During an interview with Newsen on June 25th at his agency iNKODE Entertainment’s office in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Kim Jaejoong expressed his gratitude for his current reality. He stated that as a young person, he never imagined he would look the way he does now after 20 years. He is thankful for being able to release a 20th-anniversary album without significant changes.
As he reflected on his 20th debut anniversary, Kim Jaejoong shared with a smile, “I had envisioned reaching the peak of adulthood by now. I thought I would be married and have a family, but it seems that was a distant future.”
Jaejoong made his debut in 2003 as a member of TVXQ, signed under SM Entertainment. He played a crucial role in the rise of second-generation K-pop, with popular songs such as “Hug”, “The Way U Are”, “Rising Sun”, “O – Jung.Ban.Hap.”, and “Mirotic”.
After six years since their debut in 2009, he, along with Kim Junsu and Park Yoochun, took legal action against SM Entertainment by filing an injunction to suspend the validity of their exclusive contract. This resulted in a legal battle that ultimately led to the trio re-debuting as JYJ (Kim Jaejoong, Park Yoochun, Kim Junsu) under C-JeS Entertainment in 2010. JYJ experienced a second peak of success, including sold-out concerts at Tokyo Dome. However, following Park Yoochun’s drug scandal in 2019, Kim Jaejoong and Kim Junsu focused on solo activities. In June of last year, Kim Jaejo
Kim Jaejoong was once asked about the most difficult moment he has faced throughout his 20-year career. His response was, “There were numerous crises that I encountered, too many to even keep track of. The mere thought of them still causes me to break out in a cold sweat. However, I believe that everyone makes mistakes and goes through challenging times. The important thing is how you handle and overcome these situations. I have never felt completely secure in my work, but that has only pushed me to strive and improve.”
Despite the advantage of having both an agency (SM Entertainment) and members (TVXQ), the group has not been complete for a significant period of time. Even with the addition of JYJ, I had to rely on solo activities and toughen up on my own. I did not consider myself strong, as I had always relied on the support and strength of those around me.
Kim Jaejoong shared his love and admiration for his former TVXQ bandmates. He expressed, “I am incredibly proud of all the members and their accomplishments, with the exception of one (Park Yoochun). Changmin (Max Changmin) has started a family, and the others have found their own joy and fulfillment. They are all thriving, and it motivates me to work harder to match their success.”
Kim Jaejoong confessed about Park Yoochun, saying, “I have been greatly affected by him. He is like a thorn in my side. I have not been in contact with him since the drug incident and I am unsure of his whereabouts or which country he is currently in.”
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