The Beatles and Shinhwa: Similarities, Differences and 15 Lessons Other Groups Can Learn From Them (Part 2)
Click here for part 1 of this articles.
As a recap, we mentioned the following:
- Decide to stay together, no matter what
- Share one goal and don’t stop until you achieve it
- Know your role, the best way you can contribute to the group
- Let everyone shine
- Grow… together
- Don’t forget to feed your ego
Read on for the rest.
7 Support the other’s solo ventures
Shinhwa often appear on each other’s solo project. They openly said that they work for each other for free. It allows them to make each other feel they are support each other and no one will stand in the way of anyone. It makes the person helping feel a bit more needed, a bit more loved and it makes the person with the solo project feel that they have a strong support system while they are in total control of something for a change.
The Beatles supported each other too after they broke up. However, no one pursued a solo career while they were still in The Beatles. They had solo projects but none launched their own “career” while they were still in The Beatles.
8 Don’t try to be bigger than the group
This is the hardest to do. After all, you have people like Eminem who went big solo. You have Beyonce who became bigger than Destiny’s Child. They were able to prove that they have what it takes, their talent was enough.
However, it doesn’t happen to anyone. No one in The Beatles became bigger than The Beatles. Justin Timberlake was never bigger than N Sync.
In Shinhwa, no one aimed to be bigger than the group. Everyone aimed to be different. Eric pursued acting, Junjin started singing, Minwoo even promoted with a different name, Andy went into production and stage musicals, Dongwan’s sound was different and Hyesung pursued a more subdued genre.
The Beatles
Minwoo during his solo Christmas concert. Each Shinhwa member pursued a solo singing career except for Eric who opted to concentrate on acting.
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9 Reinvent
If there is anyone who can give Madonna a run for her money in terms of reinvention, it’s Shinhwa. Early on, they established that they were going to not follow the trend. When boybands were sporting long hair, they went clean cut. When others were going crazy fashion, they went for the vampire look. They always changed their sound, their choreography, their look and their approach to their music.
This is one thing The Beatles did well. They were always reinventing. They introduced so many innovations in music that are still being used today. John later explained that there was nothing else they could do but reinvent their music because they decided to stop performing live. They had to stop performing live because the fans were too loud they couldn’t hear themselves anymore.
It proves that if you keep on reinventing together and towards the right direction, you are bound to create something great.
10 Always be partners
It may be a small detail but important in establishing their working relationship. Shinhwa, in whatever situation you put them in, will always take their members’ side. They will talk thrash on each other (jokingly, of course) but when they are up against others, they will be each other’s teammates.
Whenever they do guestings on games shows or variety shows, even if they are pitied against each other, they will find a way to eliminate others first and then battle each other. That’s why it’s hard to break their bond. Their default is to help each other first.
The Bealtes allowed to many other influences in their group and it caused them to crumble. They have repeatedly denied that Yoko Ono was the reason for their break up and I personally believe that. It’s not Yoko Ono that broke them apart, it’s them. John allowed her in the studio during recordings, a place that only belonged to the four of them in their early years. The other let it get to them.
Groups need to learn that their personal lives should never meld with their career. When it comes to their group, no one else should have a say but the members.
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11 But do troll each other too
Oh, Shinhwa live to talk thrash to each other and the best thing is that they know they can do it without getting the each other upset. They don’t mind being “demystified” with their crazy about each other. They don’t mind their image being destroyed for as long as they bring good laughs.
Of course they know when to stop. Have you ever heard any of the Shinhwa members talk about each other’s romantic life or family life?
12 Fight… a lot
Kangta of H.O.T. went on record to say that he envies Shinhwa because they are always fighting. It is pretty amazing considering every single member of Shinhwa is smart, intelligent and has strong personality. All of them are leaders and they have proven that with the way they have taken over their individual careers.
In Shinhwa’s case, their fighting does them well because no emotions are tucked away only for it to explode one day. They let their opinions known and they let their anger out.
The Beatles fought too and one of their major ones was even captured on camera. It was inevitable. This a group made of four creative geniuses. It’s what allowed them to create great music, songs that are still being sung and reinvented to this day.
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13 But make sure you are fighting for the right reasons
The key lies in knowing why they are fighting in the first place. Shinhwa, as stated earlier, made the decision to stay together no matter what. Whatever they do, it’s all to make their craft better.
It also helps that they know their own roles, their strengths and weaknesses. They know when to compromise and when to stand their ground.
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14 Keep the romance going
Just like a married couples, you need to make an effort to remind each other why you got married in the first place.
When you are in a group, you need the same thing especially if you are doing well without the others. Shinhwa does one thing right. No matter what they are doing, there will always be that one point in a year when they will come together to work together. They release a yearly project to celebrate their anniversary whether or not they have a full album to promote.
It reminds them and the fans what made them successful in the first place, what else they can do together as a group which they can’t do on their own and further solidifies the friendship, perhaps the most important foundation of their career.
15 Genuinely love each other and never forget that especially during your worst times
It may sound corny but it is no less true. Groups need to genuinely love each other. Shinhwa genuinely love each other. Recently, they have been more open about how they have stood by each other through the difficult times in their personal careers. It shows their concern towards each other is real. Even Hyesung and Eric who are known to be “awkward” have admitted to run to each other for help.
The Beatles were tight and they did genuinely love each other as per their own admittance. Paul once said that at the height of their success, they often hanged out in the bathroom. They shut everyone out and found comfort on each other. When some of them were doing movies or projects away from each other, the rest of the members would jet off to keep that member company.
The problem is that they lost track of that love when the worst hits them. When they were struggling to establish their own identities, they shut out the rest instead of seeking the same comfort they found each other when they were together.
Shinhwa never lost it the friendship. Junjin said it best:
Shinhwa is home. No matter where I go and no matter how far I travel, when everything is done or when things go wrong, this is where I run to and I know I will always be welcome, needed and wanted.
