SM Entertainment is making a significant move into the European market by partnering with UK entertainment company MOON&BACK to debut a British boy group for global activities. The strategic collaboration was announced on the 16th at SM’s headquarters in Seoul, where the signing ceremony took place with SM’s representatives, including CEO Jang Cheol-hyeok and CBO Jang Yoon-joong, and M&B’s representatives, including co-CEOs Nigel Hall, Russ Lindsay, Dawn Airey, and music director Ben Karter.
This partnership holds great significance as SM intensifies its efforts in the development and investment of global music/artist intellectual property (IP). The collaboration between SM, a leading force in K-pop, and M&B, a specialist in producing reality shows, is expected to create a boy group that will dominate the global market. The debut of this joint boy group, especially being the first collaboration between Korea and the birthplace of pop, the UK, is anticipated to attract global attention.
M&B, headquartered in London, is an entertainment and TV program production company founded by Nigel Hall, who produced world-renowned boy group ‘One Direction’ through programs like ‘The X Factor’ and ‘Britain’s Got Talent,’ Russ Lindsay, the architect of James Grant Media Group, and Dawn Airey, an expert in broadcasting content who previously served as Yahoo’s Senior Vice President and Getty Images CEO.
M&B will directly cast members for the boy group debut in the UK, while SM will provide expertise in music, music videos, choreography, and other aspects of K-pop. The songs performed by this group will be overseen by SM’s music publishing subsidiary, Kreation Music Rights. M&B plans to showcase the growth of the boy group through a 6-part TV series scheduled to air in Korea, the UK, and the US from the second half of next year. The series aims to highlight the energetic and vibrant journey of these musicians, incorporating K-pop elements into the debut of the first British boy group.
Russ Lindsay, Co-CEO of M&B, expressed excitement about the partnership with SM, stating that combining SM’s creative capabilities with M&B’s seasoned experience in global entertainment will produce a TV series that will captivate music enthusiasts worldwide. Jang Yoon-joong, CBO of SM, emphasized the project’s significance as SM takes its first step into Europe. He mentioned that SM’s unique K-pop production capabilities and global network will contribute to expanding into major markets like North America, South America, and Europe, playing a central role in accelerating the global growth of the K-pop industry.
