SM Entertainment Celebrates 30th Anniversary with First Orchestra Concert

SM Entertainment (SM) marked its 30th anniversary with a spectacular debut orchestra concert for its classical and jazz label, SM Classics. The event, titled ‘SM CLASSICS LIVE 2025 with 서울시립교향악단’ (SM Classics Live 2025 with Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra), took place on February 14 at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall and on February 15 at the Lotte Concert Hall. The concert featured high-caliber performances by the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary as a foundation and its 80th anniversary since its inception, drawing significant attention from music fans even before the event.

This concert not only revisited the musical journey of SM Classics, which has been arranging SM's hit songs for orchestra since its launch in 2020, but it also held special significance as the first K-POP orchestra concert in the world, held in the heart of South Korea's classical music scene to commemorate SM's 30th anniversary.

The performance opened with a narration by SHINee's Minho, leading into ‘Welcome To SMCU Palace,’ which energetically opened the door to the world of classical music. The concert showcased songs from SM artists such as BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls' Generation, SHINee, EXO, Red Velvet, NCT, aespa, and RISE, alongside masterpieces from classical composers like Vivaldi, Bach, Beethoven, Elgar, and Rachmaninoff. The 83-member orchestra delivered a grand performance that transcended time and genre, providing the audience with a unique experience and lasting impressions.

The February 14 concert featured captivating media art that enhanced the immersion of the music, while on February 15, Red Velvet's Wendy joined as a soloist, performing her songs ‘Like Water,’ ‘When This Rain Stops,’ and ‘Vermilion’ with emotional depth and outstanding vocals, leaving the audience deeply moved.

The concert concluded with an encore performance of SM's iconic song ‘빛 (Hope),’ which samples Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 ‘Choral,’ marking a monumental finale for the 30th-anniversary celebration. This event showcased SM's unwavering commitment to music and reaffirmed the timeless appeal of SM's music, akin to classical music, which continues to resonate with many.

SM Classics' CEO Moon Jeong-jae expressed excitement about finally presenting the music of SM Classics live with an orchestra, stating plans to bring these concerts to music fans worldwide. Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra's CEO Jeong Jae-wal shared his sentiments about the collaboration, expressing joy in presenting the results of their five-year partnership, creating a performance enjoyable for both classical and K-POP fans.

SM Classics is set to expand its performance and sheet music IP licensing business, aiming to spread its original IP globally.