JtL
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | May 14, 2001 |
| Founder | Jang Woo-hyuk, Tony Ahn, Lee Jae-won |
| Defunct | 2005 |
| Headquarters | South Korea |
| Products | Dance music |
JTL (제이티엘) was a South Korean dance music ensemble formed by ex-members of H.O.T. who departed from SM Entertainment – namely Jang Woo-hyuk, Tony Ahn, and Lee Jae-won.
History
The three artists initially performed as part of the boy band H.O.T., which launched in 1996 and earned recognition as South Korea's pioneering idol group, achieving domestic sales of 6.4 million albums. Despite their popularity, Woohyuk, Jaewon, and Tony encountered disputes over compensation with SM Entertainment, receiving approximately $10,000 USD for every million albums sold. After unsuccessful renegotiation attempts, they signed with Yejeon Media on May 14, 2001, prompting H.O.T.'s breakup and causing fan demonstrations.
On December 18, 2001, the trio revealed their new project jtL, announcing an album release set for December 21 and extensive promotions beginning January 2002. Their first album, Enter the Dragon, surpassed 530,000 copies sold within its initial month. Nevertheless, their singles and music video faced bans on multiple Korean broadcasting platforms amid allegations that SM CEO Lee Soo-man sought to blacklist them. This led to fan protests targeting SM's Seoul headquarters. Although ties with former H.O.T. members who remained at SM were initially tense, these improved over time through joint appearances on variety programs.
In December 2002, jtL issued a special album titled Love Story, which included remixed tracks alongside five new songs. They limited promotional activities for this release while preparing their sophomore album aimed for an early 2003 launch.
In 2003, jtL earned the "Favorite Artist of Korea" award at the MTV Asia Awards, sharing the stage with international performers such as Avril Lavigne and Linkin Park.
On September 6, 2004, jtL appeared at the closing segment of the Shanghai F1 Circuit Opening Ceremony, signaling their expanding influence in China. Their last live appearance occurred on June 19, 2005, during the All For One In Asia - Dokdo Love Concert. Although no official disbandment was declared, Woohyuk mentioned in a 2011 interview that jtL "quietly faded away," with members prioritizing a potential H.O.T. reunion instead.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOR | |||
| Enter The Dragon |
|
1 |
|
| Love Story |
|
5 |
|
| Run Away |
|
2 |
|
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Category | Nominated work/nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KMTV Korea Music Awards | 2003 | Singer of the Year | JtL | Template:Won |
| Mandarin Music Honors[lower-alpha 1] | 2002 | Best New Group | JtL | Template:Won |
| Mnet Music Video Festival | 2002 | Best Male Group | "A Better Day" | Template:Nom |
| 2003 | "Without Your Love" | Template:Nom | ||
| Best Dance Performance | Template:Nom | |||
| MTV Asia Awards | 2003 | Favorite Artist - Korea | JtL | Template:Won |
See also
References
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