Shakes head
Hello~ everyone! As you may or may not have noticed, I have been totally MIA from this journal for oh, about half a year. Knowing full well that no one may be reading this anymore, I shall post anyway. I talk to myself in real life, so why not on lj, right? Right.
So, first, personal life. Let's see, where to start. Let's start in the present and work our way backwards, shall we?
I am now in Hong Kong, studying at Hong Kong University. I am in the Faculty of Law LL.B program, which makes me an undergrad at this age, much to my delight or chagrin, depending on my mood. All in all, I would give my life here at 6 out of 10. The pros are: food here is cheap and really good; being in a big city is nice; I have found people I can get along with; I am learning Chinese YAY!. Cons are: having two roommates (not flatmates, mind you, but real ROOMmates) at age 26 is not splendid; when one of said roommates is inconsiderate and spoiled, that makes it even worse; a big city with really bad pollution is not so great; Hong Kong U is bureaucratic and inefficient as hell; I haven't found anyone I have REALLY clicked with. All in all, I am enjoying myself, but I really do miss my good friends sorely.
So that's me now. This summer, I was working at a New York law firm, splitting my summer between the New York office and the Tokyo office. I worked in Tokyo for about a month and then just hung around Tokyo for another month after work ended. It was my longest stay in Tokyo so far, and I really liked it. I had only ever been to Tokyo during vacation, so it was nice having work since it gave me a routine. The superhuge flat they put me up in was not bad either, although I am never living in that area of Tokyo since it's too ritzy. Like, there are no supermarkets. Or any other shops, actually. All just residences and nice restaurants. The people who live in this area must never cook, and they must also not take the subway. I like to cook and I like living like normal people live, so I will look elsewhere to live. I actually really like Kagurazaka, which Nino fans will know as the setting of Haikei Chichi-ue sama. I went there because of that drama and discovered that it is very cozy and has that nostalgic, Japan of yore feel but at the same time is super convenient and has access to pretty much everywhere you would want to go. Problem is, it's an old town so there aren't many luxury high rise apartment buildings yet, but the real estate agent said that by the time I return to Tokyo for good (spring 2012), the buildings that are being planned now should be up and ready to take tenants. So let's hope I get to live in Kagurazaka! My office is in Roppongi Iccho-me, so I also looked at Azabu and Shirogane and Meguro, but these areas of town are so new money and filled with foreigners and Japanese people who come from the countryside all starry-eyed about living in Tokyo and I abhor it. (No offense to anyone from these areas). But it will be convenient for work, that's for sure, and it will increase my chances of running into one of the members of Arashi since they all work in this area and live in this area. Nino lives in Naka-Meguro, according to Lydia.
Oh my goodness speaking of Lydia, I hung out with her and omg we are like sisters lost at birth or something. Never has anyone I just "met" (not really true since we've been lj friends for like 2 years) seen me naked as the day I was born. Or at least never have I been completely ok with it lol. I wondered if it would be weird seeing her in RL for the first time after such a long online courtship lols but it was SO natural being with her. In short, I love her. (GOD i hope she doesn't find this, but she will cuz she's a stalker like that ;-P).
So, what is going on with my fandom life? Blunt truth is that I haven't followed Arashi all summer. *Ducks rotten tomatoes* Seriously, if you guys come to Japan, you will get what I mean about coming to Japan making you less of an Arashi fan. They are SO everywhere and you feel SO not special being their fan and it's just ARGH. Like my cousin was like "oooh i like Ohno-kun" and I was like "oh really?" and started talking about Uta no Oniisan and she was like "huh?" There are TONS of fans like that in Japan now and it annoys me when they are like "we are Arashi fans!" I mean now they have airplanes with their faces on them and I think the government has made them some kind of tourism representative? I never thought of myself as an anarchistic or anything, but when your government endorses your fandom, you know it is officially (haha) lame lol.
