MnetとSM Entertainmentの関係が悪化した理由について

The unfortunate story behind Mnet and SM Entertainment - allkpop.com

僕みたいなにわかは、単純にSNSD"Gee"のM!countdownにおけるランキングの件から関係がこじれたのかなあと思っていたんですが、実際には問題の本質はもっと根深いところにあったようです。

問題の背景を知るには、そもそもMnetがどんな会社であるかということを理解していないといけないということで、以下Mnetという会社について。

Mnet is a media company owned by CJ Media which focuses on music, media, entertainment and web content business. CJ Media is a part of CJ, a South Korean conglomerate that is one of the top five largest companies in the country. Mnet is involved in pretty much every aspect of the entertainment industry, ranging from album production, distribution, sales, management, television broadcasting, online media and many other businesses. With these expansion, Mnet has become a giant in music industry, with market share of 44% in album sales and over 20% in online music sales.

バックにCJグループという韓国で5本の指に入る巨大グループがあるため、かなりの資本力があるんでしょうね。Mnet自体、製作から流通から放送まで音楽産業のほぼすべてと言っていい部分に関与している非常に大きな存在だというのはご存知の通りだと思います。アルバムセールス全体のシェアの44%も占めているというのはけっこう驚き。

Mnet and CJ are also shareholders in major entertainment companies DSP Entertainment and YG Entertainment. Although they own no more than 20% of shares from each company, the fact that CJ is a conglomerate means the aforementioned companies are now affiliates of CJ. Smaller entertainment companies with famous names such as Shinwha, Kim Dong Ryul and Wheesung are "affiliates" of CJ as well. Similarly, 30% of JYP Entertainment is held by SK, another conglomerate that is one of top 5 largest companies in Korea, making JYP a faction with as much support as Mnet has.

DSPやYGの株主でもあります。他にも有名アーティストが所属している割と小規模な会社のいくつかとも資本関係があると。(誰かこの辺の資本関係に詳しい人いたらまとめてほしいです)
ちなみに、JYPはこちらもまた別の巨大グループのSKが株式を保有しているようです。

それで、本題のどうして両者の関係が悪化したかという話―

Before 2008, SME and Mnet were quite friendly. MKMF, now known as MAMA, featured numerous artists from SME which were given many awards. However, during 2008, Mnet proposed to SME that they would like to be the distributor of music produced by SME; in return, Mnet would receive certain percentage of profit from the sales. Mnet had already been distributing music of JYP, DSP and YG, and with the right to distribute SME's music they would become undisputed leader in the industry. SME refused the offer as they had the ability to distribute their own music and did not feel the need to pay Mnet for a job that they could do themselves (SME's stance against this was well known even prior to 2008 as evidenced here). Mnet undoubtedly held a grudge against SME for obstructing their dominance of the industry, and the friendship ended there.

2008年までは両者の関係は良好でした。事の発端は、2008年にMnetがSMEに音盤流通権を要求したこと。その段階でMnetは既にJYP, DSP, YGの音盤流通権を保持していたので、次にSMEに目を向けようとするのはまあ当然でしょうね。
しかし、その申し出をSMEが「自分でできるからMnetにやってもらう必要はない」と断り、そのためMnetは自らの音楽産業における覇権の確立を阻むSMEにわだかまりを抱くようになったという次第です。

CJ has also attempted hostile takeover of SME but failed. If they had been successful, CJ would have acquired control of Korean entertainment industry. These facts have not been well-publicized, until recent controversy involving SME and MAMA have brought the public's attention to the relationship between the two parties. With SNSD's Gee and MAMA, we have now witnessed the nature of their relationship.

SMEに敵対的買収を仕掛けたりもしていたんですか((((；ﾟДﾟ)))
"Gee"の件やMAMAボイコットの件は、実際にこの両者の悪化していた関係性が表面化して発生した事件であるにすぎなかったようです。

Many have suspected that the three members were able to act in such bold manner against SME in recent months because they were being supported by an organization more powerful than SME. With their unabashed appearance at MAMA, it now appears that Mnet and CJ might be the ones that have the three members' back. It is very possible that CJ and Mnet are backing the three members in order to win their fight against SME for dominance in the industry. If that is so, then TVXQ members have become mere pawns in a battle between two corporations.

SMEと係争中の東方神起の3人がSMEに対してあれだけ強い態度に出られているのも、実はMnet/CJ勢力が後ろで支援しているおかげ？
MAMA出席の件にはもちろんMnetの思惑が絡んでいることは間違いないんだろうけれど。
「敵の敵は味方」ということで、Mnet側にとっては東方神起の3人は利用するのに都合のよい存在ですからね。
なんかこういう構図が見えてくると、俄然この問題に対する興味が出てきました。

SME, a company now known for its oppressive, big-corporate attitude towards its artists, is ironically under attack from one of the largest corporations in Korea. Both companies are profit-motivated organizations that are pursuing whatever action that generates more profit, so there is no good or bad in a situation like this. What is unfortunate, however, is that the artists have become the victims in this corporate power struggle. TVXQ, SNSD, and SHINee are all victims in this dispute between SME and CJ/Mnet; MAMA could merely have been the beginning of penance for these artists.

ともあれ、この対立関係って単純な感情的な理由によるものではなくて、利潤追求のための企業間の競争という資本主義社会ではきわめて当然の現象の結果として生じているものなので、残念ながらそう簡単に解決されるという性質のものでもなさそうです。
音楽産業も1つのビジネスである以上、どうしてもこういう問題を避けて通ることはできないわけですが、巻き込まれるアーティスト側にはお気の毒としか言いようがありません…　もちろんファンの側としても寂しいものがあります。

で、どうすればいいのかというと、結局のところ「エンターテインメントはお金がすべてじゃないよ！」っていう頭の悪い考え方でどこかで適当に割り切ってもらうぐらいしか解決策ってないんじゃないんですかねｗ