Hangeng Documentary "Youth : The Best of Times" (Eng. Sub)

[mingsunni.livejournal.com]

This is a documentary about Hangeng's childhood, about the hard times he faced while at dance school, signing with SME and promoting with Super Junior, his suicidal thoughts, and how and why he ultimately left.

For reference, 1 yuan is about 15 cents USD. Hangeng was basically living off of $35-40 a month for a large portion of his life. His school fees jumped from ~$80 USD to $1300.

And why he ultimately left. This didnt really get into too much detail. From what I've heard, he did try to get CF/acting gigs, but SME would always try to tack on additional members of SJ-M. SME didn't allow him to get any deals by himself (and he had the offers), when other members could.

Source: Youtube.

edit: I switched the videos. The first was a shortened 30 minute version, this is 45 minutes and much higher quality.

Comments

[chikage-chan.livejournal.com]

I can't even begin to explain how happy i was when he left. He deserved way better than what SME did to him, that kind of life was killing him in so many different ways...

Bb deserves all the best in the world and I'm really proud of what he accomplished in these past 3 years post lawsuit ^.^

Anyway, i really hope SME has changed the way they treat their foreign (specially the chinese) trainees/artists. I've heard some nasty rumours regarding EXO's China line being bullied pre-debut, and while i really hope that they are not true, sadly i cant bring myself to dismiss the possibility 100%, specially after what happened to Geng... >.<

[rennehollic.livejournal.com]

from what I "know" the EXO's China line was bullied a lot, especially Tao but Kris stepped down and demanded respect, that's why all EXO members respect him so much. but again, this is a rumor, I don't know...

[hipployta.livejournal.com]

They tried to hold him back after it became apparent how popular he was...*sigh*

I'm just glad Geng is free and happy now.

He said Heechul is still his best friend previously so I hope all is well with SuJu too.

Considering Heechul has photographed himself with Jaejoong and mentions Geng on the radio I believe it (25 days until Heechul is discharged)

I also hope things improved within SM after he and JYJ left

[caramelorchoco.livejournal.com]

i feel like hangeng's departure happened for a reason, and it happened for the good of everybody involved.

hangeng got what he wanted, (and imo deserved) and it was a huge slap in the face for SM regarding their management with their artists

i think hangeng's departure rly did make suju members themselves think about everything about their work too. hopefully they've learnt a lot from this experience

really happy for hangeng tho! :D so happy he'll be in transformers, although there is no way i'm watching that trainwreck of a movie franchise anymore after the 2nd film

[martha-sal.livejournal.com]

mte

[caramelorchoco.livejournal.com]

i really do hope SJ gets an opportunity to document a more laid back account of their lives before and after debut and the struggles theyve had to endure. it would just be great to see that. none of that I AM shit where basically nothing was said that wasnt approved by their PR or something

then again, i hope SJ gets out of SM's over-controlling hands all the time

[burningleaf.livejournal.com]

Very interesting. It's captivating the same way 9muses's documentary is, imo. Does that makes me sound sadistic? :O

I don't follow Suju, but the moment Neorago came I was all teary. Best Suju song ever. And the mask thing? He had to perform in masks to comply for the laws? Wow. It's apparent how happy he is to be back on his homeland, doing things that he feels strongly for, instead of following the rules around and around. The way he talks reminds me of Junsu, tbh. They both went through a lot, whether right or wrong.

[kyulyn.livejournal.com]

I still remember how depressed I was during the December of 2009 when it was confirmed that he'd leave. I have never, EVER, even for a second, blame him for leaving: the medical record alone is enough to prove that he made the right decision, at least for himself. He's healthy and successful after that, and I'm genuinely happy for him.

This shines some light on some unknown parts of Hangeng's past, and I respect him even more now. The part about the agent telling him he was signed, made him leave him work and everything behind for Beijing and then kind of just dumped him for the second time was plain wtf. It's totally understandable how he was determined to sign that contract, even if it was absurd: he was desperate. It was like he was at a dead end, and that was his only way to escape.

They still don't seem willing to talk about the incident in details... can't blame him or other SJ members though. I believe he didn't tell anyone in SJM, judging Kyu's reaction back then; or anyone else in the group/ company because I don't think he could manage if he did. Now seeing him talking about his unstable mental state at the time, I feel even more sympathetic. He could have exploded if he had stayed, which would have been a disaster for all parties concerned. If fans can be selfish and say he had to sacrifice his happiness for theirs, why can't he be selfish for once and put himself above everyone else?

The mask story makes me tear up all the time... the artists from other countries who are now working in Kbiz should be thankful that people like Hangeng paved the path for them. I am not saying any of them work less hard than the others, but being a pioneer is never easy.

Thank you for posting this... I haven't been keeping up with Hangeng's activities since forever, so I wouldn't have known about this if it hadn't been for this post. I wish him all the best :)

[nrafx.livejournal.com]

Geng bb ;;

There's a 45 minute version here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jtyy-YExTIY but I haven't watched it yet so don't know how different it is.

