K-Event Review: SMTOWN LIVE 2025 [THE CULTURE, THE FUTURE] in L.A

Writers: Riya Choudhary (Delhi, India), Aishwarya Ravichandran (Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India), and Karina Giselle Villarreal (Raymondville, Texas, USA) 

Editor: Pooja Vishwanathan (Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India)

SMTOWN LIVE 2025: The Culture, the Future is a commemorative concert tour celebrating SM Entertainment’s 30th anniversary. SMTOWN LIVE was held on 11th May 2025 at Dignity Health Sports Park in L.A. It featured various groups and artists under SM Entertainment, where artists, units, and groups under the label came together, performed their songs, and also included special collaboration stages by different groups’ artists. Though fandoms have different names, SM’s devoted fans are collectively called Pink Bloods. This year, the label SM Entertainment is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and to commemorate it, they are holding a series of events, which include SMTown Live, an SMTown Album, and a 30th anniversary brand film. We connected with two long-time SM groups fans, Aishwarya Ravichandran and Karina Giselle Villarreal, who shared their insights about the concert.

The entire show consisted of 3 sections – Pink carpet, Soundcheck, and Main Concert. The Pink Carpet was exclusively for the Ultimate Pink Blood VIP 1 category. It happened in the afternoon from 12:30 pm to 2 pm, where all the performing artists had a short “pink carpet” walk and interview. They also greeted fans, and it was a good way to see the artists close up. The next event was a soundcheck with artists Key, RIIZE, WayV, and Hearts2Hearts. Key performed Gasoline, WayV performed Give me that, RIIZE performed Get a guitar and Heart2Heart performed The Chase. This happened at 3:30 pm on the main stage and lasted for about 30 minutes. 

MAIN CONCERT

TVXQ! opened the show with a powerful performance on Rising Sun that immediately set the tone for the night. Then they performed Psycho and ended their performance with Mirotic. Changmin’s vocals and high notes in Mirotic were the highlight of the performance. Almost all of the audience knew Mirotic, and some even did the fanchant. It was hilarious how during their ment, Changmin apologized for Suju’s crazy ment, telling them how Suju is not normal. 

Right after them, SMTR25 took the stage and crushed SHINee’s Lucifer. Then SUPER JUNIOR hit the stage with Mamacita. After that, they performed Sorry Sorry (rock ver.). The entire crowd sang along and was excited during this stage. It was one of the most energetic performances that day. They performed Black Suit as their last song. Kyuhyun had to leave early due to a different schedule back in Seoul and hence did not perform Black Suit.

The best part, however, was their ment. Since the concert happened on Mother’s Day, Ryeowook asked if anyone’s mother came; they noticed Aishwarya’s mom and went berserk. All of them started claiming her as theirs. They sang and greeted the mom a Happy Mother’s Day multiple times, promoted their upcoming 20th anniversary album and tour. Eunhyuk said that since we were all family, we should buy at least one copy of their next album. Leeteuk then increased it to 2, and then they again came back and asked the mom to buy at least 5 albums. Siwon came and apologized after this. This was overall the funniest, most entertaining, and chaotic moment of the day.

Next, the cool and sassy vibes of SHINee took over as Key performed Pleasure Shop and Gasoline. Whereas Minho performed Call Back and Something About U. They played View’s intro music for a bit when Minho appeared on stage, but unfortunately, they did not have any SHINee song performance, only their solo songs. They also hinted during their ment that there might be a Key solo concert and a SHINee concert later this year in L.A.

The atmosphere shifted as EXO took over the stage. Suho, Kai, and Chanyeol were there as a group and performed Fighting Spirit (Git It Up!) from the SMTOWN album. Later, Suho filled the stage with his energetic performance on 1 to 3, and he called LA his second home before running towards the extended stage during his performance. Chanyeol rocked the stage with his refreshing performance on Hasta la Vista. Kai’s stage presence and dance are really out of this world as he performed Wait on Me. During their ment, he said Long time no see whereas Chanyeol and Suho promised that EXO would come back with a new album after Sehun’s return from the enlistment.

Red Velvet attended with only 3 members – Irene, Seulgi, and Joy. Their Bad Boy performance was infectious and iconic, but Red Flavor had the entire audience dancing along with them. Their jazz cover of Girls’ Generation’s Run Devil Run from the SMTOWN album was also a treat to watch.

NCT 127 hyped up the crowd with their performances Walk, Fact Check, and Kick It. Fact Check is an amazing concert song, and almost all of the audience was singing along with NCT during the chorus, and the same goes for Kick It. Johnny is an amazing performer, and he shone bright that day! Doyoung’s vocals were also amazing. 

NCT Dream was the sunshine of the day. They performed When I’m With You, Smoothie, Hot Sauce. Among the 3 songs they performed, fans enjoyed Hot Sauce the most. Their live vocals were amazing, and their dance was on fire.

Next, WayV gave cool vibes as they performed Give Me That (Korean Ver.), Love Talk and Frequency. When WayV performed Love Talk, the entire audience sang with them, and it was a complete hit. A funny moment on stage was when Xiaojun paused his intro to apply NCT lightstick-themed lip balm while the other members were confused. They were charismatic.

The energy was on another level as Aespa put a powerful performance on their songs Whiplash, Next Level, and Supernova. It was a fun-filled performance.

Next, RIIZE’s first performance was Impossible, and fans were amazed by how easily they executed that complicated choreography. After that, they performed Boom Boom Bass and had the crowd singing with them. During their ment, they hinted they might be coming to L.A for their concert tour as well.

