SM Entertainment’s 30-Year Legacy Comes Alive on Stage... H.O.T., Girls’ Generation, aespa, and RIIZE All Gather in One Event

SM Entertainment held the “SM Town Live 2025 [The Culture, The Future] in Seoul” concert at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul from January 11 to 12 to celebrate its 30th anniversary. This two-day event, which attracted 40,000 attendees, served as a five-hour celebration compressing SM’s 30 years of K-pop history. A total of 98 SM artists participated, performing 59 songs across the show. Idols from every generation who have been part of SM, from H.O.T. and S.E.S. to aespa and RIIZE, appeared on the same stage. TVXQ! opened the performance with “Rising Sun,” while the group featuring TVXQ!, SUPER JUNIOR, EXO, NCT, and RIIZE with “Show Me Your Love” created an atmosphere of fervent excitement by embodying SM’s musical philosophy. Founded on February 14, 1995, by former CEO Lee Soo-man with a capital investment of 50 million won, SM boasts the longest history among Korean K-pop agencies. It established the concept of “Korean idol” through groups like H.O.T., S.E.S., and Shinhwa, and laid the foundation for K-pop’s globalization by introducing BoA to the Japanese music market. SM led the resurgence of idols in the 2000s with TVXQ!, and by continuously producing groups such as SUPER JUNIOR, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, Red Velvet, NCT, aespa, and RIIZE, each with innovative concepts and unique musical styles, it solidified its position as a leading force in K-pop. A special highlight of the concert was the collaborations between older and younger artists. Songs like “Dessert” performed by Hyoyeon of Girls’ Generation, Yangyang of NCT, and Giselle of aespa, “Villain” by Key of SHINee and Jeno of NCT, and “Bad Boy, Sad Girl” by Sungchan of RIIZE and Sl기 of Red Velvet were showcased. Tracks such as “Seed of Love” featuring Sohee of RIIZE and Hwanhee of Fly to the Sky, and “Dreams Come True” sung by Karina and Winter of aespa along with Bada of S.E.S., revealed the unique family-like bond only SM can create. Members of the SM Town family who have been part of SM, including Kangta and Tony An of H.O.T., Bada of S.E.S., and Hwanhee of Fly to the Sky, also appeared on stage. Kangta smiled and said, “It’s our 29th anniversary since debut,” while Tony An expressed his feelings by saying, “SM is roughly the same age as us. I’m happy we’ve grown together and can still perform together.” Bada introduced herself as “Bada of S.E.S., Korea’s first female idol vocalist,” and added, “I hope all of SM’s music will keep flowing in the vast ocean of your long lives.” SM’s pursuit of “musical diversity” was also a core element of this concert. SM’s unique musical philosophy, SMP (SM Music Performance), is a style that optimally blends dazzling dance music that drives dynamic performances with lyrics containing social criticism. This distinct genre, which perfectly integrates the songs and choreography of SM artists, has now become the standard for K-pop. This is why fans known as “SMdeok” (SM enthusiasts) who follow the “KWANGYA” worldview and “Pink Blood” (SM fandom) have emerged in large numbers. Among K-pop agencies, SM is the only one that possesses its own fandom not just for its singers but also for the company itself. Suho of EXO shared his thoughts after performing “First Snow” with Chanyeol, saying, “I feel happy being part of SM and EXO. I hope everyone and all SM artists can be happy,” prompting cheers of “We love you” from the fans present. Chanyeol mentioned Kai and Sehun, who are currently serving in military duty, and expressed his desire to reunite with them soon to deliver great performances as a complete group. SM stated, “As this is a concert for the 30th anniversary, in addition to the joint performances by SM artists, which are the core of SM Town Live, collaborations with the SM Town family and tracks from the 30th-anniversary album will be unveiled for the first time through this event before their official release.” The concert venue also featured a “SM 30 Years Anniversary Zone,” equipped with an LP-shaped circular structure, pink lighting, artist archives, listening areas, and photo zones. The new slogan, “The Culture, The Future,” reflects SM’s ambition to create value in the global music market based on its accumulated cultural heritage and to lead the future of K-pop.