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The legendary K-pop label brought its live showcase tour back to the L.A. area for the first time in more than a decade featuring NCT 127, aespa, RIIZE & more.
SMTOWN 2025 30th Anniversary Family Celebration In Los Angeles
SM Entertainment
To celebrate 30 years of steering the Korean entertainment sphere, SM Entertainment hit Los Angeles with its star-studded SMTOWN Live 2025 concert.
Boasting 68 individual artists, representing 13 different groups, all on one sprawling stage at the Dignity Health Sports Park, the showcase brought out a range of K-pop talent that showcases SM’s expansive impact on the industry. The May 11 show featured legendary acts like TVXQ! and Super Junior that helped establish SM into its powerhouse status these past decades, as well as a glimpse of what the future holds for the group with performances from its U.K.-based boy band dearALICE and a selection of its current “trainee” artists, known as SMTR25, who paid tribute to their seniors with covers of hit songs through the years by superstars like SHINee, EXO and more.
The full roster included TVXQ!, Super Junior, SHINee‘s KEY and Minho, EXO‘s SUHO, CHANYEOL and KAI, Red Velvet, NCT 127, WayV, NCT DREAM, aespa, RIIZE, Hearts2Hearts, dearALICE and SMTR25. While the rising rookie group NCT WISH was on the original lineup, the group fell victim to visa issues with SM sharing on May 9 that “an unexpected delay in the approval process, and the visas were ultimately not issued in time,” and that the boys would not be performing in LA. But don’t worry too much: the SM Entertainment family did not forget them — read on to find out how.
While SMTOWN has performed in Los Angeles and New York, the label last brought their signature showcase to the States in 2012 with a show in Anaheim, Calif. Now, in 2025, SMTOWN boasts nearly double the number of groups and 26 more individuals on stage.
Celebrate the standout moment from each artist who lit up SMTOWN Live 2025 below.
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As the sun set on Dignity Health Sports Park, SM Entertainment’s most seasoned act, TVXQ!, kicked off SMTOWN Live 2025 with their anthemic 2005 single “Rising Sun.” But it was well into the night when U-Know and Max Changmin reminded everyone why they’ve reigned supreme in K-pop for over two decades with the concert’s penultimate showstopper, “Mirotic,” exploded with soaring ad-libs and thunderous belts that could rival any legendary diva or showman, once again cementing their status as true music legends.
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While it’s always a treat to have Super Junior back in the States to carry out a K-pop classic like “Sorry Sorry,” the best part of the night may have been when the guys introduced themselves to the crowd — and chaos ensued. The group’s signature hilarity came out in extended bits like turning Leeteuk’s shouted greetings into an attempt to sing “The Circle of Life” or the group continuously calling out and serenading a member of the crowd they called “Mom.”
While the jokes never stopped during SuJu’s moment (and, later, TVXQ! would jokingly “apologize” for them), there were some important, articulate moments like when Siwon said that tonight’s concert is “not just for SMTown, but all who are supporting K-pop and the K-culture,” while Eunhyuk teased the crowd by saying, “Maybe this year we can meet together again soon after confirming the group is preparing a new album for release this summer.
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While KEY hasn’t yet held solo concerts in the U.S., the SHINee star made sure to make the most of his two songs by delivering on-point vocals and sharp choreography, like the Ciara-esque backbend on his opening number “Pleasure Shop.”
While talking to the crowd with his band mate Minho, the 33-year-old promised to “come back with SHINee and as a solo artist very soon.” And he wasn’t lying — earlier that day, SM Entertainment announced SHINee will drop a new single on May 25 to mark the group’s 17th anniversary.
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Even if he’s most known for handling the raps in SHINee, Minho delighted with a vocal-centric rendition of his 2024 single “Call Back,” turning the spotlight onto his melodic range and reminding audiences that he and SHINee’s versatility endures as they approach their 17th anniversary.
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Image Credit: Sami Drasin While aespa has performed stateside several times just in 2025 alone (including on their Synk: Parallel Line tour and at Billboard’s Women in Music), an additional spiciness came from the night’s performance of “Next Level.”
While KARINA’s cheeky slap on WINTER’s backside became an instant viral moment (eliciting screams from the crowd) you also couldn’t deny the members’ fierce performance style during the track’s bridge: the power during NINGNING and WINTER soaring runs, followed by KARINA and GISELLE trading off sharp rap bars to level up their live show.
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In another moment honoring SM’s three decades of history, SUHO, KAI and CHANYEOL took it all the way back to 1999 by performing “Git It Up” by SM’s pioneering boy band H.O.T. While Suho shone with a series of operatic belts, it was clear how special being back in the U.S. was for the chart-toppers.
CHANYEOL told the audience how he “will come back as soon as our members get home from military service” with SUHO taking it a step further to declare, “I will make sure to come back with a new album and performances when Sehun finishes military service.” KAI then teased, “Before we come back, you might be able to see me this summer, we’ll see what happens.” New concerts? Tours? KCON? We’re ready.
