Courtesy of SM Entertainment
After the stunning departure late last year of BoA — the label’s flagship artist and a living symbol of its history — SM Entertainment has now lost nearly all of its founding figures. Without the “roots of SM,” the company has announced a full-scale restructuring under the banner of “SM Next 3.0.”
SM confirmed the end of its partnership with BoA last December, saying her exclusive contract expired on Dec. 31, 2025. The announcement drew intense attention, marking the end of a 25-year journey that began with her debut in 2000.
“I leave without regrets, having given and received unsparingly,” she wrote on social media. “I am grateful for our time together and will support SM Entertainment as it shines. Thank you.”
During her career, BoA was more than just a star. She was a non-executive director and played a key role in the company’s creative direction, most recently guiding the rookie group NCT WISH as its executive producer. Her exit is particularly symbolic given that founder and executive producer Lee Soo-man and hitmaker Yoo Young-jin have already left.
With BoA gone, composer Kenzie is now the last remaining link to the agency’s “founding generation.” The sweeping exodus have raised concerns about whether the K-pop powerhouse can maintain its distinct musical identity and legacy.
SM Entertainment’s then executive producer Lee Soo-man, center, and singer BoA, left, meet with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, right, at the agency’s headquarters in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, on June 8, 2022. Courtesy of SM Entertainment
At this turning point, SM unveiled its “SM Next 3.0” road map. The strategy aims to advance the multiproduction center system introduced in the post-Lee Soo-man “SM 3.0” era. While “SM 2.0” centered on a single executive producer and “SM 3.0” relied on fixed organizational structures, “SM Next 3.0” shifts toward a model built on individual creative leadership.
Under the new plan, the company will reorganize its five production centers, which previously handled the entire album production and management process. Instead, specialized organizations dedicated to music videos and A&R (artists and repertoire) will be established separately to enhance expertise. The agency also announced plans to collaborate organically with its music publishing label, Kreation Music Rights, to tailor projects specifically to each artist.
The success of SM’s upcoming boy band stands as a critical benchmark for the label’s revamped strategy.
“We plan to unveil the group in stages, starting with the variety show ‘Reply High School’ early this year,” SM CEO Tak Young-jun said, confirming that some members will come from trainee team SMTR25.
As the company’s first boy group since NCT WISH — BoA’s final production project — the team is expected to define the musical and visual direction of the “next SM.”
SMTR25 / Courtesy of SM Entertainment
Industry observers are now watching to see if the label can preserve its “Pink Blood” — the distinct identity shared by SM artists and fans — or if the new creative leadership will completely rewrite the company’s legacy to align with global market trends.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.koreatimes.co.kr ’
