Korean Netizens Blast SM Entertainment For Their Recent Album Releases

In the ever-evolving landscape of K-Pop, where each release is a spectacle of its own, fans and critics alike keep a close eye on the industry’s giants. SM Entertainment, one of South Korea’s largest entertainment companies, has recently come under fire in an online community for what many perceive as a decline in the quality of its album releases.

A fan’s post on the popular online forum Pann has sparked a heated debate over the quality of SM Entertainment’s recent releases. Garnering significant attention with over 67,800 views and hundreds of comments, the discussion points to growing dissatisfaction among listeners, particularly regarding the latest tracks from some of SM’s top acts.

The focal point of the discontent centers around aespa‘s new song “Drama,” which fans compare unfavorably to the group’s earlier work. The critique extends to other SM groups, including NCT 127‘s “Fact Check” and RIIZE‘s “Talk Saxy,” with fans expressing disappointment and describing these comebacks as subpar.

Similarly, recent music from EXO and NCT Dream has been looped into these critiques, with the post lamenting a perceived drop in the standard of music that they have come to expect from the entertainment powerhouse.

However, not all feedback is negative. Red Velvet‘s latest release, “Chill Kill,” received a more mixed reaction. Fans expressed anticipation for the group’s return, citing Red Velvet’s consistent track record of hits and the engaging teasers leading up to the release. Yet, despite the buildup, some listeners were taken aback by an unexpected twist in the song’s chorus, leaving them with mixed feelings about the final product.

The post also praised RIIZE’s debut song, “Get A Guitar,” sharing they thought it was a well-done debut.

The response from the online community has been a blend of nostalgia for the past and a critical eye toward the present. Long-time followers of SM Entertainment’s groups are reflecting on the company’s history of innovative and trendsetting releases, setting a high bar for what they expect in new music. The current sentiment suggests that fans are noticing a shift away from what they believe made SM artists stand out, with a call for the company to revisit the creative energies that once propelled their artists to the forefront of the K-Pop scene.

Moreover, some netizens have pointed out the recent departure of key figures from SM Entertainment, including founder Lee Soo Man and other notable creative directors — like Min Hee Jin and Yoo Young Jin — as a potential reason for the change in the company’s musical direction. These individuals were once credited with shaping the unique sound and aesthetic that fans associate with SM Entertainment’s brand, and their absence has raised questions about the future of the company’s musical identity.

• “So it’s not just me… Ever since aespa dropped their AI concept, they’ve become just another pretty girl group. I personally really liked the unique color that the group had.”
• “Other than Baggy Jeans and Get A Guitar, I didn’t find any memorable.”
• “The lyrics are just repeats of meaningless English words, too. I don’t think they have enough lyricists working for them.”
• “Um… Savage was not mainstream. I’m a SM girl group stan, and I can tell you that Savage was not your average girl group song at all.”
• “IDK. Sounds like you don’t like SM Entertainment and needed an excuse to hate on it.”
• “Well, they did lose all the people who knew what they were doing. Lee Soo Man, Min Hee Jin (and her directors), and Yoo Young Jin all left. They were the only ones at SM Entertainment who knew how to keep that SM-specific color.”