SM Entertainment Signs MOU with Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture

SM Entertainment CEO Lee Sung-soo, SM Entertainment chief producer Lee Soo-man and Drama and Performing Arts Council CEO Sultan Al Bazi at the singing ceremony of the MOU, from left to right, on November 29. [SM ENTERTAINMENT]

SM Entertainment and its lead producer Lee Soo-man signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture last month, the entertainment agency said on Tuesday.

The memorandum of understanding states that the two parties will focus on finding talents in Saudi Arabia, hold S-pop (Saudi pop music) auditions, cultivate local Saudi talents, establish a training system, and produce S-pop-related content.

They also plan to collaborate on tasks such as establishing a studio in Saudi Arabia to produce S-pop content and holding large-scale SM concerts.

“If we can make S-pop with the cultural technology that created K-pop, we believe that Saudi Arabia’s cultural industry will make more progress,” Lee said at the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding on November 29. “Also, we believe that these projects are significant for Korea’s cultural industry as it is an opportunity to enter the Middle East market. We hope to promote the Korean and Saudi cultural industries by making S-pop that people all over the world can enjoy.

Lee founded SM Entertainment in 1989. It has produced many K-pop stars such as singer BoA, boy group NCT and girl groups Red Velvet and aespa.

SM CEO Lee Sung-soo added that he is happy that SM can act as a bridge between the two cultures. “We will continue to expand such a strategic network for the global growth of Korean and Saudi Arabian culture.”

“We welcome and actively support all projects that develop local and global cultural ecosystems,” said Sultan Albazie, CEO of the Theater and Performing Arts Council, at the signing ceremony.

Li Jian [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]