Or, The Curious Case of 소녀시대, Especially in Contrast to shinEE

(+ LOL Sorry/not sorry if the title scared you)

In case you didn't know, "You're dead to me" is a sort of English idiom signifying that two people have had a falling out in their relationship. At least one of them takes up the notion that the other no longer exists as far as the first person is concerned. Sometimes, the person who invokes the idiom will further go and revise history (either through destroying pictures and /or memories that include the second person) as if the second person never existed or was a part of the first's life.

SM, being the toddlers they are, naturally like to go with that second method after losing artists. (Rather than, you know, being decent to the people whose talent they exploit, so as to prevent such losses. Heh)

So, with that in mind, on Monday, I went to the SM coexArtium thing to see their theater production of SNSD in concert from November 2015. Along the way, I took many pictures both of the free parts of the building interior and in the museum (all allowed; don't worry Heh)... 

One thing that really stuck out to me is that Jessica has all but been erased from SNSD's history. Her name and picture are nowhere to be found. Had I not known that SNSD was once OT9 and that Jessica got thrown out into the cold, I might think she was never a part of the others or even the company. And this is despite her having still been with SM for an extra year beyond her time with SNSD, with the company's so-called full support even after her departure from them altogether. That in and of itself was unprecedented, if you'll remember. That no lawsuits were filed either way (her against them or vice versa) was also unprecedented. 

Now, of course, SNSD is five pretending that it's eight. (More unprecedented-ness, by the way; SM is not only sharing a group that is "theirs" but sharing it four ways.) Nevertheless, Sooyoung, Seohyun, and Tiffany are by no means forgotten or minimized in the shrines. They are more than left in the nonstop loops of the MVs and making-ofs. The placement and featuring of their names and images likely have not been decreased since last year. So, it's clear that there's no conflict of label or interest in those three's being recognized as part of the group even if they no longer are anymore. But, at the very end of each group's section is the option to take photoshopped pictures "with them." And, you know what, only the remaining five Girls joined me in that picture. Why is that the only place SooSeoFany aren't included? SM obviously had to redo part of that because (first, LOL at Yuri's hair, but also,) the clothes are from "Holiday" / "All Night." You know, their song for the tenth anniversary, when the eight stood together with no mention of splitting up into different companies. So, what happened?

I have had doubts that SNSD8 would come together again for promotions in anything beyond special events, particularly with the start of Oh!GG (which, where did that name come from? Isn't "Oh!" the song SNSD will no longer sing at shows because Jessica can't pose in the middle and get grabbed by all her group mates anymore?), and this just seems to legitimize that concern even more, no?

Now, contrast this with the other thing that really stood out to me, the fact that Jonghyun is everywhere in that place. Jonghyun, the poor guy from shinEE who literally gave up on life because of everything that came with being an / SM's idol. His picture and name are included with all the other artists' behind-the-scenes photos from various SMTowns and of course with his group in their section. I don't believe that his death is mentioned anywhere. Had an outsider / non / semi-fan not known that he is no more, they might think he is still alive and an active part of the group. 

The boy died from being an idol and still, they hang him up like a trophy on the wall. Meanwhile, Jessica claimed that she wanted nothing more than to remain an SNSD member. But, just like at the Tokyo Dome "Best" concert, her face, voice, and image have been sanitized as much as possible from SNSD and SM's history. (A separate scary, morbid thought occured to me in wondering whether SM still "own" Jonghyun. Can SM still splatter him everywhere because his contract term presumably continues? Like, even if his family didn't / doesn't want his image up in that store / museum, do they have no say? Or will Jonghyun always be SM's even after his and/or ShinEE's contracts come to completion? )

I don't know. These are just things I noticed and thought about as I floated around the place. Thoughts? (I can put up pix later if you want me to, but I just wanted to get this out before going to bed since my computer is (temporarily) not being a literal time-bomb -___-)

PS: In case you wondering, then yes. He is still in the photo at the end. So, anyone can "take a picture" with a dead guy, but NOT with SNSD's current eight "active" (not to mention, alive and well) members, and certainly not with their OT9. Isn't that ...interesting?