Thursday marked 10 years since the then five-member group TVXQ made its official entrance into the K-pop scene, performing the single “Hug” on a TV showcase for BoA and Britney Spears.

The two remaining members of TVXQ reminisced about their most memorable moments during a press conference held at the Kintex in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday, hours before taking the stage for an anniversary concert.

“In the 10 years that we have been holding concerts in Korea and Japan, we have been told that we have sung a combined 1,000 songs,” said U-Know Yunho. “I must say the happiest memories that I have are the times I’ve spent performing on stage in front of our fans.”

“Today is the 10th anniversary of us being able to perform. Here, with all of the fans who came here tonight, it just means so much to me,” said Max Changmin.

After more than a decade together as members of TVXQ and as trainees at SM, the two expressed their gratitude toward one another as long time friends. Yunho expressed his hopes and expectations that the two would become legendary Korean artists, like Cho Young-pil and Insooni. He said he looked forward to the day where they can celebrate their 20th anniversary.

“A few years back I remember performing a show at the Jamsil Stadium during our SM Town concert,” the two of us were on a wire and were lifted off the stage and flying around the stadium; we were nervous and we held onto each other’s hands tightly,” said Changmin. “I still remember that moment.”

As part of SM Entertainment’s ongoing SM Week concert series, the duo held a two concerts in front of 20,000 fans and unveiled the group’s new single, “Always with You,” as a thank you for the dedication of their fans. The two also announced their plans to release their seventh studio album “Tense” on Jan. 6, more a year after their “Catch Me” album.

“We’ve been through a lot together as friends,” Yunho expressed. “I am very confident in our reliance on one another and that we will continue to be together, performing a long way down the road.”

However, the two are not the only ones celebrating 10 years together. Former members Kim Jae-joong, Park Yoo-chun and Kim Jun-su ― who formed the idol trio group JYJ after parting ways with TVXQ ― are still performing together and have one of Asia’s largest fan followings.

Despite the three-year legal battle with SM ― with the members of JYJ claiming that the entertainment agency was unethical in its contract negotiations and abused its power by preventing the trio from performing in the media ― the two sides finally settled their differences late last year allowing JYJ to promote and perform freely.

“I am grateful for all the time we have come through, the love and support we have gained from people who loved us. We will continue our journey to pay back what they have given us,” Kim Jun-su, now one of the most powerful musical performers, tweeted on the day of the anniversary.

“We hope the next 10 years will be filled with laughter and happiness,” Kim Jae-joong also tweeted.

By Julie Jackson
(juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)