SM and JYP Entertainment Expand Horizons: From K-Pop to Classical and Traditional Music

SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment are branching out into different musical genres. SM has signed soprano Sumi Jo, while JYP is nurturing a traditional music duo and a band. This marks a trend of expanding K-pop's reach into classical, traditional, and band music.

World-renowned soprano Sumi Jo has joined SM Entertainment. SM Classics, a classical and jazz label under SM Entertainment, announced on the 21st that they have signed an exclusive contract with Sumi Jo for album and music production. Sumi Jo is the first recording artist to be signed by SM Classics. This collaboration between a major K-pop agency and a classical music maestro is breaking genre boundaries.

Their first collaborative project will be Sumi Jo's 40th-anniversary special album 'Continuum,' set to release in May. EXO's Suho will feature in a duet, and violinist Danny Koo will also participate, enhancing the album's accessibility to the general public. Sumi Jo expressed through SM, "Breaking the boundaries between the legacy of classical music and modern sensibilities, and continuously challenging new music rather than staying on familiar paths, is my true approach to music."

SM has been steadily expanding its connection with classical music. In February, they presented an orchestral version of EXO's 'Growl' at the 'Vienna Symphony X K-pop' concert and arranged a collaborative stage with Super Junior's Ryeowook. Ryeowook performed solo songs like 'The Little Prince' and 'Without You' with the Vienna Symphony.

It's not just SM that's expanding its genre reach. JYP Entertainment is conducting various musical experiments through its subsidiary, Innit Entertainment. In January, they debuted 'Dodri,' a traditional music duo that blends traditional Korean music with K-pop. Composed of Na Young-joo and Lee Song-hyun from the audition program 'The Dandara,' Dodri is gaining attention for its unique concept of infusing modern sounds into traditional music. This approach holds significance as it attempts to globalize local genres.

JYP is also actively promoting band music. By integrating the K-pop idol system into bands, they are pioneering a new market. With systematic training and planning, JYP aims to showcase high-quality performances in the band genre, characteristic of K-pop. As a result, artists under JYP's band division, Studio J, are achieving impressive results. Day6 consistently ranks high on music charts with each new album, thanks to their musical excellence and strong fanbase. The rookie group Xdinary Heroes is also rapidly expanding their concert venues, showing a rising trajectory.

There are reasons why major agencies are actively merging K-pop with other genres. As K-pop's influence grows globally, it opens opportunities to introduce classical, traditional, and band music to the world stage. The synergy effect of leveraging the existing K-pop fanbase is also anticipated.

SM's acquisition of classical maestro Sumi Jo and JYP's introduction of a traditional music duo are seen as efforts to broaden the spectrum of Korean popular music, beyond mere business diversification. The industry is keenly watching to see what results these genre-blurring efforts by K-pop giants will yield.

Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia Reporter one@tenasia.co.kr