SM Entertainment Updates "SMTOWN LIVE 2025" Line-Up Information Following Backlash

In November 2024, it was announced that SM Entertainment would first hold an SMTOWN family concert in Seoul, promising that a tour would follow after. Like previous editions, SMTOWN LIVE 2025 in Seoul is set to feature many artists from throughout the company’s history and more recently debuted ones.

With the excitement built around the Seoul concerts, many worldwide waited in anticipation for announcements of concerts outside of Korea. On December 1, the tour’s first stops were announced as Los Angeles, California, Tokyo, Japan and Mexico City, Mexico.

The following day, presale notices were sent out to all fan clubs of SM Entertainment artists on Weverse, hinting that the official line-up would include a wide variety of the company’s artists.

However, the officially released poster and the event venues shared a line-up consisting of Super Junior, EXO’s Suho and Chanyeol, NCT DREAM, WayV, RIIZE, and NCT WISH.

SMTOWN LIVE 2025 in LA
OFFICIAL LINE-UP

📍 DIGNITY HEALTH SPORTS PARK
📅 MAY 11, 2025#SMTOWN #SM_30thAnniversary #SMTOWN2025 #SMTOWN_LIVE #SMCU #SMTOWN_LIVE_TOUR #SMTOWN_LIVE_LA pic.twitter.com/Fdcrdzrgw8

— POWERHOUSE (@POWERHOUSELIVE) December 3, 2024

Pink Bloods! SMTOWN 30th Anniversary with SUPER JUNIOR, SUHO, CHANYEOL, NCT DREAM, WayV, RIIZE, and NCT WISH are coming to Dignity Health Sports Park on May 11. Sign up now for presale access. #SMTOWN #SM_30thAnniversary #SMTOWN2025 #SMTOWN_LIVE #SMCU https://t.co/01KaA68Cua pic.twitter.com/2VY90WyGFl

— AEG Presents (@aegpresents) December 3, 2024

Many fans were left confused by the seemingly small lineup, commenting on the lack of girl groups and the number of idols announced in general.

also blah blah it’s just a concert but idc it’s the 30th anniversary and the starting line up lacks any girl groups or female idols when they literally built this fuck ass company brick by brick do not start w me rn
AND NO 127?!? LIKE?!? they’re not even booked rn 😭 https://t.co/rzkuaI8kPh

— imp the exo-l ☆ (@impifer) December 3, 2024

where are the women at https://t.co/8ipJibcw9q pic.twitter.com/JOy5CcwsUz

— ᯓ★ naeya (@aejikunn) December 3, 2024

my smile faded so fast
no shinee members, no aespa, no 127, no red velvet… WHATS THE POINT https://t.co/4gQRyia2fU

— sofiaᵛ (@markderys) December 3, 2024

Despite the “and more” promise on the poster, many were skeptical of the line-up due to SM’s previous disregard for the term.

On December 3, the announcements shared to Weverse were updated to reflect that the currently announced line-up is the “1st Line-Up,” with it said a second line-up would be announced later by the local promoters.