yHero Jaejoong (Kim Jae Joong), Xiah Junsu (Kim Jun Su), and Mick Yoochun

In a move that sent shockwaves through Cassiopeia, three members of TVXQ (DBSK; Dong Bang Shin Ki) filed an injunction at the Seoul Central District Court against SM Entertainment on July 31.

TVXQ / DBSK

yHero Jaejoong (Kim Jae Joong), Xiah Junsu (Kim Jun Su), and Mick Yoochun (Park Yoo Chun) seek to be released from their exclusive contract terms with SM, which not only means that they may part ways with the agency but also that TVXQ could disband in an extreme scenario.

According to some reports, music industry insiders have been aware of some conflict between the group members and SM since June. Suspicions were raised when the poster shoot for SM Town Live 09 (an annual concert featuring all of SM Entertaintment’s artists) was suddenly cancelled upon TVXQ’s absence. Questions arose in music circles as several other scheduled plans were cancelled or postponed.

Some are suspecting that tensions heightened due to disagreement regarding a cosmetics enterprise bearing the TVXQ name and using sheep placenta as a key ingredient. Hero Jaejoong, Xiah Junsu, and Micky Yoochun recently began the cosmetics business along with their parents. However, sources say that SM opposed the enterprise, worrying that it would reflect negatively on the group’s image. This disagreement led to other issues – such as contract terms and division of profit – being raised.

The lawyer representing Hero Jaejoong, Xiah Junsu, and Micky Yoochun stated that he could give no details regarding why an injunction was filed. SM management are reportedly holding emergency meetings in order to resolve this situation.

The two other members of the group – U-know Yunho and Max Changmin – are not involved in the legal conflict. U-know Yunho has begun rehearsals for Heading on Bare Ground and Max Changmin has recently been cast as the lead in Paradise Pasture.

This unexpected news is attracting an extraordinary amount of attention across the Asian entertainment industry, as TVXQ enjoys huge popularity in Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, and other Asian markets.

Source: Donga