SM, one of Korea’s biggest entertainment companies, celebrated 30 years with a world tour, that wrapped up in London June 28th. From rookie groups to titans of the industry SM Town London brought all your favourite Kpop stars to the capital for one incredible night. Last minute venue changes and communication issues meant the run up to the show may not have been as smooth quite as fans’ would have hoped, nothing could dim the shine of the idols’ performances.
TVXQ, one of the trailblazers of second gen Kpop, performed in London for the first time in their 22 year career, their set combining their own massive hits with paying hommage to their label mates. Industry rookies DearALICE, SMs experimental venture into molding four young brits into a kpop style group, clearly relished performing to a home crowd. The group combines the strong dance for which SM is known and lyricism reminiscent of an NCT song.
In a nod to their industry seniors, this year’s class of trainees treated us to flawless dance covers of some of SM’s biggest hits building on their impeccable dance legacy. Four generations of powerhouse female performers graced the O2 stage. Girl’s generation’s Hyoyeon generously shared her stage with two of her newest donsaeng, surely a highlight of their fledgling careers. Though not at full strength we saw first hand why Red Velvet are industry legends. Transitioning seamlessly from the upbeat and bubbly ‘Red Velvet’ to a stripped back and sexy version of ‘Run Devil Run’ without missing a beat. One of the biggest reactions of the night belonged to Aespa. Their performance of hit song ‘Supernova’ had 20,000 people screaming along to every word.
Sm is clearly looking at a bright future if the performance of their newest girl group Hearts2Hearts is anything to go by. Whilst giving a clear nod to Red Velvet in the performance style they have their own unique sound combining cutesy bubblegum pop and more mature concepts. Given the obvious youth of some of their members their style sometimes verges on the brink of inappropriate. With members as young as 15 the more adult styling they had for ‘The Chase’ leans into the sexualisation of young female idols.
With NCitizens heavily represented in the audience the arena glowed green with the ubiquitous light of thousands of Neobongs. No surprise really with 4 out of 5 of the NCT subunits performing. European Ncitizens have never been so blessed. NCT Wish and Riize, SM’s newest boy groups, both put on polished and energetic performances which even seasoned idols would be proud of.
The reunion of three of EXO’s members on the London stage was, for many, the highlight of the night. Solo performances allowed each member to highlight their individual style and vibe with their set culminating in a group performance of ‘Git It Up’. Excitement peaked when Suho announced new music and plans for an Exo world tour once Sehun completes his military service at the end of this year. Wrapping up the impressive roster of performers was SHinee’s Minho who commanded the stage with an ease and comfort born of years of experience. Minho performed with an energy and a sense of genuine joy which was truly infectious.
Despite all the issues in the run up to the event, starting when tickets went on sale right through to soundcheck, which ran so far behind schedule that security directed people to take any available seat, SM artists can always be relied upon to deliver a memorable stage. The show itself ran like a well-oiled machine with no downtime between acts keeping the energy high for nearly four hours. The extended stage was used effectively with smooth transitions and excellent views for all. Rather than individual sets performances were interwoven which was a highly effective way of keeping the entire audience engaged.
We’re looking forward to London becoming a regular stop on the SM Town tour, with lessons learnt the next one should be a smoother journey for all involved
Be In The Crowd 