South Korean Company SM Entertainment Partners With Disney For 'Star Wars' Promotional Campaign Called 'EXO/Star Wars Collaboration Project'
The force is strong with EXO.
12-member idol group EXO has been commissioned by Disney to release a song to promote the forthcoming "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" movie. The song, aptly titled "Lightsaber", was released as a single on Nov. 11, Korea Times reported Nov. 26.
The single, now available worldwide through iTunes, is described as an uptempo dance track with EDM elements that depicts the unfolding of the new "Star Wars" journey, KpopStarz noted.
The music video for "Lightsaber" is pegged as a "collaboration film" for the movie franchise. It features the members of EXO decked in "Star Wars"-inspired outfits and actual lightsabers as they head to a "Jedi Only" club.
The "EXO/Star Wars Collaboration Project" was undertaken by the idol group's management agency SM Entertainment and "Star Wars" production company Disney in a bid to make the movie more appealing to a younger audience.
Disney reportedly had difficulty drawing interest from younger people. EXO's track record made the group an ideal promoter for the movie considering their massive global popularity among younger audiences particularly in China and other Asian countries. Billboard also noted that EXO holds the record for the most successful sales week for a K-pop act in the United States with the release of its album "Exodus".
SM Entertainment's recent deal with Disney stamps the company as the only Korean entertainment content developer to have established a partnership with a Hollywood production company. This marks an opportunity for SM to give their artists more global exposure. Reports say the "EXO/Star Wars Collaboration Project" will not be the last of SM and Disney's partnership.
In an episode of KBS' "Entertainment Weekly" EXO member Kai said, "I'm really happy. It's an honor."
Meanwhile, "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" will hit theatres in South Korea on Dec. 17 and Dec. 18 in the United States.