OOOH but it was fun going to Aiba's restaurant in Chiba. I saw Aiba mama yaaaaaaaaay! Now we know where he gets his looks from. She was very good looking. Very slim with super long arms and legs. Not to start any rumour mills or anything, but I would not be surprised if she is half Chinese or something. You just don't get that kind of figure being full-blood Japanese. I mean, why do you think most Japanese celebrities are either half or from Okinawa, Kyushu, or up north? It's the mixed blood, really. And just to be clear, I would have absolutely no issue if Aiba were to be quarter Chinese or something. A lot of Japanese people do have an issue with other Asians in Japan, but I am not one of them.
Anyway, I am waiting for this current storm to blow over. Even if Arashi can never return to their indie roots (rolling eyes at myself for calling a Johnny's artist indie but you know what I mean), I think when this current craziness blows over, they will have a lot more freedom to do more varied work. (Although judging from those clips of Ooku, Nino has a sex scene? IGADS! That just bothers me since I have known Nino since he was like 15, and he doesn't look much different. MJ can do his sexy thing and I don't really care, but Nino having sex kinda bothers me) Their age alone would do the trick, but right now they are under too intense a microscope. I just hope none of them snaps from the pressure, seriously.
Not to give myself excuses, but another reason why I am away from the fandom is because I have complete faith in Arashi. I know they will be there when I get back, and I know that while the packaging might have changed, they haven't changed where it matters. It's like how you can only travel and seek new things when you have something safe and secure to return to. I don't feel like I need to be watching them constantly and making sure they are doing alright. NOT the case with DBSK.
I don't even know where to begin with DBSK. I haven't written in so long because DBSK is where my focus is now, and there are so many negative things I want to say and so few positive. It's my journal so I should say what I want, I guess, but there is so much negativity flying around now that I didn't want to add to the hailstorm. But here I go anyway!
To start off, JYJ is now no longer going to be active in Japan, says Avex. I am unfortunately not surprised. Truthfully, JYJ have acted very poorly and are pretty radioactive now and it's no wonder a big, reputable company like Avex won't want to continue to associate with them. I don't mean to say they as individuals have done anything wrong but their professional choices have been very poor. Leaving aside the whole lawsuit, I don't understand how they decided to sign with CJes considering the conviction and mafia business. And the thing that's been bothering me when I read comments on omona is that most of the commenters seem to believe that JYJ have done no wrong and that all of this shit is happening to them through no fault of their own. I mean, come on. These three are adults and have been in the entertainment industry for long enough. To argue that they are innocent victims in this situation is not only inaccurate but also belittling of them because it suggests they are not smart enough or mature enough to be making their own decisions. Barring the possibility that they are being blackmailed or otherwise coerced, I think they should be held responsible for their own decisions. I don't mean they should be attacked (and I really am not trying to attack them), but people need to look at the situation with a bit more neutrality.
