SM faces renewed allegations for blocking former artists' TV appearances

EXO's Xiumin questions unfair ties between K-pop powerhouse, KBS

By Pyo Kyung-min

Concerns over potential blacklisting practices have resurfaced in Korea's entertainment industry after a former SM Entertainment artist claimed he was barred from appearing on major broadcaster KBS' music show. The allegation revives long-standing suspicions of whether the entertainment giant obstructs television appearances for entertainers who have left the company.

The renewed controversy echoes earlier incidents involving JYJ, former members of SM’s group TVXQ!, and brings into question whether the so-called "JYJ Law" enacted in 2015 effectively curbs agencies' influence over broadcasters.

The artist in question, Xiumin, who rose to prominence as part of SM’s boy group EXO, will release his new solo album "Interview X" under his new label, INB100, on March 10. However, his promotional plans have hit a major roadblock as national broadcaster KBS allegedly informed his agency that the singer would not be allowed to appear on programs featuring SM's artists, including "Music Bank," one of the country's biggest music shows.

One Hundred Label revealed the issue through a statement on March 4, saying the decision is difficult to accept.

"A public broadcaster has effectively blocked an artist from connecting with fans, not due to musical reasons, but because of its relationship with a specific entertainment agency," the label said, condemning KBS' decision as "deeply unfair."

In addition to KBS, major broadcasters MBC, SBS and Mnet have reportedly also decided not to feature Xiumin on their music shows next week, coinciding with his promotional activities. Given Xiumin's popularity and strong fan base, his absence from major music shows during this period raises further questions.

Meanwhile, these same programs are expected to feature performances from SM Entertainment's newly debuted girl group, Hearts2Hearts, fueling speculation.

KBS dismissed One Hundred Label's claims as "completely untrue," and the agency retaliated by withdrawing its artists from KBS programs on Thursday, including singer Lee Mu-jin from KBS YouTube music show "Leemujin Service" and comedian Lee Soo-geun from KBS JOY's talk show "Unpredictable Fortunetellers."

Han Kyoung-cheon, head of KBS’ entertainment center, addressed the issue Friday at a press conference introducing the broadcaster’s spring lineup.

"'Leemujin Service' will not seek a replacement emcee until Lee Mu-jin returns. If we wait and communicate, good opportunities will come," Han said.

One Hundred Label reversed its decision Saturday, allowing its entertainers to return to their respective programs.

However, regarding Xiumin specifically, Han provided a rather diplomatic explanation.

"I've directed 'Music Bank' for a long time and casting decisions for each show are 99 percent up to the production staff. Ultimately, it is about communication between the production team and the agency," he said.

When contacted by The Korea Times, SM said it would "issue an official response when ready" but had not done so as of Sunday.

What happened between Xiumin, SM?

Xiumin, along with fellow EXO members Chen and Baekhyun, unilaterally announced the termination of their exclusive contracts with SM in June 2023, citing unfair terms. Shortly afterward, Baekhyun founded INB100 which is currently under One Hundred Label, while Xiumin and Chen joined him.

The trio had raised concerns over SM's lack of financial transparency and alleged contractual violations, prompting them to declare their contracts void. In response, SM accused "external forces" of attempting to poach its artists.

Both parties later reached an agreement in which SM would oversee EXO's group activities, while individual pursuits would be managed under INB100.

However, in June 2023, the three members held a press conference without their attenaccusing the company of failing to honor its revenue distribution agreements and demanding an unfair 10 percent cut of their personal earnings.

SM swiftly denied the allegations, stating that the artists were seeking to benefit from EXO's brand while disregarding their contractual obligations. The company filed a lawsuit to enforce the contract, and the dispute remains unresolved until today.

Blacklisting history

SM Entertainment has previously faced similar allegations regarding JYJ, a group formed in 2010 by former TVXQ! members Kim Jun-su, Kim Jae-joong and Park Yoo-chun.

Originally debuted as TVXQ! in 2004, the three left SM Entertainment in 2009 following a contentious split. They sought legal action to terminate their contract, citing unfair profit distribution and the excessive contractual length of 13 years. They formed JYJ under C-JeS Entertainment, with SM similarly accused at the time of blocking JYJ from appearing on most broadcasting stations in Korea.

The controversy led to political intervention, culminating in the passage of an amendment to Korea's Broadcasting Act in December 2015. Also known as the JYJ Law, it aims to prevent broadcasters from unfairly restricting artists' appearances without legitimate reasons.

"We fought against unfair practices for years," JYJ said at the time. "We hope this law will prevent similar injustices in the entertainment industry moving forward."

However, the trio revealed their struggles over the lack of change.

During a 2020 appearance on Korean educational broadcaster EBS, Kim Jun-su stated, "For the past 10 years, I haven't been able to appear on proper broadcasts. Even after the law was passed nothing changed."

It ultimately took 15 years for Kim Jae-joong and Kim Jun-su to reunite together on a KBS program, marking their return on the reality cooking show "Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant" in December 2024. They appeared without Park, who was excluded following his 2019 arrest on drug charges.

At the time, KBS defended itself by stating that the production team for each program "independently determines" which artists to feature based on its production needs, without directly addressing the accusations regarding JYJ's exclusion.