If you’re a K-Pop stan, then I bet this was how you welcomed your 2022. (Yes, I didn’t sleep just to catch this concert in Madrid)
On January 1, 2022, SM Entertainment held a free online live concert titled “SMTOWN LIVE 2022: SMCU EXPRESS @ KWANGYA.” This concert was broadcasted on various streaming platforms such as YouTube, Beyond Live, TikTok, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
The concert garnered a record of 51 million streams all from 161 different regions, surpassing “SMTOWN Live ‘Culture Humanity’”, their first free online concert’s record of 35.83 million streams. It set a brand-new record for the highest number of streams achieved by a Korean concert.
“SMTOWN Live 2022: SMCU EXPRESS @ KWANGYA” featured performances and collaborations from their artists, with the line-up including Kangta, BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon and Hyoyeon, SHINee’s Onew, Minho, and Key, EXO’s KAI, Red Velvet, NCT, WayV, aespa, and DJs Ginjo, Imlay, Raiden, J.E.B., Hitchhiker, and Mar Vista. The first part of the concert saw artists from SM Entertainment performing their songs, while the second half featured SM Entertainment’s DJs from their sub-label ScreaM Records.
The concert also served as the debut stage for SM Entertainment’s newly formed girl group project, “Got the Beat”, featuring top SM female idols BoA, Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon and Hyoyeon, Red Velvet’s Seulgi and Wendy, and aespa’s Karina and Winter. Their song, “Step Back” highlighted a powerful and dynamic choreography paired with superb vocals from the group’s main vocalists.
The concert’s concept revolved around SM Entertainment’s virtual world named “KWANGYA”—where aespa’s concept is also focused on. All of SM Entertainment’s artists are said to meet in KWANGYA for this online concert, with some of the artists’ VCR features terms like “P.O.S.”.
Just like “SMTOWN Live ‘Culture Humanity’”, this concert served its purpose: giving top-notch quality performances from SM Entertainment’s artists. Nothing can truly top SM Entertainment quality.
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