[mingsunni.livejournal.com]

Looking through it real quick, looks like the short version cut out a lot of him doing stuff and parts of the narration, but has most of the dialogue. I think I'll edit this version in. Thanks!

[hearttaek.livejournal.com]

Should i watch this? im not sure i want to watch it and be a pool of ugly tears.

OT Does anyone remember that time when Suju won the Daesang but all of them looked pissed/sad af?
Was it around that time?

[mingsunni.livejournal.com]

That was 2010. They were slated to win, but were told last second that SNSD won instead. They didn't win for 2009 iirc.

[yeolcarp.livejournal.com]

i really admire hangeng and all the shit that he went through. i can't imagine leaving everything behind to pursue a dream. i remember i did a research report on sm's contracts before and used him for most of my examples, man was in hell. glad to see he's happy and successfully solo now.

[xxmannequin.livejournal.com]

I don't really follow SuJu, but I was always intrigued by what happened between Hangeng and SM that made him leave. I only read some brief summaries, but this was quite informing.
I'm happy he left, and did it on time considering he had suicidal thoughts.
He seems like a great person, and his story is just heartbreaking.. From waiting on SME and being willing to sign a slave contract to support his family, and having to wear a mask on the stage (which I'm surprised I hadn't found out before, I'm grossed out tbh).

[mingsunni.livejournal.com]

The mask thing came from a law in Korea that foreigners couldn't perform on any of the Korean broadcasting channels, smth like that. SME got away with having him actually on stage sometimes if he wore a mask, sometimes he was completely swapped out with a random backup dancer.

[rennehollic.livejournal.com]

I had no idea he had gone through so much and I had no idea his mental state was so severe that he actually thought about commiting suicide.
but like we say, everything happens for a reason, and maybe if he didn't went through what he did he wouldn't be where he is! he deserves everything and more!

[twinkystar16.livejournal.com]

he had so much difficulties,i'm glad he left SM as keep being a part of it was killing him
he made a life-changing decision but i felt that it's the best choice for him,he's much happier now
no one should be under a slave contract so i'm glad that he stands up for himself

[honeyfunnybunny.livejournal.com]

I have to pause every 5 minutes cause I keep wanting to tear up...
I just... yeah. It's so difficult to understand what he went through, and then I think back to that goofy laugh of his he always proudly shows off infront of cameras and I just.. yeah.

I'm just so proud he's here today. He got everything he wanted, and while the road was really rocky, he did. I have so much love and respect for him and I just feel that him leaving sment was the best thing tbh. I remember when he came out with his first solo and just looked absolutely AMAZING. So healthy and youthful again, and ugh. I just hope he'll only face happy things from now tbh, he deserves nothing but the best.

[atelierlune.livejournal.com]

;~;

[rikayla.livejournal.com]

i want a 45 mins documentary on zhang liyin too. hope she leaves this rotten company and sign with warner music, UMG or sony music or something. she's been at SM for yeaaaars, been away from her family for years, been bullied by SNSD members while in training. she's had absolutely nothing, ugh. and her contract doesn't expire for another 2 or 3 years, i think.

[tag-traumer.livejournal.com]

Gurl 45 minutes is not long enough. Lol. I want an interview where she was being completely honest on what happened behind the scene in sme. Well we can only get that if she leaves the company and I don't think that will happen anytime soon :(

She'll probably have the interview when I'm already old and wrinkly with grey hairs with my eleven cats ;A;

[kwaiirosesilent.livejournal.com]

tbh, i remember when the news first broke out and I was heartbroken. but thinking back, it really was for the best. What I really want to know is how it affected the boys' relationship. I know Heechul still mentions him now and again, but other than that, there's never been real public interactions. Idc who manages them or even what activities they're doing, the main draw to SuJu for me and always has been is the brotherhood they have and how in the end, they're just a bunch of kids fooling around.

[caribgirl98.livejournal.com]

Anytime Han Geng or SJM even appear to be near the same venue or event....SJM pulls out or has some other activity all of a sudden. They have never interacted in public since the night Han Geng left. The closest we got was Geng and EXO being at some events together.

[hugtimes.livejournal.com]

no my poor bb ;~;
i cried through this entire video and i'm just so happy that he's out of that place and that he seems so much happier nowadays.

[jazzy4heard.livejournal.com]

I think I dont want to watch, I might end up crying... so I'll just try to get glimpses of it by reading your comments..
end 2009-early 2010 was such a sad period for SJ fans.. we were so happy when Sorry Sorry won the Daesang, and then BAM!! Hangeng left and Kangin was involved in that accident..
the Daesang performance was the last Hangeng performance (cmiiw) with SJ, and rewatching that only brings so much emotion..

Anyway, I'm glad that Hangeng has been successful.. I kinda doubted him when he launched his first solo album, because he barely had lines in SJ.. but yeah, Gengfans made it possible for him.. keep up the good work, Geng!! it was a great decision to leave..

