SM's 30th anniversary concert marred by artists' absences
Girls' Generation member Taeyeon, left, and Red Velvet's Wendy, both artists under K-pop giant SM Entertainment / Newsis
SM Entertainment's 30th anniversary concert has been overshadowed by controversy as Girls' Generation's Taeyeon and Red Velvet's Wendy publicly voiced their grievances over their absence, further stirring disappointment among fans.
The entertainment giant is set to host the "SMTOWN LIVE 2025 in SEOUL" concert this weekend at Gocheok Sky Dome in southwestern Seoul's Guro District. The event, touted as a milestone celebration, promised a lineup featuring many of SM's biggest stars.
The official poster for the upcoming "SMTOWN LIVE 2025 in SEOUL" concert, slated for this weekend at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul's Guro District / Courtesy of SM Entertainment
However, recent announcements regarding some top artists' absences have dampened fan expectations.
Last month, SM confirmed that Taeyeon would not be participating, followed by Monday's announcement that Wendy would also be absent citing "personal reasons."
With both artists being the main vocalists of their respective groups, their absence has left fans questioning the planning behind the concert.
In a direct response, Wendy addressed the issue on Monday via an online fan platform. "The company and I had discussed this over a month ago, but the announcement was only made today," she wrote, expressing frustration at the last-minute notice, which came less than a week before the concert.
"I imagine many fans were looking forward to a five-member Red Velvet performance. I'm sorry. Since it's the 30th anniversary, a variety of performances will be prepared. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you always and I'm sorry again," Wendy wrote.
Taeyeon, whose absence was confirmed in December, had also previously shared her disappointment, revealing she had initially hoped to participate.
"I wanted to perform at this important event and had begun preparing two or three songs. I communicated my plans to the company and awaited their preparations, but to put it simply, they did not follow through, so I ended up not being able to perform. This is not because I lacked motivation or didn't want to do it," she wrote through an online fan platform.
The official poster for Taeyeon's concert scheduled to take place at the KSPO Dome in Songpa District, Seoul, spanning three days from March 7 to 9 / Courtesy of SM Entertainment
"I'm passionate about performing and want to give my best, but the support from the company wasn't there. I'm seriously reflecting on this situation. I want fans to understand that I'm sharing this to prevent any misunderstandings about my intentions."
In a move that could ease some disappointment, SM Entertainment announced Tuesday that Taeyeon would hold her first solo concert in one year and seven months. The concert, titled "TAEYEON CONCERT 'The TENSE,'" will take place from March 7 to 9 at KSPO Dome in Seoul's Songpa District.
She will also embark on an eight-city Asian tour, with stops in Taipei and Manila in March, Jakarta and Macao in April and Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong in May and June.
The upcoming "SMTOWN LIVE 2025 in SEOUL" concert will feature a star-studded lineup, including big-name SM singers from the first generation to the latest, including Kangta, BoA, boy bands TVXQ! and Super Junior, HYO of Girls' Generation, SHINee's Key and Minho, EXO's Suho and Chanyeol, the remaining four members of Red Velvet, NCT 127, NCT DREAM, WayV, aespa, RIIZE, NCT WISH and virtual singer nævis.
Adding to the celebration, SM also announced Tuesday the impending release of a commemorative album featuring remakes of the label's iconic hits.
"The album will include reinterpretations of SM's hit songs, with senior and junior artists collaborating to bring out each group's unique style," the company said in a statement. "It will showcase SM's music history in a fresh way."
The first track, a remake of TVXQ!'s debut song "Hug" performed by RIIZE, SM's rookie boy group that debuted in 2023, will be released Wednesday.