SM Entertainment founder dealing with wife's passing even as Jessica Jung's Girls' Generation exit takes centerstage; What does Jung have to say about it?

By Staff Writer

Oct 06 2014, 14:27 PM EDT

Jessica Jung being out of Girls' Generation is not the only news related to SM Entertainment. Its founder, Lee Soo Man, is dealing with a loss of his own, as his wife had passed away after battling with cancer for two years.

KpopStarz reports that Lee Soo Man's wife, Kim Eun Jin, dealt with cancer of the small intestines before she passed away on September 30. The news was made public via a statement from SM Entertainment, as posted by allkpop. Her death comes after being diagnosed with the disease in 2012 and undergoing several chemotherapy treatments. She had undergone operation in 2013 to remove the cancer, shares Hellokpop, but unfortunately, the problem came back.

The Korean site SeoulEn also reported about the tragic incident.

The official statement of SM Entertainment mentioned that Lee Soo Man has been "by her side day and night immediately after the cancer was discovered until the moment of her death."

Kim Eun Jin's funeral has been held on October 2, shares KpopStarz.

Also according to the article, the founder's wife is not often seen in Korean media despite being married to a high profile husband. The two apparently met in United States before Lee Soo Man set up SM Entertainment back in 1989. Lee Soo Man and Kim Eun Jin had two sons together.

According to KpopStarz, Lee Soo Man is the influential man behind the first K-Pop acts. TVXQ, Girls' Generation, Super Junior, and f(x) are some of the idol groups from SM Entertainment. "Whenever there are internal struggles in the company, Korean netizens call for Lee Soo Man to return to a more hands-on position at SM," shared the article.

SM Entertainment idols have expressed their condolence for Lee Soo Man, reports Hellokpop. Victoria from f(x) used her Instagram account to post about her grief over the death. Even recently removed member of Girls' Generation, Jessica Jung, is reported by allkpop to have expressed her condolences for Lee Soo Man. In her Weibo account, Jung said: "I was surprised when I heard this sudden news. My heart was uneasy. I respectfully pray that the deceased rest in peace. Please accept my deepest condolences. My thoughts and prayers are with you - she will be greatly missed."

News of Lee Soo Man's wife's death follows shortly after Jung said that she had been forced out of the 9-member group.