From legendary 1st generation K-pop singers to today's top stars and trainees, SM presents 30-year legacy

K-pop artists who participated in the SM Town Live 2025 pose for a picture during the SM Town Live 2025, held at Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul, Sunday. (SM Entertainment)
K-pop artists who participated in the SM Town Live 2025 pose for a picture during the SM Town Live 2025, held at Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul, Sunday. (SM Entertainment)

SM Entertainment marked its 30th anniversary with the grand "SM Town Live 2025" concert, a dazzling two-day celebration at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul.

Held under the theme "The Culture, The Future," the event showcased the legacy and vision of one of K-pop's most iconic agencies, drawing 40,000 fans and reaching a global audience through live broadcasts on Beyond Live and Weverse.

The concert showcased SM’s musical legacy through an extensive lineup of performances, affirming the company’s pivotal role in K-pop history.

A total of 98 artists, from BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, to NCT, aespa and Riize, filled more than five hours of showtime, setting a new record for the longest performance in SM Town Live history.

Despite controversies in the buildup to the show, with Red Velvet’s Wendy and Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon announcing their absence due to disagreements with the agency, SM demonstrated the enduring appeal of its music. The performances highlighted why the label's fandom “Pink Blood” continues to thrive beyond any single artist or group.

The show on Sunday kicked off at 3 p.m. with a pre-show featuring Mytro, SM’s trot idol group set to debut in February. This was followed by performances from SM label DJs and a jazz trio, which ran for about an hour and a half before TVXQ opened the main event. Against a backdrop of blazing sun visuals and fireworks, the group performed their iconic track "Rising Sun."

SM Town Live 2025 (SM Entertainment)
SM Town Live 2025 (SM Entertainment)

Next on stage was BoA and Super Junior, whose members are active across broadcasting, musicals and the music scene.

The audience erupted in loud cheers during performances by aespa, Riize, NCT 127, NCT Dream, NCT Wish and WayV, who are at the height of popularity today.

SHINee’s Minho and Key, as well as EXO’s Suho and Chanyeol, showcased their versatility with solo performances, highlighting their skills both as group members and individual artists.

A highlight of the concert was collaborations between veteran and junior artists, connecting the past and present. H.O.T.’s Tony An and Kangta performed "Candy" and "Full of Happiness" with members of NCT and Riize. S.E.S. Bada sang "Dreams Come True" with aespa’s Karina and Winter, as well as "Cosmic" with Super Junior’s Ryeowook. Fly to the Sky’s Hwanhee performed "Sea of Love" with Riize’s Sohee.

The future of SM was also on display through the SMTR25 team, consisting of 25 male trainees who flawlessly performed hits like SHINee’s "Lucifer" and EXO’s "Growl."

British boy group Dear Alice, co-produced by SM, gave a preview of its debut song “Ariana,” set for release in February.

SM’s first virtual artist, Naevis, presented “Sensitive,” a track scheduled to be released in the first half of the year.

The finale brought together all the performers for a rendition of SM Town Live’s signature song “Hope from Kwangya,” closing the concert on a high note.

Following the shows in Seoul, SM Town Live 2025 will embark on a global tour starting in May, with stops planned in Mexico, US, UK and Japan.

SMTR25 (SM Entertainment)
SMTR25 (SM Entertainment)