History was made at The O2 Arena on June 29, as SMTOWN LIVE 2025 [THE CULTURE, THE FUTURE] brought K-pop’s biggest stars and most promising rookies together for a one-night-only spectacle, marking the first-ever K-pop festival held at the iconic London venue. Commemorating SM Entertainment’s 30th anniversary, the nearly four-hour mega-concert was more than a music event - it was a panoramic tribute to K-pop’s global evolution.
From first-gen legends to next-gen newcomers, SMTOWN LIVE 2025 delivered on its promise of legacy and vision.
"Hosting SM TOWN LIVE 2025 [THE CULTURE, THE FUTURE] in London at The O2 was a landmark moment for us, marking the first-ever K-Pop festival in our arena," Marc Saunders, Head of Programming at The O2 said. "It was really special to witness such an incredible line-up of artists perform on one stage across the night, and it was without doubt an unforgettable experience for all the fans who attended the show. We look forward to welcoming even more ‘idols’ at The O2 in the near future.”
The show opened with a literal bang - a galactic-themed video sequence morphing into a thunderous performance of TVXQ!’s “Rising Sun”. The veteran duo, performing in London for the very first time, made their debut count with explosive energy and roaring stage presence. Their dramatic rework of Red Velvet’s “Psycho” later in the night further underscored their reputation for theatrical innovation.
The stage quickly transitioned to the future with SMTR25, the company’s current trainees, commanding attention with razor-sharp covers of SHINee’s “Lucifer” and EXO’s “Growl” - a symbolic passing of the torch from SM’s icons to its future. Their return later in the night for a medley tribute to classic SM hits like “Keep Your Head Down,” “Bonamana,” and “Sherlock” proved they’re not just learning from the past - they’re already honoring it.
Newcomers Hearts2Hearts and dearALICE marked their UK debut with confidence and heart. Hearts2Hearts shone with “The Chase” and “Butterflies,” showing a sleek, pop-forward style co-crafted with UK R&B trio FLO. They made the touching remark “Now we can understand why our seniors say the stage is the happiest place in the world," that echoed the emotional thread that ran through the evening. Meanwhile, British boy band dearALICE turned their hometown crowd euphoric with the heartfelt ballad “Save Us,” from an EP released just the night before.
RIIZE ignited the stage with their fiery dual-track set “Boom Boom Bass” and “Ember to Solar”, blending cutting-edge choreography with crowd-friendly charisma. aespa then made a triumphant return to London with “Whiplash” and “Next Level”, delivered with the powerful and commanding stage presence that fans knew and loved. “Your energy feels especially good today,” said Winter, as the sentiment echoed across the arena.
Girl group icons Seulgi, Joy and Irene from Red Velvet then took the stage with the sultry R&B vibes of fan-favourite “Bad Boy”, followed by a surprise nostalgia trip with a cover of Girls’ Generation’s “Run Devil Run” - a fitting setup for Hyoyeon of Girls’ Generation, who stunned with her disco-tinged solo “Retro Romance” before returning for a high-powered collaboration on “Dessert” with aespa’s Giselle and WayV’s Yangyang.
For fans of the ever-expanding NCT universe, SMTOWN Live was a dream lineup. All four units - NCT 127, NCT DREAM, WayV, and NCT WISH - performed together in Europe for the first time, each showcasing distinct musical flavors. Highlights included NCT 127’s gritty “Fact Check”, NCT DREAM’s playful “Smoothie”, WayV’s sultry “Love Talk”, and NCT WISH’s vibrant “Steady” and “poppop”. Jisung of DREAM brought laughter with his quip, “I like you guys more than Oasis”, while Mark hyped a July album release: “Mark your calendars!”
EXO’s trifecta of Suho, Chanyeol, and Kai brought a certain 3rd generation nostalgia and depth to the evening. Kai’s first UK solo stage in three years - “Wait On Me” - pulsed with Afrobeat energy, while Suho’s aptly Britpop-inspired “1 to 3” and Chanyeol’s “Hasta La Vista” showed the trio’s artistic range. Together, they paid homage to K-pop roots with a powerful cover of H.O.T.’s “Git It Up”.
One of the night’s most unexpected and welcome surprises came from, who some could possibly call the father of all the SM boys, Minho of SHINee, who was a last-minute addition. The heartthrob of the 2nd generation brought with him retro soul with “CALL BACK” and heartfelt emotion in “Something About U”, declaring love for London and, of course, Arsenal FC. He later expressed his wishes to return with the rest of the SHINee members - a promise we hope he will stick to.
The finale was a rapid-fire encore of greatest hits: “Kick It” (NCT 127), “Hot Sauce” (NCT DREAM), “Supernova” (aespa), “Red Flavor” (Red Velvet), “Fly Up” (RIIZE), and “Mirotic” (TVXQ!). All 14 artists returned in SMTOWN merch for a grand closing performance of “빛 (Hope from KWANGYA)”, a soaring anthem of unity and future promise.
Overall, SMTOWN LIVE 2025 in London wasn’t just a concert - it was a cultural moment. For those that have been in K-Pop for a while, you'd remember when there was a common consensus that SM Entertainment was regarded as the best house in the industry. It's safe to say, and almost comforting, that after all the shifts and shakes in K-Pop, that sentiment still seems to ring true. From TVXQ! to the newest girl group Hearts2Hearts, and even the hopeful boys of SMTR25, the quality of the performance had not wavered even once. Choreography was sharp, and voices were loud and clear. Say what you will, but the kids from the SM basement definitely know how to deliver.
By weaving together three decades of artistry with an eye firmly on the future, SM Entertainment delivered a once-in-a-generation spectacle. With world-class production, heartfelt speeches, surprise appearances, and undeniable star power, it was a night that etched itself into K-pop history - and into the hearts of every fan at The O2.
As the lights dimmed on this landmark European stop, one thing was clear: SM’s legacy is alive and well - and its future looks brighter than ever.
SMTOWN LIVE heads next to Tokyo on August 9–10.
Photos courtesy of SM Entertainment and Frontrow Global.
Who was your favourite act? Let us know, and follow KpopWise for more updates!