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Battle of the bands: TVXQ versus JYJ

By Han Sang-hee

Boy band TVXQ is returning to the pop scene, or at least two of the remaining members are, to be exact.

The group's agency SM Entertainment announced TVXQ's comeback plans on the band's website (http://tvxq.smtown.com) Tuesday, saying that the group was "returning to fans in 2011".

"SM Entertainment has refrained from the activities of the two members U-Know and Changmin during the past year after the departure of the other three members. We have waited a long time dreaming of bringing back TVXQ and also thinking about the fans that have been waiting for so long", the agency wrote.

It added that they believed that TVXQ must work under the agency and that the other three members, who created their own group JYJ in October, have not given any answers regarding SM's offer for TVXQ.

"We have decided to carry on TVXQ for U-Know and Changmin, the two members who have never given up their dreams, and also for the group itself that we have strived so hard to protect", it said.

Fans may be excited, but the inevitable question is: Will the two-member group pick itself up and relive the band's glory days?

At the moment, the two members are a bit late in the race. U-Know and Changmin certainly have been out of the loop for the past months, while their former co-members have been extremely busy. JYJ held successful showcases both in Korea and in the United States and also inked a deal with Warner Brothers Records for their U.S. debut with new album "The Beginning", the first Korean band to do so.

With all the hype and high expectations headed toward the three-member group, it seems the two-man TVXQ will have to bring something particularly special to impress fans and the music industry, but SM Entertainment remains firm on supporting the group as much as they can, wrapping up the announcement by saying that they will "defend the group" and do their best to help them get back on track.

For music fans, January will be an interesting month, as it will signal the start of the clash between two of the most talked about pop groups in Korea. Let the battle begin.

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