Xiumin allegedly blocked from KBS Music Bank

[RussianRoulette]

So there is a whole bunch of drama going on right now with Xiumin, his label 100, SM, and MC Mong.

I will break this up into parts to try to make it easier?
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Part 1: Xiumin

IMB100 released a statement yesterday claiming SM is banning Xiumin from performing on KBS Music Bank.
Here is a translation of their full statement:
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Hello. This is 100.

We would like to convey an important matter regarding an artist under our label’s appearance on KBS.

Xiumin, a member of INB100, is scheduled to release a solo album “Interview X” on March 10th, his first in 2 years and 6 months.

As it has been a while since he released a solo album, our staff tried to meet with the broadcasting station several times so that Xiumin could show his fans a good stage through a music show, but KBS did not respond to our calls and remained silent.

In this situation, KBS recently unofficially told us that it would be impossible for Xiumin to appear on KBS2's 'Music Bank' and other programs where SM Entertainment artists are appearing.

It was a difficult position to accept, but we have continued to contact KBS up until today to convey the message that 'please think of the artist and the fans first'. However, even this has been ignored.

We believe that this is because the public broadcasting station has blocked the meeting between the artist and the fans through broadcasting due to a conflict of interest with a specific agency, not because of the music or any other reason.

If the unfair situation surrounding our artists continues, our artists will inevitably continue to be unable to appear on music shows during the weeks when SM Entertainment artists are promoting their albums.

We believe that it is extremely unfair for KBS, a public broadcasting company, to make this decision based solely on the position of a certain company, and we have done our best until the end to resolve this situation, but we are very sorry to have to deliver this unfortunate news to our fans.

We will continue to work to be fair to KBS, which has made it difficult for other artists, including Xiumin, to appear on 'Music Bank', and we will do our best to prevent many artists from being harmed by such unfair practices in the future.

Although Xiumin's appearance on KBS is impossible for now, we will never give up for the sake of our artists and fans. We also promise to come back soon to find other ways to create a much better event and create wonderful stages and memories.

Once again, we apologize for disappointing our artists and fans, and we will continue to work to correct our unreasonable practices and do our best to become a company that truly cares for our artists.

Thank you.​

Article Source

While a lot of international kpop fans have been showing support for Xiumin and criticizing SM, this is actually being received very VERY poorly with Korean netizens right now.

Most Knetz have been questioning the validity of this since Baekhyun, who is also under IMB100, was not banned from KBS world. Taemin, who is also under the same 100 company umbrella was also not banned either along with Bad Villain, so people find it strange that only Xiumin is supposedly being banned.
(Some people are wondering if maybe IMB100 just can't pay the performance fee?)

Part 2: MC Mong

To make this even more complicated, MC Mong later then went to instagram to go on a rant about the situation and claims he has evidence that SM is blocking Xiumin from performing. He claims he has recordings of SM's power abuse. Here is his statement:
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Your name suits you so well. Do you remember coming to my house to apologize? You’re trapped on your little island, doing nothing but barbaric and violent things. Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves as adults?

Go ahead and keep this up. Your ignorance and greed will eventually leave you standing alone. Lee [Sung Soo], didn’t you say at the law office that you wanted to protect yourself from your uncle from doing things like blocking broadcasts? But now, while cursing at me, you’re stealing everything from me, learning from it, and doing even worse things. It gives me chills just watching you.

Right now, you’re abusing your power to do something even worse than school violence. I have evidence — I’m even thinking about releasing the full recording. I don’t care if you spread rumors about me, but this time, you’ve crossed the line. You truly are sseumseureopda (a play on words implying they’re beastly and disgraceful). You’re like wild animals.​

(My article/translation source for this is actually Koreaboo because the OG article source makes you pay to read it.)

Part 3: The Boyz

This blocking scandal does not seem end at Xiumin.

A few days ago The Boyz have been caught up with drama with their fans. Fans were complaining over the fact that despite The Boyz releasing a full album there are very few first week promotions/music show performances, very few photo events/fansigns, and no artist showcase for the full album like with their previous albums.

(I would like to shout out thought that it has been clarified by some fans that the lack of first week promotions are due to reasons outside of their control. Apparently one music show is canceled that week for reasons I don't know/remember, and another music show is also being canceled due to the fact that theres some political stuff going. The broadcast is being canceled to cover the political situation going on that day).

As of right now 100 has not released any statements about The Boyz being banned from broadcasts as well, though I guess once album promotions start we will see if The Boyz are not performing on some music shows.
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As of right now SM does not seem to have released a statement on this.

I am honestly expecting another lawsuit to come up soon over this, either from 100 towards SM for blocking them at music shows, or from SM towards 100 for defamation over these claims.

What are your thoughts?​

 

[Wensuelrene]

If it's true SM is behind this, they can literally burn in hell.

 

[Beefy]

SM’s defo doing all that

+ SM can say whatever and I’ll always side with the artists (at least for contract related matters), because they’re basically the kpop equivalent of the Antichrist

 

[RussianRoulette]

SM’s defo doing all that

+ SM can say whatever and I’ll always side with the artists (at least for contract related matters), because they’re basically the kpop equivalent of the Antichrist

I feel like there has to be some truth behind it or else I feel like SM would be suing them for defamation right now?

 

[Bellamy]

It wouldn't be the first time SM block artists, so I'm not surprised. It's sad tho.

 

[Ackerman]

SM back at it again smh