SM Entertainment scouting global producers and songwriters through subsidiary KMR

SM Entertainment is looking to consolidate its standing in the music publishing industry by recruiting global talent through its subsidiary Kreation Music Rights (KMR).

Kreation Music Rights logo [SM ENTERTAINMENT]

SM Entertainment is looking to consolidate its standing in the music publishing industry by recruiting global talent through its subsidiary Kreation Music Rights (KMR).

KMR has signed contracts with a total of 86 creators over five months as of late January, SM Entertainment said.

Among its creators is Dsign Music, the Norwegian songwriting and music production company behind hit K-pop songs including girl group Girls’ Generation’s “Genie” (2009), boy band NCT Dream’s “ISTJ” (2023) and SHINee member and solo artist Taemin’s “Want” (2019). There’s also Sweden-based songwriter-duo Sunshine, who worked on girl group Red Velvet’s “Psycho” (2019) and aespa’s “Spicy” (2023).

These creators work under KMR’s European body, which was set up in Stockholm, Sweden in December last year to recruit talent in Europe.

KMR will also establish a corporation body in the United States and form partnerships with the companies there to attract creators in North America, SM Entertainment said. The company said its goal is to “establish KMR as Asia’s leading music publishing company within the next five years.”

The company has also made endeavors in its recruitment of domestic talent as well. KMR has three production teams — Smash Hit, Monotree and The Hub — working under the company as separate business entities.

Monotree has 603 songs licensed under the Korea Music Copyright Association and its Chief Producer Hwang Hyun is known for working on girl group IVE’s “Kitsch” (2023) and boy band Seventeen’s “I Wish” (2020).

The Hub consists of an all-foreign team of producers and songwriters in their 20s, excluding its Chief Producer Yoo Byung-hyun, who recently worked on girl group NMIXX’s “Soñar(Breaker)” and “Break The Wall.”

Smash Hit, made up of 22 Korean songwriters, is led by Chief Producer Kangta, who is also a member of boy band H.O.T.

“Our main goal this year is to recruit top global songwriters in Korea, Europe and the United States,” SM Entertainment said, adding that it will “utilize KMR’s excellent production capabilities... to also enter the artist management business to materialize [company business plan] SM 3.0’s ‘multi-label’ strategy.”

BY KIM JU-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]