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Bursting onto the stage, trumpeting “LA! My second home!” SUHO commanded “1 to 3” with an electrifying amount of energy, running down the extended catwalk stage — every step a testament to his showmanship and leading EXO into one of K-pop’s biggest boy bands ever.
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Rock-star energy defined CHANYEOL’s rendition of “Hasta la Vista” as he sprinted edge-to-edge across the platform, ensuring every section of the stadium felt his charismatic presence.
SHINee’s Minho and CHANYEOL were the final artists to leave the SMTOWN Live stage with the 32-year-old’s smile bursting out as he waved and blew a kiss to the crowd before the lights went dark on the stage. We missed you too, CHANYEOL.
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With the first U.S. performance of his new, Afrobeats-inspired single “Wait on Me,” KAI balanced intricate footwork and fluid hand gestures, offering Los Angeles fans a rare, unfiltered glimpse of the dance virtuoso’s meticulous technique — a true gift to witness in person.
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NCT 127 is a group formed to represent Seoul, South Korea (the 127 in their name references the longitude coordinates of Seoul) and did so with their performance of “Fact Check” that included majestic imagery of Korean temples, architecture, and artwork displayed across the stage’s giant LED screens. Equally impressive was DOYOUNG’s seismic high note towards the end of the track that resonated long after the guys left the stage.
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Without members Wendy or Yeri in attendance, Red Velvet might have been a little nervous for their first time playing in the U.S. with just three members in tow (with Seulgi asking the crowd, “You’ll keep supporting Red Velvet, right?”). Yet, a sultry confidence was on full display with a jazzy cover of Girls’ Generation’s 2010 hit “Run Devil Run” that included stylish chair choreography and powerhouse belts from Seulgi to leave no doubt that the group’s pop-perfect legacy remains undiminished.
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While playful banter punctuated WayV’s set, like when XIAOJUN paused to put on some lip balm to the confusion of his members or teasing they wouldn’t perform their signature and most-streamed hit “Love Talk” — the live vocals pulsating from “Love Talk” proved their good humor and studio sensibilities extends effortlessly to the stadium.
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While members like MARK and JAEMIN elicited screams every time the camera panned to them throughout the night, it was NCT DREAM’s flawless execution of their latest single, “When I’m With You,” that really stole the show, seamlessly blending the track’s impassioned harmonies with the complex choreography.
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Image Credit: Munachi Osegbu RIIZE opened their set with a real showstopper in “Impossible,” delivered entirely live as the sextet’s unyielding high-kick choreography and crystal-clear vocals cut through the stadium’s roar, showing that RIIZE are as committed vocalists as they are performers.
Perhaps more than the other SMTOWN performers, the RIIZE guys had several big reasons to give their all to hype up the LA crowd: Not only is the group’s new album Odyssey out next week (which Anton said the group filmed a music video for in LA), but Wonbin added how the group hasn’t announced all of the cities for their 2025 ‘RIIZING LOUD’ Concert Tour and that LA might see them again…soon. We’ll be ready.
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The newly minted girl group quickly learned the importance of staying calm under unexpected stage mishaps when Jiwoo’s shoe flew off mid-performance of debut single “The Chase.” Unfazed, the 18-year-old leader wrapped the song with one sneaker, then nonchalantly slipped into it with a giggle before the group introduced themselves to fans — demonstrating professionalism well beyond Hearts2Hearts’ rookie status.
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With the first U.S. performance of their debut single “Ariana,” the British boy showcased SM’s increasingly global reach. The highlight came when Dexter, Olly, Reese, and Blaise unleashed a breakdance finale that underscored their versatility. Luckily, the fifth member, James (on crutches due to an injury), could join the group on stage as they greeted the crowd and teased their upcoming single “Sweet.”
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While SHINee and EXO weren’t on hand to perform full-group hits, luckily we had 11 members of SMTR25 (the name that’s short for the SM Trainees in 2025) to deliver satisfying renditions of classics like “Lucifer” and “Growl” while also giving a glimpse at SM’s future artists’ potential. The boys’ 30th Anniversary Tribute medley masterfully traversed SM’s landmark songs and choreographies, proving that the trainees destined for future groups already possess the stamina to own a festival-caliber stage.
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Though unable to perform due to visa delays, NCT WISH’s presence was honored when fellow SM artists lifted a fan-made U.S. flag adorned with their faces during the finale — an affectionate salute to the group to show the six remain very much part of the family.
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Image Credit: SM Entertainment While this particular SMTOWN did not have the many unexpected collaborations across artists and generations that have become the show’s signature, cross-group camaraderie sparkled when every artist reunited on stage to perform the concert closer “Hope From Kwangya.” Fans saw RIIZE’s Sungchan and Haechan of NCT’s hands coming together to make a heart gesture to the crowd, WayV’s TEN and XIAOJUN embraced RIIZE’s Shotaro. At the same time, NCT DREAM’s JAEMIN adorably took and donned DOYOUNG of NCT 127’s glasses — all emblematic of SMTOWN’s collaborative spirit and genuine artist companionship.
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