The upcoming "SMTOWN LIVE 2025 in SEOUL" concert, celebrating SM Entertainment's 30th anniversary, has sparked controversy after Girls' Generation’s Taeyeon and Red Velvet’s Wendy publicly shared their frustrations with the company. Fans are upset, and the situation has become a hot topic among K-pop communities.
The concert, scheduled for November 11 and 12 at the Gocheok Sky Dome, boasts a star-studded lineup, but fans were disheartened by the news that Taeyeon and Wendy would not be participating. SM first announced Taeyeon’s absence last month and, on November 6, revealed that Wendy would also not be performing due to “personal reasons.”
Fans were quick to express disappointment since both Taeyeon and Wendy are lead vocalists and iconic figures in their groups and K-pop as a whole. Taeyeon debuted in 2007 with Girls' Generation, while Wendy joined Red Velvet in 2014. Both have built successful solo careers and are beloved by fans worldwide.
On November 5, Wendy spoke openly about the issue through a fan communication platform. She shared, “The discussions with the company were settled more than a month ago, but the official notice was only posted today.” Apologizing to her fans, she added, “I’m sorry to the ReVeluvs who were likely looking forward to a five-member performance.”
Taeyeon also didn’t hold back her thoughts, saying, “I was eager to perform on stage and wanted to prepare for two or three songs with enthusiasm. I told the company and waited, but to put it simply, they didn’t make the preparations, so I couldn’t perform at all.” She clarified, “It’s not because I lacked motivation or didn’t want to do it. I genuinely care about the stage and want to give my best with love and sincerity, but they didn’t support me.”
Taeyeon further addressed SONEs, saying, “I’m seriously reflecting on what this means. I’m sharing this to avoid any misunderstandings about me.” When a fan suggested SM might have its reasons, Taeyeon pointedly replied, “If their reason is that they ‘forgot’ to communicate it, then I guess that could be difficult for them.”
Despite the controversy, the concert lineup includes other major stars like Kangta, BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls’ Generation’s Hyoyeon, SHINee’s Key and Minho, EXO’s Suho and Chanyeol, and groups like NCT, aespa, and RIIZE.
Fans are now rallying behind Taeyeon and Wendy, demanding better treatment and communication from SM Entertainment. What do you think about this situation? Let us know in the comments below.
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