SM debuts new girl group, boy group → S.M.A.R.E. and Irene,

▲ 사진: SM엔터테인먼트

SM Entertainment (SM) continued to dominate the music industry in Q3 and Q4. Building on its SM 3.0 IP expansion roadmap, SM is set to end the year with a bang by "expanding K-POP" through the debut of highly anticipated new artists and the return of core artists, "expanding genres" with in-house labels and tribute idol projects, and "expanding globally" by launching its first UK boy group.

■ New artist debut rush, 'K-POP expansion' NAVIS - new girl group to new boy group

SM, which has been acclaimed for its seamless multi-production system, is further expanding its IP with new artist debuts. First, virtual artist Nævis, who made a surprise performance at Espa's solo concert in June, will release a single in Q3 and make his official debut, bringing a new wave of freshness to K-Pop. In Q4, we will unveil our first new girl group in nearly four years, continuing the lineage of SM label girl groups.

Following Rise, who is writing the history of K-Pop's top-tier growth through their own genre of "emotional pop," and NCT WISH, who was named "Best Newcomer of 2024," a rookie boy group is also aiming to debut in 2025, giving SM's music a variety of differentiated musical colors.

■ Second half also a 'super hit', NCT DREAM, ESP, Taeyeon, Minho, and Irene all out in full force

After announcing a jam-packed third quarter, including the return of NCT 127 on its eighth anniversary, new mini-albums from Key, WayV, Rise, and NCT WISH, as well as singles from Sungmin and Hyoyeon, SM continues to bring back key artists in the fourth quarter.

NCT DREAM, who released "DREAM( )SCAPE" in March, will continue their global expansion in Q4 with the release of a new studio album and their third world tour in North America, South America, and Europe. In addition, ESP, whose long-running hit "Supernova" is gaining popularity, will continue to showcase its power in the second half of the year with a second world tour and new mini album.

Solo artists will also continue to be active. In addition to the first full-length album by Minho, who has been showing off his acting skills in dramas and theater, prestigious solo artists Yeesung and Taeyeon will release new mini-albums to share their rich musical worlds. In addition, Chanyeol and Jaehyun announced their solo debuts in August, and in the fourth quarter, Irene's first solo album and Mark's new single, who celebrated his 10th anniversary this year, are also expected to be released, drawing the attention of global fans.

■ SM's 'genre & global expansion' continues, from trots to English boy groups, the sky's the limit

SM has expanded its musical horizons beyond K-Pop to include classical music, dance music (EDM), and contemporary R&B through various internal and external labels, and continued its boundless expansion across genres and regions in the fourth quarter.

In particular, SM is also preparing for "Trot Idol," which will reveal the story of its growth as a TV program in Korea and Japan in Q4, followed by a national tour concert to showcase a wider range of music genres. In addition, SM will launch its first British boy group, DEAR ALICE, and expand its global activities, starting with the TV series "Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience," which will air on BBC in August.

In addition, SM's classical label SM Classics and dance music label ScreaM Records, which continue to be loved by global listeners, are actively expanding their reach, and SM's commitment to music will continue with the newly launched contemporary R&B label KRUCIALIZE, which will unveil its first artist in October this year.

SM's commitment to music will continue.