To continue with my ranting on JYJ, two small things that bother me. JYJ have repeatedly stated in public that they are waiting for Yunho and Changmin to return and that they have forgiven them. Excuse me? Those should be Changmin and Yunho's words, since they are the ones who were left behind. JYJ defenders might argue that Changmin and Yunho are the ones who deserted the other three but my take on the matter is that it's one thing to not join in on a rebellion (what JYJ did) and entirely another to leave behind those who didn't want to join in. All five of them, for good or for worse, joined SME of their own free will. If some want to breach their contract and leave, no one can stop them (except court injunction against them, I suppose) but those who don't want to breach their contract, then they should be free to do so as well. All else being the same, those who breach a contract are more in the wrong than those who wish to stay on. Yes, the contract might be voidable because it's unconscionable and I guess that is what the preliminary injunction said. But that just makes the contract voidable, not void, and if Changmin and Yunho decide to stay on, that's their choice. Unless the contract is so abhorrent that it is against public morals and the court annuls it, which the court hasn't as far as I know. So if Changmin and Yunho decided to stay on, that is a perfectly legitimate choice and even though it's sad that the five couldn't agree, they didn't do anything that needs to be forgiven. I feel like JYJ can express regret that the two didn't join in their decision to leave, but to say that they have forgiven them is arrogant in my opinion. The other thing is Yoochun's tattoo issue. For those who don't know, he got a new tattoo that says something like Junsu Jaejoong Yoochun forever and posted a picture of it on his public website. Fans got all stressed out because Yunho and Changmin weren't included. I think he is totally free to engrave whatever he feels like on his own skin. But to post that on a site that he knows his fans are watching (it's for his fans in the first place) during a time when everyone is freaking out about DBSK's future was inconsiderate to say the least. Sure, maybe he truly feels like DBSK was a thing of the past and now he hates Changmin and Yunho and he's been dying to say this publicly but has not been allowed to say so. Yes, it sucks to not be able to say what you want whenever you want to the public. But that comes with the territory in entertainment (and politics, and law, and business etc and so forth; I, for one, have knowledge that I am not allowed to reveal to the public) and if he's been told not to say anything, he should not say anything. The fans deserve to know how the members truly feel, but he is not doing the fans any service by posting cryptic photos up without any explanation of his intent or his thoughts. It only adds to the confusion and the pain. Unclear, confusing information is not any better than silence. It is, in my opinion, worse because it fosters speculation. If the information wall that the agencies have been trying to put up had succeeded, and we really didn't know ANYTHING about what's been going on between the members, the DBSK fandom wouldn't be in the painful, confusing mess it is in now. It's news like the screen between the members in their greenrooms at Japanese tv studios, the different flights they get on and stuff like this tattoo photograph that cause the fans to speculate and worry, and what's common amongst these is that they are incomplete, unexplained tidbits whose significance is likely blown way out of proportion. If the members care at all about how the fans are feeling throughout this (and I am sure they do), then the last thing they should do is feed the misinformation frenzy.
That is the point on which I respect Yunho and Changmin so much. Since I am a Junsu fan, I initially took the JYJ side in this whole debacle. I wondered why Yunho and Changmin didn't leave with the other three since what information we knew about their contract with SME did make it seem rather unconscionable. But then as more information about JYJ's parents' cosmetic venture became apparent, I started to look at the JYJ side with a bit more of a critical eye, and as the two sides (how I hate saying these words) made their various appearances and statements, I have come to think that Yunho and Changmin are handling this situation a lot better. For one, they have kept their silence despite having more to complain about. The hateful comments that Yunho was getting make me especially respect his ability to hold his tongue. Changmin and Yunho have not said or done anything to my knowledge that fed the rumor mill. I don't know how people felt about Yunho calling himself and Changmin DBSK, but it warmed my heart to hear it since at least they don't seem to want to make DBSK a bygone thing. I guess one can be cynical and just argue that that is SME loudly proclaiming that they still have the rights to DBSK and they are the ones who can legally use DBSK's name. Even if that were the case, at least it doesn't create any speculation. People might not like to hear Yunho call himself and Changmin that, but at least it doesn't make a messy situation even messier. Perhaps Changmin/Yunho have been holding their tongues just because SME really has an iron grip on them and they aren't free to do otherwise. Not to sound consequentialist, but even if that were the case, they seem to be doing less damage than JYJ, and I think that is worth something.
And since this post is already guaranteed to get a bunch of hateful comments for my JYJ bashing, I will just spill all of my guts in one fell swoop.
