It is never easy to debut as an idol, and for decades, artists have been sharing the hardships of the industry, especially when they first debuted. One group that truly went through the hardships was TVXQ who debuted under SM Entertainment in 2003.
The original lineup of TVXQ | SM Entertainment
Throughout the group’s careers, the idols had very different journeys, which saw many of the members leave. Two of those were Kim Jaejoong and Kim Junsu.
Recently, Junsu joined Jaejoong on his show Jaefriends for the season finale. While Jaejoong has had great interactions with all the guests, there was a special bond between the two that could only come through being close for so long.
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Of course, the two idols had so many stories to tell about their time in the group, and it showcased the hardships of the industry.
The two idols revealed that, looking back, they were extremely “poor.” It isn’t uncommon for idols to not receive any pay when they first debut, and for others, it takes much longer.
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They shared a story when the members were all returning home and the members wanted food, but none of them even had ₩500 KRW (about $0.38 USD) on them.
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Jaejoong then shared the excitement after revealing that one member had ₩300 KRW (about $0.23 USD) so that they could actually buy something to share.
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Junsu added that because of their low funds, they shared everything and anything they could.
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When the group first debuted, K-Pop wasn’t as globally known, and there was no internet so fans couldn’t even call out companies for not treating idols right. Considering all the hard work the members did, the fact they didn’t even have enough money for food showcases the harsh reality idols face.
