issues on so ji sub and bof

i posted below comment at so ji sub thread at soompi march of this year to give my thoughts on the following issues that some so ji sub's fans raised youngsosa :

1. he's doing more cfs since his release from the military instead of making dramas/movies.
2. they're questioning the position of bof on the issue of 'cain and abel'.
3. they've labeled bof as a money making machine and that only wishes to promote him overseas.
4. they thought that ji sub, after transferring to bof, has become more selective in doing public appearance putting the blame on bof.
5. they feel that his less reachable now with bof.

as everyone know, i very much admire one of the owners of bof and he's my #1 korean man and that ji sub is my #2. i'm was not actually defending bof but clearing some issues and wishing that fans will stop questioning ji sub's personality and beliefs.

***

posted on soompi @ so ji sub thread on march 15, 2008

Hi guys! This posting is an untidy heap of thoughts. Sorry if there are paragraphs that do not connect but I think that I also need to give my 2 cents worth of post here goes ~

ji sub’s cotract under bof is for 3 and half years. He was contracted in Nov 2005. if my calculation is correct his contract will expire middle of 2009. when the media learned that he was contracted by bof in the middle of his military duties the media welcomed the news [though I think there were anti fans who questioned his being on the news while in the service]. After more than 2 years under bof, despite some kr media’s stand on byj’s popularity I never read any doubts on the media’s side about ji sub’s taking bof as his agency.

But fans’ views vary. BeforeBOF, if my memory is correct, there were some who were a bit worried when they heard of the news of ji sub joining Dream Plus an unknown company. Then after a few months, news about him joining his current agency spread. There were some giving their approval, others were doubtful, and a number of them already hated the idea because of a certain actor owning part of bof. Fans were divided. I’ve nothing against fans expressing their sentiments, it’s their right. But I hope that they are a bit more sensitive especially when they talk about ji sub’s character. It’s painful reading posts demeaning his personality and beliefs.

Anyway, like everyone else, we all miss ji sub in drama. But I guess we have to be a little more patient. I’m sure ji sub knows that his fans miss him a lot but I believe that he can only do so much. not because, what like other say that he’s being manipulated by his management agency but because there are things that the production company of ‘cain and abel’ has to deal with first before embarking on this project.

I understand that he has turned down many good movie scripts, drama offers as well as various opportunities for this project. My guess is that he might really be preparing for this role and wouldn’t want to take up any other roles at the moment that will affect his role in C&A.

With the changes in the shooting schedule and broadcasting of C&A, fans are becoming more agitated on his comeback to the point of putting the blame on bof [even the choice of the Japanese manga which I thinks is a short project that sjs and his management company accepted while waiting for C&A resumption is being questioned] and doubting ji sub’s choice of Management Company. I’m a known fan of one of the owners of bof and I’m looking at this with an open mind and trying to understand fans’ feelings as well. Some fans think that bof is using ji sub to bring in more money. I’m sorry to say this but bof was established with a 100 mil won capital fund with only byj as its talent in 2004. the business grew by partnering with Softbank, acquiring keyeast and other well established contracts. On top of what others think that bof is using him to gain more, they are questioning bof’s role in ji sub’s career. From what I know bof as his managing company usually establish connections with producers and studios. The company or his managers work more in a supportive role, counsel talent concerning professional matters, long-term plans and personal decisions which may affect their artist career moves. In other words, the company guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry and that the artist is the only one who can get the job because of his talent. [sort of a mutual understanding, i look for a project for you show your talent to them] Likewise, the management company’s cut to the professional fee of the artist is only about 10%-20%, which leaves a big chunk of share to the artist.

No matter what ji sub’s management company does there are fans who will never be happy. Fans were outraged he got paired off with a newbie in a cf that is being praised for its cute concept. Or they will not be pleased that he’s doing cfs one after the other without taking into consideration that even before joining the military he had only done mediocre cfs. They won’t feel grateful that he’s been in magazine covers almost every month. And they will whine, if they don’t hear or read anything about him. Where do you think his management agency stands when they know that others are grateful with some developments too?

It's important to remember that when a company signs an artist it is the role of the company to promote his talent and that the talent expects that his company will give him good quality projects be it in print, tv, or big screen.

a number of fans are also questioning ji sub’s personality. Sjs is sjs and I don’t think that there is anyone who can change him except himself. I believe he’s the kind of person who cannot be manipulated and dictated upon. If ji sub is to be pushed around, do you think that he’ll be able to perform well if his heart is not 100% into the project? For an artist to do that, I believe that it’ll be hard and will greatly affect his performance.

Ji Sub has worked hard and holds fast to his beliefs and do not take the easy way out. If he’s not what I think he is like what I’ve written above, he’s not the sjs that I’ve known in 2004.

I remember what sjs said in one article when he was asked why he joined bof, he said that he believes in the vision of bof as well as he feels that bof is a comfortable and a trustworthy agency. And by saying this, the CEO of bof said that their role in ji sub’s career is to give him all the assistance he will need. Btw, for those who might not know it, ji sub have brought with him under bof a few of his managers from his previous agency. from the former agency of Ji Sub, I guess he had moved on. And I guess as fans we should also move on and stop looking back, complaining and comparing. There may things that he also misses from his former agency and there are stuffs as well that he likes in the new agency. Also, there are things that we don’t know. Fans need to be very very understanding in the changes that are happening. We cannot compare apples to apples. There are exceptions.