And I'm sure he still keeps in touch with SJ members, at least Heechul.. there sure were some sore points with some members, but at least SJ & Hangeng are sincere (or I'd like to think they are?) when mentioning each other..

also on a side note, despite (maybe) being held back by SM, I like how SJ members sometimes stand for themselves regardless SM situation.. They can throw critics at SM (like that "eat food" tweets), Eunhyuk & Heechul still hang out with Junsu & Jaejoong and not hiding it.. I guess after Hangeng left, SM learns a little, like okay, SJ is still their puppet, but they have losen 1 or 2 strings to make space for SJ moving to their own accord..

[bunica1990.livejournal.com]

Watching right now, but I'm so scared. I'll be a mess when it's over.

[almightykuzon.livejournal.com]

Wow, he's such an inspiration. I'm so happy that everything turned out well for him in the end. :')

[caribgirl98.livejournal.com]

What struck me was why he had to get his identity card? He had to beg it off the manager so he could get on a plane and run off? Make up some excuse as to why he needed his own ID? Why can't members hold their own identification? It seems so sinister....you can't make a move or go anywhere without some SM manager or SM. Like you are prisoner or something...

[mingsunni.livejournal.com]

That part really bothered me too :\ It sounds like they were holding Hangeng's (and everyone's) ID/passports hostage.

[jewelry-flower.livejournal.com]

I am not a Suju fan, so I just watched this show for the information. I pity HanGeng because he had been through so much. There were a lot of shitty deals for him with SM contract, in addition to all of the unfair things such as the mask and his salary.

At the same time, I don't agree with the fact that he struggled by himself and did not share it with his members. Even though I assume that their relationships are purely co-worker in the same band, his members deserve to be informed beforehand because that's how we do teamwork.

Moreover, I keep asking a question. Why did JYJ and HanGeng feel the need to get out, but their band mates are still keeping their contracts with SM. HoMin and the rest of Suju. If we judge on HanGeng case only, considering the fact that he's Chinese, then HenMi are practically foreign members of the group too. I remember Henry used to say that he thought about his path as a singer, but he still feels thankful that SM gives him what he wants. I feel like Henry gets hurt not because of the company itself but the only13 thing, and this is a different story.

However, I do feel like after JYJ and HanGeng, the situation is better for all of SM artists. From Soshi until EXO, I feel like they are treated better than before. They have more vacations and I feel like they get paid better? As a Jjong stan, who basically does nothing except group projects and sometimes sings OST and he can live quite comfortably, plus trolling on Twitter, I guess SHINee members are quite ok. S9 and f(x) seem to have their own things to do as well. I will not say anything about EXO because they are new.

I also feel quite bad for people like The Grace, TRAX and Zhang Liyin. All of them deserve better. At least TRAX and ZLY do. The Grace have their own careers so it's not that bad for them.

[stoppedclock321.livejournal.com]

From the way that Han Geng and the members have both talked about his leaving, he kind of felt like he could never relate 100% to them but they felt like he didn't confide it all to them ('if he'd talked to us, we would've listened') kind of thing. The SJ members haven't said anything specific, but it sounds like they were all blind-sided by his decision. And some SJ members are actually pretty close afaik, they spend their free time and vacation together (KyuWookHyuk all over Europe~).

I feel like the decision to stay with SM is/was a personal choice for DBSK. It doesn't look like any other SJ members have had thoughts of leaving (or else they wouldn't have extended their contracts). But everyone has/had a different situation, so it's not really fair for us (when we know next to nothing) to judge them, I think.

About the other groups - if anything, I'd say f(x) gets forgotten/not-handled-well in comparison to the other headliners, but they're done well compared to those three. TRAX is in the military, but The Grace is a shame - they were so talented! ZLY has been in the SM dungeon for years and years and I have absolutely no idea what her story is. I'd love to hear it though.

[unicornios.livejournal.com]

I'm just glad that he seems really happy now <3

[alleybetwixt.livejournal.com]

Glad to see Hangeng looking great. He looks so healthy and happy now. I haven't paid any attention to his activities in China, but he seems to be doing pretty well for himself.

Of course, I wish there were more details about what was happening in SM leading up to him leaving. 2009 was a chaotic year. I remember it being telling that JYJ got results from the courts in their favor in October... less than a month later, Hangeng got the hell outta there. If I had been in his place, that would have been the ideal precedent to prove that, yes, he could GTFO cleanly.

Like so many others, I crave a tell-all from the artists. All of them. It would be incredibly fascinating to have a focused and detailed documentary/biography of SM's 2nd generation: BoA, DBSK, Trax, CSJH, SUJU, SNSD, etc... their individual stories growing up, and how they were woven together during training and in their eventual groups. It'll probably never happen, but damn it would be so interesting. A lot of those kids were really poor/under-privileged compared to the current generation and I think it's pretty clear that SME took advantage of that.

[guitarchic11292.livejournal.com]

Your last sentence is why I dislike some people saying "they shouldn't have signed the contract if they didn't like it." Aside from the fact that most are children when they sign on as trainees, it doesn't seem like some of them had many options. If someone told me I could make a better life for myself while doing what I love... I'd probably sign anything, tbh.

[tag-traumer.livejournal.com]

Seeing him in this interview made me almost teary. I miss him as a suju member, sj-m leader but his happiness is most important. to see him happy now made me happy too. You go, Geng! :')