SM Entertainment Unveils Hallyu Projects For 2016; New Boy Group New Culture Technology Set To Make Debut
SM Entertainment's Chairman and founder Lee Soo Man formally introduced the company's newest and biggest boy band along with heaps of other projects that are lined up for 2016.
In the "SMTOWN: New Culture Technology 2016" conference at the company's theater on Wednesday Lee announced the schedule for five new projects that have never been done in Hallyu history.
Lee Soo Man's announcement confirmed previous speculations that the agency was coming up with a new boy group with a number of members that will exceed that of Super Junior and EXO. The up and coming group, named Neo Culture Technology, consists of 40 members and is expected to expand further in the future.
"This is the true localization of K-pop," Lee said as he explained that the group's concept. The Straits Times reported that the members of Neo Culture Technology will also promote under several sub-units categorized by language to represent different regions across the globe. The members of the SM Entertainment boy group will be "freely recruited" and there are "no limits" with respect to its number.
Moreover, Lee Soo Man unveiled the exciting new project featuring Girls' Generation's Taeyeon.
According to Allkpop the year-long project will have Taeyeon come out with a new digital single for all 52 weeks this year. The songs will be made available through the music channel Station.
Taeyeon has already released the music video teaser for her single "Rain."
The third project revealed is the company's newest Electronic Dance Music (EDM) label "ScreaM Records." The label is said to collaborate with worldwide EDM companies like Refune Music and OWSLA, and Global EDM producer Skrillex, as reported by Korea Times.
TVXQ's Changmin and SHINee's Key both produced EDM songs for the company last year such as Changmin's "Rise As One," which was included in TVXQ's latest album. Meanwhile, Key was featured in Axodus's first digital release entitled "Hold On."
The company is also branching out to the information technology business with the release of two new apps called Vyrl and The Rookies Entertainment.