I honestly think part of the reason why Avex decided to axe JYJ is because JYJ just does not have that magic spark that I DBSK did. JYJ was making them a lot of money in Japan, but I think an overwhelming part of the sales falls into one of the following categories: 1) DBSK fans who just want to make sure DBSK doesn't fade into obscurity, and they think that supporting JYJ will send a message to those who matter that DBSK should not be disregarded; 2) Hard core JYJ fans who are supporting JYJ almost out of spite towards Changmin/Yunho; 3) those who don't really care but know about DBSK now that they are so controversial and thought why not buy something. I read a ton of Japanese blogs on DBSK and I see a lot of the first two category and a lot of mentions of how DBSK is more well-known now in Japan than during they heyday. If the above three really do comprise a majority of the sales of JYJ stuff/concert tickets, than that won't last long. Avex has run out of recycled DBSK stuff to sell and JYJ is showing its limitations as a unit, and that combined with the bad PR of having artists on your label who have reneged on their contract (much more significant in the Japanese psyche than elsewhere) is more than enough reason to make Avex want to drop JYJ. I honestly don't know what the possibility is of Avex's contract with JYJ being affected by any legal actions taken in Korea since Korea's courts don't have any jurisdiction in Japan, but if SME comes to Japan and sues Avex in Japanese court, that would be even more bad PR for Avex. In a country where corporate image is everything, I am amazed that Avex didn't drop all five of them as soon as the lawsuit began. I think the fact that they stuck with them in the beginning is because the public sentiment was so against SME and sympathetic to JYJ, and the fact that they are dropping them now might be a reflection of changing sympathies in Japan. The blogs are now pretty unanimous in taking a sort of scolding, 'They are such silly kids' attitude towards JYJ and taking a respectful, awed tone towards Changmin and Yunho. Initially, they were almost unanimously covering for JYJ so the tide really has turned.
In the end, I just wish none of this had happened and the five were still together as before. I like each of them a lot but I miss the chemistry between them. If their relationship had really changed and it really was time for them to move on, then so be it. As long as it's on their own terms. Maybe one day we will find out what really happened. As for me, I have pretty much given up on the idea of the five of them reuniting. Idols have short expiration dates to begin with (pardon my expression) and they are honestly old meat now. There is already all this talk of who will take the place of DBSK, and there are plenty who are lining up to do just that.
I wish I could just not care and move on, but I can't. For all of the seemingly cold, level-headed commentary above, what I really want to do is just deny reality and pretend everything is swell. Maybe if I have my head in the sand long enough, some miracle will happen. You never know, right?
So, first, personal life. Let's see, where to start. Let's start in the present and work our way backwards, shall we?
I am now in Hong Kong, studying at Hong Kong University. I am in the Faculty of Law LL.B program, which makes me an undergrad at this age, much to my delight or chagrin, depending on my mood. All in all, I would give my life here at 6 out of 10. The pros are: food here is cheap and really good; being in a big city is nice; I have found people I can get along with; I am learning Chinese YAY!. Cons are: having two roommates (not flatmates, mind you, but real ROOMmates) at age 26 is not splendid; when one of said roommates is inconsiderate and spoiled, that makes it even worse; a big city with really bad pollution is not so great; Hong Kong U is bureaucratic and inefficient as hell; I haven't found anyone I have REALLY clicked with. All in all, I am enjoying myself, but I really do miss my good friends sorely.
So that's me now. This summer, I was working at a New York law firm, splitting my summer between the New York office and the Tokyo office. I worked in Tokyo for about a month and then just hung around Tokyo for another month after work ended. It was my longest stay in Tokyo so far, and I really liked it. I had only ever been to Tokyo during vacation, so it was nice having work since it gave me a routine. The superhuge flat they put me up in was not bad either, although I am never living in that area of Tokyo since it's too ritzy. Like, there are no supermarkets. Or any other shops, actually. All just residences and nice restaurants. The people who live in this area must never cook, and they must also not take the subway. I like to cook and I like living like normal people live, so I will look elsewhere to live. I actually really like Kagurazaka, which Nino fans will know as the setting of Haikei Chichi-ue sama. I went there because of that drama and discovered that it is very cozy and has that nostalgic, Japan of yore feel but at the same time is super convenient and has access to pretty much everywhere you would want to go. Problem is, it's an old town so there aren't many luxury high rise apartment buildings yet, but the real estate agent said that by the time I return to Tokyo for good (spring 2012), the buildings that are being planned now should be up and ready to take tenants. So let's hope I get to live in Kagurazaka! My office is in Roppongi Iccho-me, so I also looked at Azabu and Shirogane and Meguro, but these areas of town are so new money and filled with foreigners and Japanese people who come from the countryside all starry-eyed about living in Tokyo and I abhor it. (No offense to anyone from these areas). But it will be convenient for work, that's for sure, and it will increase my chances of running into one of the members of Arashi since they all work in this area and live in this area. Nino lives in Naka-Meguro, according to Lydia.
