Former TVXQ member and musical actor Junsu (XIA) has recently opened up about the challenges he faced after parting ways with SM Entertainment.
In a recent video titled “I’ve heard something…” on the ‘Yoo Jeong-jae’ channel, Junsu shared his experiences. He reminisced about the time he began his musical career, stating, “After leaving SM, I took about a year-long break and officially met fans through the musical ‘Mozart’.” This made his reunion with fans particularly meaningful. He recalled, “I remember crying during the curtain call. It was more exhilarating than my debut as a singer.”
When he started anew as a member of JYJ after leaving TVXQ, Junsu encountered significant obstacles in appearing on broadcasts. Reflecting on his departure from SM and TVXQ, he shared, “I asked myself if I would be truly happy once this contract ended. I realized that it wouldn’t make me happy.”
Junsu revealed, “I left to find happiness, but I didn’t expect to be able to continue singing. I questioned whether it was right to dedicate my entire life to one thing, especially considering my contract would end when I was in my mid-thirties.”
Known for facing many broadcast restrictions in the past, Junsu mentioned on a recent appearance on Daesung’s show that it took him about six years after his SM contract ended to perform on stage through EBS’s music program ‘SPACE’.
Junsu expressed his gratitude, saying, “EBS’s ‘SPACE’ isn’t a show for idol singers, so there were no restrictions. The producers and writers were very understanding and supportive.”
He also shared painful memories, “When celebrity soccer teams held tournaments, ‘Entertainment Weekly’ or ‘Midnight TV Entertainment’ would cover them and interview actors and idols. I did interviews knowing they wouldn’t be aired, but I still put effort into them, only to see them edited out.”
Junsu added, “Singing was even more restricted. There were many times when recordings were done but couldn’t be aired. I often contemplated whether to give up, but I decided to keep trying as long as I could. When I finally appeared on TV, I was very grateful.” He conveyed his gratitude for being able to reconnect with fans through broadcasts after overcoming difficult times.
