SM Entertainment, the K-pop titan known for propelling Red Velvet, NCT 127, and aespa to global fame, is now embarking on a pioneering journey into the European market. This week, the company announced a collaboration with Moon&Back Media. Their goal is to launch a talent show to find the next big boy group.
This innovative project will capture the group’s journey. This “adventure of a lifetime” will start in early 2024. The series, set to unfold in both South Korea and the U.K., is currently in pre-production. Discussions are ongoing with major broadcasters, labels, and music publishers.
The executive team behind the series includes U.K. industry veterans. There’s James McKinlay of America’s Got Talent and The X Factor fame, David Hall of Deal or No Deal and The Greatest Dancer, and music industry exec Ben Karter. This collaboration marks a first-of-its-kind alliance between South Korea and the U.K., leveraging SM Entertainment’s experience in nurturing global sensations.
SM Entertainment announces partnership with UK TV production team Moon&Back Media to "create and debut a new UK boy band to TV audiences worldwide"
Moon&Back was founded by Nigel Hall (X Factor, BGT) Dawn Airey (ITV, Sky) + Russ Lindsay (Ant & Dec, Simon Cowell)
More to come… pic.twitter.com/dLcvMTnxT6
— Jeff Benjamin (@Jeff__Benjamin) November 16, 2023
SM Entertainment and its new partner speak
Joseph Chang, CEO of SM & Kakao America, expressed excitement about this venture. “This collaboration signifies our first footprint in Europe. Our expansion blueprint will continue to span across North and South America, Europe, and other pivotal markets. We will leverage SM Entertainment’s vast artist roster and extensive networks for unprecedented synergies ahead. We are thrilled to partner with power players who were critical in the creation and success of One Direction, and together we are aiming to find that next global sensation.”
Dawn Airey, co-founder of Moon&Back Media, shared her enthusiasm. “Take one of the world’s best entertainment producers and combine it with the world’s best K-pop producer and watch the magic unfold. This is a global first, creating a British boy band and exposing them to the K-pop process with SM Entertainment. This alchemy will create compelling television and a boy band that will entertain the world.”
SM Entertainment has been actively expanding its reach in America, with plans to acquire a U.S.-based company to delve into hip-hop or R&B, and the recent formation of a local integrated corporation in North America. This collaboration with Moon&Back Media is another strategic move to globalize K-pop and create compelling content that will captivate audiences worldwide. – K-Pop News Writer
Featured Image: Will this show produce a boy group as big as One Direction was? Only time will tell. Source: X/@1DRocksTweets.