[instiz] [EXCLUSIVE] SMTOWN LA PERFORMANCE WITH BRUISED PRIDE… SALES RATE BELOW 50% AND MANY EMPTY SEATS

SM Entertainment’s family concert ‘SMTOWN LIVE 2025 TOUR’ is failing to make an impact in the US, the world’s largest music market, even though it marks the company’s 30th anniversary. Despite the tickets being available for 3 months, the sales rate remains at half. Additionally, a recent survey by Kpop Radar revealed that “SM’s domestic consumption ratio is high,” suggesting that SM’s strategy to target the US market has significant flaws.

SM will hold ‘SMTown’ in Mexico City on May 9 and Los Angeles on May 11. Pre-sale tickets for the fan club were completed in early December, and general ticket sales are currently ongoing.

However, according to the local ticket sales site from the 24th to 25th, many seats remain unsold. The sales around the protruding stage, where artists can be seen closely, are more than half sold, but other areas have much lower sales.

Typically, K-pop concerts by popular groups are sold out during the pre-sale stage. Therefore, the fact that there are still tickets available for the protruding stage is seen as “a bad sign,” according to industry insiders. One anonymous source said, “The protruding stage is the most preferred area by fans. If tickets for this section haven’t sold out, it means the fandom isn’t coming together, so future sales are unlikely to increase. K-pop runs on the power of the fandom, so this is somewhat unfortunate.”

SM has long been criticized for lacking the power to penetrate the US market compared to other K-pop agencies. While artists from HYBE, JYP, and YG dominate the Billboard charts and win awards at the Billboard Music Awards and American Music Awards, SM artists have not garnered the same attention. Other agencies plan ahead by producing albums 6 months before or at least 2 to 3 months in advance to release them simultaneously in both Korea and the US However, SM still seems focused on the domestic market. Since 2023, SM Entertainment and Kakao Entertainment have been operating a North American subsidiary called ‘SM&Kakao America,’ but its presence has been minimal.

The ‘2024 K-pop Global Map’ released on the 26th by ‘Kpop Radar,’ operated by music content startup Space Oddity, stated that HYBE and JYP are “steadily expanding their global fandoms. They have balanced consumption structures in Korea and Japan, and a high proportion of fans in the US, continuously strengthening their presence in the global market.” On the other hand, for SM, it was analyzed that “SM has a strong fandom in Korea.”

Regarding NCT127, it was noted that they still maintain a strong fanbase in major markets like Korea, Japan, and the US, but it was also emphasized that “SM, like with girl groups, shows a high consumption ratio in the Korean market.” While NCT127 is facing a temporary gap due to military enlistments, the situation is more disappointing when considering how HYBE has filled such gaps with groups like Seventeen and ENHYPEN during BTS’s enlistment.

The fact that traditional groups like EXO and SNSD are essentially unable to continue their activities is also seen as a reason for SM’s struggles. These groups didn’t perform at the concert held at Gocheok Dome in Seoul last December. Kpop Radar added that “EXO still maintains strong influence.”

On the other hand, last year NCT DREAM and recently aespa have conducted tours in the US, and NCT127 is also preparing for performances in the region, which has led to a decrease in interest from U.S. fans in the family concert. It is said that fans have focused on the individual concerts of these main groups.

The recent large-scale fires in the LA area are also believed to have had a significant impact on the outcome. Although the ‘SM Town’ lineup was announced, a large-scale promotion was reportedly difficult.

source: https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/021/0002692949

1. It’s even a waste of money to watch it on Beyond Live… 

2. It’s not even a one-man concert, their prices make no sense 

3. Who would pay 1.5M won ($1000) for a concert ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

4. Just cancel the whole thing 

5. I know someone who lives in the US and the tickets were 1.5M won. Even one-man concerts don’t price it this high….

> Not $150 but 1.5M won?

6. This is severe

7. Lower the prices

8. The Mexico concert is so empty, they should just cancel the whole thing.. The prices are too expensive and it’ll be hard on the singers too 

9. At this rate, just cancel the whole thing 

10. SM’s kids are not popular in the US so why do it ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