Oh my goodness speaking of Lydia, I hung out with her and omg we are like sisters lost at birth or something. Never has anyone I just "met" (not really true since we've been lj friends for like 2 years) seen me naked as the day I was born. Or at least never have I been completely ok with it lol. I wondered if it would be weird seeing her in RL for the first time after such a long online courtship lols but it was SO natural being with her. In short, I love her. (GOD i hope she doesn't find this, but she will cuz she's a stalker like that ;-P).
So, what is going on with my fandom life? Blunt truth is that I haven't followed Arashi all summer. *Ducks rotten tomatoes* Seriously, if you guys come to Japan, you will get what I mean about coming to Japan making you less of an Arashi fan. They are SO everywhere and you feel SO not special being their fan and it's just ARGH. Like my cousin was like "oooh i like Ohno-kun" and I was like "oh really?" and started talking about Uta no Oniisan and she was like "huh?" There are TONS of fans like that in Japan now and it annoys me when they are like "we are Arashi fans!" I mean now they have airplanes with their faces on them and I think the government has made them some kind of tourism representative? I never thought of myself as an anarchistic or anything, but when your government endorses your fandom, you know it is officially (haha) lame lol.
OOOH but it was fun going to Aiba's restaurant in Chiba. I saw Aiba mama yaaaaaaaaay! Now we know where he gets his looks from. She was very good looking. Very slim with super long arms and legs. Not to start any rumour mills or anything, but I would not be surprised if she is half Chinese or something. You just don't get that kind of figure being full-blood Japanese. I mean, why do you think most Japanese celebrities are either half or from Okinawa, Kyushu, or up north? It's the mixed blood, really. And just to be clear, I would have absolutely no issue if Aiba were to be quarter Chinese or something. A lot of Japanese people do have an issue with other Asians in Japan, but I am not one of them.
Anyway, I am waiting for this current storm to blow over. Even if Arashi can never return to their indie roots (rolling eyes at myself for calling a Johnny's artist indie but you know what I mean), I think when this current craziness blows over, they will have a lot more freedom to do more varied work. (Although judging from those clips of Ooku, Nino has a sex scene? IGADS! That just bothers me since I have known Nino since he was like 15, and he doesn't look much different. MJ can do his sexy thing and I don't really care, but Nino having sex kinda bothers me) Their age alone would do the trick, but right now they are under too intense a microscope. I just hope none of them snaps from the pressure, seriously.
Not to give myself excuses, but another reason why I am away from the fandom is because I have complete faith in Arashi. I know they will be there when I get back, and I know that while the packaging might have changed, they haven't changed where it matters. It's like how you can only travel and seek new things when you have something safe and secure to return to. I don't feel like I need to be watching them constantly and making sure they are doing alright. NOT the case with DBSK.
I don't even know where to begin with DBSK. I haven't written in so long because DBSK is where my focus is now, and there are so many negative things I want to say and so few positive. It's my journal so I should say what I want, I guess, but there is so much negativity flying around now that I didn't want to add to the hailstorm. But here I go anyway!
