Force with SM after EXO's 'Star Wars' push

Sehun, on top, and Baek Hyun from EXO's "Lightsaber" music video / Screen capture from YouTube

SM Entertainment and Walt Disney could extend their business relationship after Korean boy band EXO released “Lightsaber” to promote “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

With the movie to hit Korean theaters on Dec. 17, the 12-member hallyu megastar band released the dance number as a single on Nov. 11, along with a music video -- “EXO/Star Wars Collaboration Project” -- and magazine photos under the movie’s theme.

A media report Thursday said the band took on the promotion to back Walt Disney’s bid to make the movie appeal to a younger audience. The movie is the latest installment of the “Star Wars” franchise that began in 1977.

Disney has had difficulty attracting younger people to the movie and reportedly welcomed EXO as an ideal promoter.

The deal also gives SM an opportunity to spread its celebrities more extensively globally by becoming the only entertainment content developer in Korea to have a partnership with a Hollywood movie producer.

“The partnership will not end with the recent ‘Star Wars’ movie but its scope will possibly broaden and diversify,” the report said.