On November 15, SM Entertainment officially announced part of the SMTOWN LIVE 2025 lineup, following a preliminary announcement in October. The event features artists spanning five generations, bringing together some of the most iconic names in K-pop, such as BoA, TVXQ!, SNSD, EXO, aespa and RIIZE.
SMTOWN LIVE 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of South Korea’s leading entertainment agency.
This concert series celebrates the 30th anniversary of SM Entertainment, a cornerstone of the K-pop industry. Scheduled to take place on January 11 and 12, 2025 at the Gocheok City Dome, the event can host up to 25,000 participants. While specific details remain scarce, fans are already preparing and pooling resources, preparing for the fierce competition for tickets.
However, excitement quickly turned to shock on November 30, when SNSD’s Taeyeon openly criticized SM Entertainment. During a live stream, he candidly shared: “I don’t think I will attend SMTOWN’s next concert. I haven’t had any positive conversations with the company recently. I don’t understand why my name is still on the poster. I have no idea what their plan is.
He continued his complaints: “Why didn’t SM inform me about Weverse Live? SM, are you watching this? Are there any SM staff here?”
K-pop fans are no strangers to SM Entertainment’s baffling handling of artists, particularly since Lee Soo Man stepped down as president in March last year. This isn’t the first time Taeyeon has expressed her frustrations with the company online. Previously, he criticized the lack of communication regarding Kwangya Club, a fan support initiative, and even his musical achievements. SM’s mishandling of artist safety has also been a recurring issue.
Fans are increasingly concerned, especially for longtime artists, who may struggle to navigate SM 3.0’s complex new systems. Overlooking an industry veteran like Taeyeon, who has dedicated two decades to the company, has been widely condemned as unacceptable.
This incident fueled criticism of SM Entertainment’s negligence in managing its artists and programs. Many fans even jokingly urged Taeyeon to leave the company and start her own agency.
- “His recent comeback was amazing, but the promotions were so lackluster. What is SM doing?”
- “SM didn’t do anything for her this time. It seemed like he didn’t even have a real comeback.
- “Since SM moved to version 3.0, shareholders seem to only care about profit. Look how full the idols’ schedules are this year.
- “Leave SM already, Taeyeon! Start your own company and become CEO.
- “How is this possible? She’s one of their top artists, yet her last two albums have received such half-hearted promotion.
