JYJ

In mid-2009, Jaejoong, Yoochun and Junsu (then-members of group TVXQ) filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment, arguing that the 13-year length and structure of their exclusive contracts as well as the terms of profit distribution were unilaterally and unfairly disadvantageous towards the artists and should be invalidated. The Seoul Central District Court in October 2009 ruled in their favor affirming their right to independently engage in entertainment activities and granted them injunction suspending the SM contracts; its ruling emphatically pointed out it was a "subjugating contract" with terms that are grossly incompatible with Korean labor and contract law.^[1] The three members of JYJ continued their activities in Japan for over half a year after the filing of the injunction until their Japanese agency, Avex, unilaterally suspended their activities in 2010 and gave its support to the remaining two members of the original group. JYJ then filed an injunction to terminate their exclusive contract with Avex.

On February 17, 2011, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed SM Entertainment's injunction against the three members, filed in April 2010 for damage compensation.^[2] In September 2012, the final decision on the case was postponed indefinitely by Seoul Central District Court for mediation under the justice department.^[3]

On November 28, 2012, during a voluntary arbitration at the Seoul Central District Court, SM Entertainment and JYJ reached a mutual agreement to terminate all contracts between the two parties and not to interfere with each other's activities in the future. This concluded the three years and four months long exclusive contract lawsuit in Korea.^[4][5][6]

On January 18, 2013, Tokyo District Court ruled against Avex in their claims of an exclusive contract in the management of JYJ in Japan and ordered Avex to pay 660 million yen as damages to JYJ’s Korean management company C-JeS Entertainment and 1 million yen as damages to the representative of C-JeS for defamation charges.^[7][8][9] Avex has filed for an appeal.

On February 16, 2014, C-JeS Entertainment and AVEX's long legal battle has been resolved. C-JeS Entertainment wrote on their official homepage, "C-JeS (JYJ) and AVEX has agreed to end all the legal battles we have had. C-JeS (JYJ) and AVEX will no longer meddle in each other's affairs."^[10]

1. "[필독] 전속계약 효력정지 가처분 신청 결정문 - 한국어, English, 日本語,中國語 Ver. :: 동네방네". DNBN. Archived from the original on August 14, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2011.
2. "JYJ Win Legal Battle with Former Management". The Chosun Ilbo. February 18, 2011. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
3. Park, HyunMin (September 19, 2012). "Decision on JYJ vs. SM Entertainment Case Postponed Indefinitely for Mediation". enewsWorld. CJ E&M. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
4. Sunwoo, Carla (November 29, 2012). "JYJ and SM finally reach agreement". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
5. Park, HyunMin; Erika Kim (November 28, 2012). "SM and JYJ Put an End to Their Long, Winding Legal Suit". enewsWorld. CJ E&M. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
6. Lee, Tae Ho (November 28, 2012). "JYJ, SM Come to Agreement Regarding Exclusive Contract Issue". 10 Asia. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
7. "JYJ, 日 에이벡스 상대 손배소 승소". Archived May 9, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Yonhap News. January 18, 2013.
8. "日 법원, "AVEX는 JYJ에 78억원 지급하라!" 판결. JYJ 소송 끝내고 日 활동 재개". Archived October 23, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Sports Chosun. January 18, 2013.
9. "日 법원, "AVEX는 JYJ에 78억원 지급하라!" 판결. JYJ 소송 끝내고 日 활동 재개". Naver News. January 18, 2013.
10. "JYJ settles 4-year legal fight". Korea JoongAng Daily. February 16, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2022.