.K.L member, Lee Hyori, was allegedly attacked by a fan of the group Shinhwa. (Although the media does not mention 'Shinhwa' as the group, there is enough evidence for it to be a fact.) The rumor is said, a girl fan of Shinhwa attacked Hyori with a club as she was leaving Seoul Everland after an appearance on Shinhwa member "Dong Hwan's Ten Ten Club." Because of this, FIN.K.L fans have been outraged and demand to seek revenge. The fans at FIN.K.L's offical website and various other fan sites have been overwhelmed after hearing such news. There even is word that the two fan clubs, FIN.K.L and Shinhwa, will go at each other on the 19th at the Dream Concert, where Shinhwa, and all of SM, is not attending. Although the Shinhwa fan has made an apology annoucement on the offical "Ten Ten Club' website, FIN.K.L fans wouldn't accept it. A spokesperson from DSP, FIN.K.L's contracting company, has said that: "Fans have taken the issue a little too far. There was no attacking with a club from the rival fan. The fan apparently grabbed Hyori and due to the pushing and shoving of the two group fans, it was seen as an attack."
May 13, 2001
More on HOT: Tony, Woo Hyuk and Jae Won Leave SM -- riceball
Even though newspapers in Korea have been careful to declare this HOT's official break up that's what this press conference held at Seoul's Lotte Hotel by former members Lee Jae Won, Woo Hyuk and Tony An essentially means. One newspaper even called it a "shocking" break up. The press conference did start with these "shocking" words: "With regret to the HOT fans the three of us have decided to go our separate way." That separate way being a two album contract signed on May 11 with Ye Jin Media worth about 3 uk won or about $230,000 for each of the 3 members. Chances are they will form a new 3 member group under a different name. That name has not been decided on yet. It is rumored that they are targeting a fall release for the first album. So in essence there will be "3 HOT albums" turned out by this fall: the 3 member group's, Kang Ta's solo album, and Hee Jun's solo album. Kang Ta and Hee Jun who are under contract with SM until Jan. 2002 are supposed to have their solo albums out by the end of July. Near the end of the press conference the 3 did give hope on a HOT reunion when they said that they will meet their fans again as a 5 member group and pleaded them to wait until then. Are they hoping that when Hee Jun's and Kang Ta's SM contracts end that they will join them at Ye Jin? Or was it said to just calm down the franatic HOT fans? Those last words could be interpreted in various ways since both Hee Jun and Kang Ta did not know about the conference for the 3 said they could not be reached.
H.O.T Officially Breaks Up -- solid07
Former H.O.T members held a news conference yesterday (5.12.01 USA time) to annouce their leaving of SM Entertainment. The three former members, Jang Woo Hyuk, Tony Ahn, and Lee Jae Won held the conference to announce that they have signed a contract with Ye Jin Media for the terms of two albums. Obviously, the three will be together but not under the name of H.O.T. The three plan to release their first album later this year and is currently going to be in the States working on it. They have said, even though the 5 are not together as H.O.T, the 5 will be friends forever. News from SM is the three didn't approach SM with the talks of moving to a different company. SM says they have been waiting for their decision, and has said, "It is sad to hear the news; who can't say the reason was clearly about the money."
May 12, 2001
Baby VOX to Tour China -- riceball
Korean female group Baby VOX who’s fifth album is due out in early June will tour China this July holding concerts in 7 different Chinese cities. Baby VOX, who along with NRG, Ahn Jae Wook and HOT are showing Kpop resiliency in international waters by starting a Kpop craze of sorts in China in the past couple of years, will try to stage the most aggressive concert tour by a Korean group in China to date. The tour will begin on July 7 and will include stops in Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing. Also Baby VOX who have 50 fan clubs comprising five million fans in China including "Forever Baby VOX," "Super Fans," and "VOX 5" will try to "unite" them all in a grand scale in the upcoming tour.
*Follow up note: Baby VOX 5 scheduled to be released in the first week of June will see the members in a much more mature setting. Besides the title track "Game Over" the album will have at least one song written by each of the 5 members including Kan Mi Youn’s "Majimak Sun Mool," Kim EZ’s "Boodi," Lee Hee Jin’s "The One," Yoon Eun Hye’s "To Angel" and Shim Eun Jin’s "Prologue" for a total of 15 tracks.
Results of Last Poll -- solid07
Who's your favorite in SM?
Total Votes = 357
1) HOT = 101
2) SES = 89
3) Fly to the Sky = 75
4) Shinhwa = 51
5) Boa = 41
1TYM's heavily anticipated 3rd album album slated to be out in August/September is said to be going "truly" 1TYM. Members Teddy and Song Baek Kyung will be producing it themselves with the new album expected to showcase their writing and composing abilities. The two other members Danny and Jin Hwan have urged fans to be patient saying, "Instead of coming out early we want to be a bit more perfect (with the new album)."
Follow up news: YG Family will also come out with a new album their 2nd in October/November for the first time in two years. Originally supposed to be released in August/September the 2nd album's release date was pushed back due to the release of albums of other YGers. YG himself, Jinusean, Perry, Lexy, 1TYM, Master Woo, Sweety and a couple of new YG artists? are all slated to participate in it.
