SM Entertainment sales revenue worldwide 2014-2021

In 2021, the global sales revenue of SM Entertainment amounted to around 701.6 billion South Korean won. The company's revenue has risen steadily over the past years. SM Entertainment is one of the biggest South Korean entertainment companies and manages popular artists such as Super Junior, SHINee, EXO, Red Velvet, NCT, and aespa. Having started out as a music production and management business, the company has expanded to cover video content production, travel, and advertising.

The history of SM Entertainment

SM Entertainment was first founded in 1989 under the name of SM Studio in Seoul, South Korea, by influential music executive and record producer Soo-man Lee. The company was overhauled and renamed in 1995 and began debuting musical acts the following year. The 1990s are commonly considered to have been the time of the so-called “first-generation K-pop acts”, and SM Entertainment found success with acts such as H.O.T., Shinhwa, and BoA. Due to their early and ongoing success within the industry, they are considered to be among the most established and industry-leading K-pop entertainment companies, with a large number of influential former and current artists.

The ongoing success of SM Entertainment

Artists signed under SM Entertainment continue to be well-represented on album charts, with multiple entries by NCT and EXO among the best-selling music albums in South Korea. Overall, their current leading male acts accounted for around 21 percent of all music albums sold in South Korea in the previous year. While the company has capitalized upon its success by expanding its business interests and operating subsidiaries, its entertainment sector is still its most successful business sector.