SM Entertainment (hereinafter referred to as SM) is adding meaning to its 30th anniversary by completing a solid artist lineup for the first quarter of this year and the second quarter of the coming year.

According to SM on the 11th, they will release the 30th anniversary commemorative album ‘2025 SMTOWN: THE CULTURE, THE FUTURE’ on the 14th.

The album consists of a total of 17 tracks, including the title track ‘Thank You’, as well as SM‘s legendary hit songs remade by senior and junior artists. Among them, the pre-released songs of TVXQ’s ‘Hug’ sung by Rise and Super Junior‘s ‘Miracle’ reinterpreted by NCT Wish are receiving a lot of love.

In particular, attention is focused on the activities of the ‘youngest line’ artists who will lead the future of SM. Rookie girl group Hearts To Hearts, who is making their first appearance in about 5 years since aespa, will debut with their first single ‘The Chase’ on February 24th and will release another single in the second quarter, coloring the music industry in the first half of the year with their own unique colors.

Here, Rise, who has gone beyond the mainstream and is gaining ‘Top Tier’ popularity, is preparing their first full-length album since their debut, and NCT WISH, who showed dazzling performance in 2024 and earned the title of ‘Best Rookie’, are also taking a leap forward by releasing a mini-album.

In addition, groups that will add weight to the lineup will continue to make comebacks. Espa, who succeeded in achieving three consecutive mega hits in 2024 with ‘Supernova’, ‘Armageddon’, and ‘Whiplash’, are expected to release a new mini-album and once again prove their dignity as a ‘global hitmaker’.

Not only that, but also the new single of SHINee, which is being released after a long time, and the mini album of WayV, who are actively promoting with albums and tours, are expected to receive high attention.

In addition, solo artists and units will also be mobilized to support the ‘SM RUSH’. In March, mini albums by Red Velvet Seulgi and NCT Ten, and a single by Naibis will be released. After that, solo albums by NCT Doyoung and Mark, and EXO Kai are scheduled to be released, and Super Junior’s unit Super Junior-LSS, which is celebrating its 20th debut anniversary, will make a comeback with a Japanese single, and Red Velvet-Irene & Seulgi, who made a hot topic with their unit debut in 2020, will make a comeback with a mini album after about 5 years.

In addition to their artist activities, SM is expanding their meeting with fans around the world through their relentless tour schedule. SMTOWN LIVE, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in Seoul in January with a splendid opening, will begin a world tour and visit Mexico, the United States, and the United Kingdom. In addition to the currently ongoing world tours of NCT 127 and Espa, the Japanese nationwide tour of TVXQ, WayV‘s first solo concert tour, the Asia tours of NCT WISH, Super Junior’s Yesung, and SHINee‘s Minho, and even Taeyeon’s new Asia tour starting in March is expected to receive good responses.


Reporter Yoo Ji-hye yjh0304@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.