BoA to Exit SM Entertainment After 25 Years

BoA, the “Star of Asia” who helped power SM Entertainment’s early rise, is parting ways with the company after a 25-year run.

SM Entertainment said it “reached a mutual decision with BoA to conclude our 25-year journey together on December 31 after lengthy, thoughtful discussions,” adding, “We sincerely thank the fans who have loved and supported BoA.”

The company hailed BoA as “an icon of global expansion” who debuted in 2000 at just 13 and blazed a trail for K-pop across Asia, inspiring a new generation of artists. “As a pioneer and pathbreaker, BoA’s relentless effort and passion set records that stand alone,” SM said. “It was an honor to be part of every moment.”

While her exclusive contract ends, SM voiced full support for what’s next: “We hope BoA shines even brighter as she takes on new challenges and fully showcases her talents. We also sincerely cheer on the future of Kwon Bo-ah beyond the artist ‘BoA.’”

A cornerstone of K-pop’s early wave across Korea and Japan in the 2000s, BoA is widely credited with opening doors for the scene’s first big overseas push.

Even after her peak-era dominance, she stayed true to her sound while working steadily as both artist and producer, becoming a symbolic figure within SM. Personally scouted by former chief producer Lee Soo-man, BoA was appointed a non-registered director at SM in 2014 alongside Kangta.

Industry watchers see her departure as another sign of SM’s ongoing transformation in the post-Lee Soo-man era―prompting even “SM’s living history” to chart a new path of her own.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)