K-pop entertainment giant to open first overseas outlet in Vietnam

The SMTown Vietnam outlet, which has been hosting exclusive events to give 1,000 invited K-pop fans a sneak peak, is located on the fourth floor of the Crescent Mall in the Phu My Hung urban area, District 7, VnExpress reported.

It consists of two zones with the SMTown Store where customers can purchase official merchandise, including albums and posters of SM’s artists and groups; and SMTown Café, which serves coffee and desserts.

While the official opening date for the event has not been announced, it is expected to happen in the fourth quarter of this year.

SM is the home of popular K-pop top artists like Red Velvet, EXO, Super Junior, Girls’ Generation, EXO, and others.

K-pop is a genre of popular music originating in South Korea, featuring catchy music and dance performances. Many K-pop artists have come to perform in Vietnam in recent years, including SM Entertainment artists like Red Velvet and Super Junior.

Vietnamese K-pop enthusiasts at a pre-opening event of SMTown Vietnam in Saigon's Crescent Mall in July 2020. Photo courtesy of SMTown Vietnam.

According to a May 2019 survey by Ho Chi Minh City-based market research firm Q&Me, 51 percent of Vietnamese like South Korean pop music and 68 percent like South Korean TV serials.

The Korean Wave began in some Asian countries including Vietnam in the 2000s, and has expanded its reach considerably since.

SM Entertainment, founded in 1995 by Head Producer Lee Soo Man, is the first company in the industry to introduce systematic casting, training, producing, and management systems, and it has been discovering unique content by pinpointing demands for music and cultural trends.

The firm entered the global marketplace using globalization and localization strategies through culture technology and has become a leading entertainment company in Asia.

In 1997, SM Entertainment became the first company in the Korean entertainment industry to enter foreign markets and made remarkable achievements as the leader of Hallyu, or the Korean Wave.

It has successfully set foot in North America, South America, and Europe while maintaining its base in Asia, and has enhanced the national brand of Korea and promoted the growth of the culture industry.

Source: VnExpress