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On Thursday, January 9, a few SM Entertainment staff members commented on Girls' Generation's (SNSD) Taeyeon and Red Velvet member Wendy's absence from the SM TOWN LIVE 2025 concert series. The comment was made on the Blind app, an anonymous forum that gathers employees of South Korea's biggest companies.
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As a reply to a person's question regarding the absence of the two SM artists from the tour, a few SM staff members were seen allegedly criticizing the K-pop idols. They explained that they were frustrated with the idols' actions of backing out of the tour and called them out for making Bubble posts regarding the same.
“Posting those messages on Bubble like that is also power. Their names were on the poster lineup from the beginning. Do you think there was no negotiation regarding that? It’s already annoying that we have to deal with this, and yet they act like that like it’s nothing. If you are so dissatisfied, just please leave.”
They further explained that the idols' behavior was unacceptable and that if they were dissatisfied with the company, they should choose to depart from SM Entertainment. To this comment, many other SM staff members were seen pitching in affirmatively. Some even suggested that netizens to not trust the words of the K-pop idols in their Bubble message.
When this landed on the internet, many fans were angered. They criticized the staff members for their posts that downplayed Taeyeon and Wendy's concerns and explanations regarding their absence from the upcoming concerts. Here are a few fan reactions regarding the same:
"I wouldn't trust your words, I only trust what the artists said. the audacity of lying is too high, SM. Just say the true stuff, not throwing a big lie to us, the fans," an X user wrote.
"SM contracts were so abusive and exploitative the South Korean government was forced to pass a law making changes to kpop contracts. you want me to trust THAT company???????" wrote a fan on X.
"Yeah, so SM is def guilty lol. They're so obvious when they're hellbent on slandering their artists," added another fan.
"What? They want me to trust SM over Wendy AND Taeyeon??" commented a netizen.
More fans and netizens expressed their frustration regarding the staff members' comments on Taeyeon and Wendy.
"Now that’s something someone guilty would say. As if we would ever trust your words when the mistreatment you do to these women are on full display," stated a fan.
"Whoever this staff is, the amount of brainwashing SM did to you as an employee is heartbreaking. SM exploited most, if not all, of their artists since the beginning. SM has no credibility to be trusted," added an X user.
"wendy and taeyeon have been nothing but loyal to sm for over a decade and this is what they say about them, free my girls" said another X user.
SM staff allegedly criticize SNSD's Taeyeon and Red Velvet's Wendy for their absence from SM TOWN LIVE 2025
When the SM staff responded to the Blind post regarding Taeyeon and Wendy's absence from SM TOWN LIVE 2025, another staff member from SM Entertainment posted a comment in support of their post. Here's what the staff said:
“Totally agree. I’m already over despair and am just fueled with anger. We’re all working our asses off with the concert just around the corner, and they think they can get away with just a Bubble message? I have a lot to say after seeing the news articles…if you are a sunbaenim than act like one.”
More staff members also commented on the post stating that the planning of SM TOWN LIVE 2025 has been going on since last summer. Therefore, they criticized the artists for canceling last minute. Some supported SM Entertainment by stating that the issue isn't with the contracts the artists share with the agency, and called out Taeyeon and Wendy for blaming SM.
On the other hand, both Taeyeon and Wendy explained their stance on their absence from the concert series. Following SM Entertainment's announcement of the K-pop idols' absence, they both took to Bubble to state that it wasn't their intention to not perform and let the fans down, but their expectations from SM Entertainment for the concert were not met.
Taeyeon explained that she requested at least two to three solo song performances at the SM TOWN Live 2025. However, SM Entertainment reportedly disagreed with the same and failed to prepare the requested stage for her.
Wendy, on the other hand, stated that she discussed the concert details with the company over a month ago, but the notice about her absence was shared only recently. She apologized for missing the concert and hoped that fans would have a great time at the SM TOWN shows.
