Taeyeon Criticizes SM Entertainment and Steps Down from 30th Anniversary Concert Lineup

Upcoming SMTOWN LIVE 2025: Celebrating 30 Years of K-Pop Excellence

On November 15th, SM Entertainment unveiled a portion of the artist lineup for the much-anticipated SMTOWN LIVE 2025, following a preliminary announcement the previous month. This concert series is set to showcase a rich spectrum of K-pop talent that spans five generations, featuring iconic artists such as BoA, TVXQ!, SNSD, EXO, aespa, and RIIZE.

Event Details

Scheduled for January 11-12, 2025, the SMTOWN LIVE 2025 event will take place at the Gocheok City Dome, which can accommodate up to 25,000 fans. In light of the celebration marking SM Entertainment’s 30th anniversary, anticipation is building amongst fans, prompting them to prepare for what is expected to be an intense ticket-buying scramble.

Taeyeon’s Controversial Remarks

However, the excitement surrounding the event took an unexpected turn when SNSD‘s Taeyeon aired her grievances about SM Entertainment during a livestream on November 30th. She expressed her confusion and dissatisfaction: “I don’t think I’ll be participating in the upcoming SMTOWN concert. Recently, I haven’t had any good conversations with the company. I don’t understand why my name is still on the poster. I have no idea what their plan is.”

Taeyeon live stream — Taeyeon shares her concerns during a livestream, confirming her non-participation in SMTOWN LIVE 2025.

She elaborated further, questioning the lack of communication regarding her schedule and promotional activities: “Why hasn’t SM informed me about Weverse Live? SM, are you watching this? Is there any SM staff here?”

The Bigger Picture: Artist Management Challenges

Fans have increasingly voiced their concerns regarding SM Entertainment’s artist management, particularly following the departure of Lee Soo Man as chairman in March 2022. Taeyeon’s frustrations are not new; she has previously raised similar issues concerning the lack of communication about fan initiatives and her artistic endeavors. Moreover, persistent complaints related to artist security continue to spark concern within the community.

Taeyeon airport incident — Taeyeon faced distressing moments due to inadequate security at Jakarta Airport in 2017.

The K-pop community, especially fans of veteran artists like Taeyeon, seems increasingly apprehensive about navigating the evolving structures under what is being called SM 3.0. Many believe that neglecting a talent who has contributed significantly over two decades is unacceptable.

Taeyeon fan outrage — The situation has led to widespread ire among fans.

Calls for Change

This controversy has ignited a broader criticism regarding SM Entertainment’s approach to artist management and promotional commitments. Jokingly, fans have suggested Taeyeon take the leap to establish her own management agency.

Taeyeon EP Letter To Myself — Fans lament the lack of promotional support for Taeyeon’s recent EP, “Letter To Myself.”

Community Reactions

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Netizen Comments

“Her recent comeback was amazing, but the promotions were so lackluster. What is SM even doing?”
“SM did nothing for her this time; it felt like she didn’t even have a proper comeback.”
“Since SM switched to 3.0, it seems like the shareholders are only focused on profit, considering how packed the idols’ schedules are this year.”
“Leave SM already, Taeyeon! Start your own company and become a CEO.”
“How is this possible? She’s one of their top-tier artists, yet her last two albums received such half-hearted promotions.”

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