To start off, JYJ is now no longer going to be active in Japan, says Avex. I am unfortunately not surprised. Truthfully, JYJ have acted very poorly and are pretty radioactive now and it's no wonder a big, reputable company like Avex won't want to continue to associate with them. I don't mean to say they as individuals have done anything wrong but their professional choices have been very poor. Leaving aside the whole lawsuit, I don't understand how they decided to sign with CJes considering the conviction and mafia business. And the thing that's been bothering me when I read comments on omona is that most of the commenters seem to believe that JYJ have done no wrong and that all of this shit is happening to them through no fault of their own. I mean, come on. These three are adults and have been in the entertainment industry for long enough. To argue that they are innocent victims in this situation is not only inaccurate but also belittling of them because it suggests they are not smart enough or mature enough to be making their own decisions. Barring the possibility that they are being blackmailed or otherwise coerced, I think they should be held responsible for their own decisions. I don't mean they should be attacked (and I really am not trying to attack them), but people need to look at the situation with a bit more neutrality.
To continue with my ranting on JYJ, two small things that bother me. JYJ have repeatedly stated in public that they are waiting for Yunho and Changmin to return and that they have forgiven them. Excuse me? Those should be Changmin and Yunho's words, since they are the ones who were left behind. JYJ defenders might argue that Changmin and Yunho are the ones who deserted the other three but my take on the matter is that it's one thing to not join in on a rebellion (what JYJ did) and entirely another to leave behind those who didn't want to join in. All five of them, for good or for worse, joined SME of their own free will. If some want to breach their contract and leave, no one can stop them (except court injunction against them, I suppose) but those who don't want to breach their contract, then they should be free to do so as well. All else being the same, those who breach a contract are more in the wrong than those who wish to stay on. Yes, the contract might be voidable because it's unconscionable and I guess that is what the preliminary injunction said. But that just makes the contract voidable, not void, and if Changmin and Yunho decide to stay on, that's their choice. Unless the contract is so abhorrent that it is against public morals and the court annuls it, which the court hasn't as far as I know. So if Changmin and Yunho decided to stay on, that is a perfectly legitimate choice and even though it's sad that the five couldn't agree, they didn't do anything that needs to be forgiven. I feel like JYJ can express regret that the two didn't join in their decision to leave, but to say that they have forgiven them is arrogant in my opinion. The other thing is Yoochun's tattoo issue. For those who don't know, he got a new tattoo that says something like Junsu Jaejoong Yoochun forever and posted a picture of it on his public website. Fans got all stressed out because Yunho and Changmin weren't included. I think he is totally free to engrave whatever he feels like on his own skin. But to post that on a site that he knows his fans are watching (it's for his fans in the first place) during a time when everyone is freaking out about DBSK's future was inconsiderate to say the least. Sure, maybe he truly feels like DBSK was a thing of the past and now he hates Changmin and Yunho and he's been dying to say this publicly but has not been allowed to say so. Yes, it sucks to not be able to say what you want whenever you want to the public. But that comes with the territory in entertainment (and politics, and law, and business etc and so forth; I, for one, have knowledge that I am not allowed to reveal to the public) and if he's been told not to say anything, he should not say anything. The fans deserve to know how the members truly feel, but he is not doing the fans any service by posting cryptic photos up without any explanation of his intent or his thoughts. It only adds to the confusion and the pain. Unclear, confusing information is not any better than silence. It is, in my opinion, worse because it fosters speculation. If the information wall that the agencies have been trying to put up had succeeded, and we really didn't know ANYTHING about what's been going on between the members, the DBSK fandom wouldn't be in the painful, confusing mess it is in now. It's news like the screen between the members in their greenrooms at Japanese tv studios, the different flights they get on and stuff like this tattoo photograph that cause the fans to speculate and worry, and what's common amongst these is that they are incomplete, unexplained tidbits whose significance is likely blown way out of proportion. If the members care at all about how the fans are feeling throughout this (and I am sure they do), then the last thing they should do is feed the misinformation frenzy.