Hearts2Hearts made everyone scream by showing their charms and vocals as they performed The Chase and Butterflies. During their ment, they congratulated SM and also thanked all the mothers.

DearALICE performed Ariana and was also missing one of their members, James, who was on crutches. They also teased that they are releasing a new single Sweet on May 23.

SMTR25 gave a powerful performance of Growl as well as a medley for the SM 30th anniversary tribute. 11 out of 25 members of SMTR25 attended the L.A concert. Some of the fans had even ordered a banner for one member, Hyunjun, which was displayed in the sky by a plane. It was a good showcase of what SM has in store for their next boy group. 

To close things out, all the artists came back, and a wave of nostalgia was brought on stage as the artists continued to perform Hope from Kwangya, a touching tribute to SM’s 30th anniversary and a sweet nod to H.O.T. They didn’t rush off after performing either. They stayed, laughed, waved, and interacted with each other and fans. It was such a wholesome, unforgettable way to end the night. It truly was the concert of a lifetime.

FAN EXPERIENCE

Aishwarya Ravichandran

I had a wonderful time at the show. The nearly 4 hour show was almost like a music festival. If you are a fan of multiple SM groups, I would 100% recommend to attend SMTOWN if you ever get a chance! It’s a once in a lifetime experience.

My most memorable moment was the Super Junior ment where they wished Happy Mother’s Day to my mom. I had flown my mom from Chennai just for this concert since she likes SUPER JUNIOR and has never seen them before. Thankfully, we were near the main stage so they noticed when I pointed out that I had my mom with me! It was so hilarious and endearing how they kept coming back multiple times to show their love and also how they begged her to buy 5 albums for their 20th-anniversary comeback 😂 It is a moment neither I nor my mom will ever forget 💙 Also, all of SUPER JUNIOR’s performances were so energetic and they had such amazing stage presence. Every audience member that day went back to being an ELF. 💙

Karina Giselle Villarreal

The biggest highlight of the concert actually happened before the show even started. In fact, this was actually my first K-pop concert and it was truly a remarkable experience. My favorite movement took place during the VIP Pink Carpet event. I’ve always told myself that if I ever got the chance to see SUPER JUNIOR in person, I’d go all out and get the best ticket available, no matter the cost. So when that chance finally came, I did just that. I got SM’s Ultimate Pink Blood VIP package, all in the name of finally seeing the group I’ve loved since 2005, especially my ultimate bias, Donghae. It was such an incredible experience. SM went all out to give fans something special, and I truly appreciated that. But I won’t lie, the heat was intense. It was an outdoor venue, and by the time the event started a little after 12:30 pm, it was already sweltering. Still, the excitement in the air was enough to keep us going. Once SMTR25 appeared first, it became pretty clear they were going in order from the junior groups to the senior ones. That meant SUPER JUNIOR would be near the end, so the wait under the sun felt even longer — but worth it.

While waiting, I met a few amazing girls who were fans of SUPER JUNIOR and other groups, most notably the NCT subunits, too. We chatted and bonded over our favorite songs, and when it came time for SUPER JUNIOR to appear, they offered to switch spots with me so I could be closer to the front by the barricade. Seriously, they were some of the kindest and most thoughtful people I’ve ever met in the K-pop community. And then it happened. I heard Leeteuk’s voice in the distance and immediately started screaming. The DJ started playing “Sorry Sorry” and I felt like I was about to explode. The girls helped pull me right up to the front and I raised the handmade fan sign I brought. The sign read: “Give me a hug, Donghae!!!” in Hangul. Suddenly, SUPER JUNIOR was right in front of me. Siwon came out first, then Leeteuk, and then there was Donghae. I started crying immediately. I held up my sign with a shaky hand, barely able to stand from the excitement and nerves. And then he saw me. He saw my sign. With his phone in one hand and that effortlessly cool expression on his face, he walked straight up to me and hugged me. I couldn’t believe it. I had just been hugged by the person I’d loved for nearly two decades.

I was a complete mess — crying my eyes out, shaking, and almost falling over the barricade. The girls around me were just as shocked and excited, and they held onto me to make sure I didn’t completely collapse. It was such a beautiful moment, not just for me but for everyone there. To those girls I met: thank you. I truly hope you get your magical moment like I did. This whole experience reminded me why I love this fandom so much. It’s about the music, yes, but also about the kindness, community, and memories we create together.

CONCLUSION

SMTOWN LIVE in L.A served as a vibrant celebration of SM’ 30 years. It brought up the all-star lineup from SM, which includes TVXQ!, SUPER JUNIOR, KEY and MINHO of SHINee, SUHO, CHANYEOL, and KAI of EXO, Irene, Seulgi, and Joy of Red Velvet, NCT 127, NCT DREAM, WayV, aespa, RIIZE, Hearts2Hearts, dearALICE, and 11 members of SMTR25. NCT Wish was part of the line-up but couldn’t make it to LA due to some last-minute visa issues. Beginning in Seoul, South Korea, the tour includes five additional shows across North America, Europe, and Asia. As the L. A concert concluded the concert will embark on the remaining shows in London and Tokyo. SMTOWN is an amazing opportunity to see all SM artists in one place. It was magical, and indeed, SM is still seen as the biggest reason for K-pop’s popularity worldwide. 

Would you like to attend SMTOWN’s show in the near future? Drop your favourite songs from SM artists in the comments below!