That is the point on which I respect Yunho and Changmin so much. Since I am a Junsu fan, I initially took the JYJ side in this whole debacle. I wondered why Yunho and Changmin didn't leave with the other three since what information we knew about their contract with SME did make it seem rather unconscionable. But then as more information about JYJ's parents' cosmetic venture became apparent, I started to look at the JYJ side with a bit more of a critical eye, and as the two sides (how I hate saying these words) made their various appearances and statements, I have come to think that Yunho and Changmin are handling this situation a lot better. For one, they have kept their silence despite having more to complain about. The hateful comments that Yunho was getting make me especially respect his ability to hold his tongue. Changmin and Yunho have not said or done anything to my knowledge that fed the rumor mill. I don't know how people felt about Yunho calling himself and Changmin DBSK, but it warmed my heart to hear it since at least they don't seem to want to make DBSK a bygone thing. I guess one can be cynical and just argue that that is SME loudly proclaiming that they still have the rights to DBSK and they are the ones who can legally use DBSK's name. Even if that were the case, at least it doesn't create any speculation. People might not like to hear Yunho call himself and Changmin that, but at least it doesn't make a messy situation even messier. Perhaps Changmin/Yunho have been holding their tongues just because SME really has an iron grip on them and they aren't free to do otherwise. Not to sound consequentialist, but even if that were the case, they seem to be doing less damage than JYJ, and I think that is worth something.
And since this post is already guaranteed to get a bunch of hateful comments for my JYJ bashing, I will just spill all of my guts in one fell swoop.
I honestly think part of the reason why Avex decided to axe JYJ is because JYJ just does not have that magic spark that I DBSK did. JYJ was making them a lot of money in Japan, but I think an overwhelming part of the sales falls into one of the following categories: 1) DBSK fans who just want to make sure DBSK doesn't fade into obscurity, and they think that supporting JYJ will send a message to those who matter that DBSK should not be disregarded; 2) Hard core JYJ fans who are supporting JYJ almost out of spite towards Changmin/Yunho; 3) those who don't really care but know about DBSK now that they are so controversial and thought why not buy something. I read a ton of Japanese blogs on DBSK and I see a lot of the first two category and a lot of mentions of how DBSK is more well-known now in Japan than during they heyday. If the above three really do comprise a majority of the sales of JYJ stuff/concert tickets, than that won't last long. Avex has run out of recycled DBSK stuff to sell and JYJ is showing its limitations as a unit, and that combined with the bad PR of having artists on your label who have reneged on their contract (much more significant in the Japanese psyche than elsewhere) is more than enough reason to make Avex want to drop JYJ. I honestly don't know what the possibility is of Avex's contract with JYJ being affected by any legal actions taken in Korea since Korea's courts don't have any jurisdiction in Japan, but if SME comes to Japan and sues Avex in Japanese court, that would be even more bad PR for Avex. In a country where corporate image is everything, I am amazed that Avex didn't drop all five of them as soon as the lawsuit began. I think the fact that they stuck with them in the beginning is because the public sentiment was so against SME and sympathetic to JYJ, and the fact that they are dropping them now might be a reflection of changing sympathies in Japan. The blogs are now pretty unanimous in taking a sort of scolding, 'They are such silly kids' attitude towards JYJ and taking a respectful, awed tone towards Changmin and Yunho. Initially, they were almost unanimously covering for JYJ so the tide really has turned.
In the end, I just wish none of this had happened and the five were still together as before. I like each of them a lot but I miss the chemistry between them. If their relationship had really changed and it really was time for them to move on, then so be it. As long as it's on their own terms. Maybe one day we will find out what really happened. As for me, I have pretty much given up on the idea of the five of them reuniting. Idols have short expiration dates to begin with (pardon my expression) and they are honestly old meat now. There is already all this talk of who will take the place of DBSK, and there are plenty who are lining up to do just that.
I wish I could just not care and move on, but I can't. For all of the seemingly cold, level-headed commentary above, what I really want to do is just deny reality and pretend everything is swell. Maybe if I have my head in the sand long enough, some miracle will happen. You never know, right?