Lee Soo-man "SM Joins Efforts to Achieve Sustainability for Saving the Earth"

Keynote Speech at the 'SM Sustainability Forum' Unveiled on New Year's Day

Lee Soo-man, Chief Producer of SM Entertainment, is delivering the opening speech at the free online concert "SM Town Live 2023: SMCU Palace@Gwangya" hosted by SM Entertainment on the 1st. Photo by SM Entertainment

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] "Just as a single song can change a life, starting with one tree, we can change our Earth and the world."

Lee Soo-man, SM Entertainment's Chief Producer, presented a sustainable future centered on K-pop in the video of the 'SM Sustainability Forum' released at 12 PM on the 1st via the YouTube SM Town channel. This forum is the first climate crisis event hosted by a domestic entertainment company.

The producer evaluated that SM, as a 'first mover,' has stepped onto the global stage to realize 'Culture First, Economy Next.' He emphasized that they now aim to design a new future with artificial intelligence (AI) and the metaverse and lead content in the metaverse era.

SM is building unique content through the metaverse 'SM Culture Universe' (SMCU) and the Metaversal Origin Story. The 'Wilderness,' an infinite world of creation within SMCU, is a representative stage.

Lee said, "Our vision has become reality. We already live in a metaverse world connected by culture without boundaries between reality and virtuality," adding, "I hope you discover and express your creativity joyfully and happily in the metaverse where you can 'Play2Create' and grow."

From the left, Executive Producer Lee Soo-man, EXO's Suho, Professor Choi Jae-chun. SM Sustainability Forum venue. Photo by SM Entertainment

Additionally, Lee emphasized that above all, this is an era of carbon neutrality where we must solve the Earth's climate crisis and realize sustainability. He defined it as "an era of carbon neutrality where we must solve the Earth's climate crisis and realize sustainability," and said, "The Earth's forests are disappearing, and deserts are spreading worldwide."

He continued, "Now, we all must participate in the carbon emission zero roadmap. To realize Earth's sustainability, efforts to prevent desertification are necessary," proposing a tree-planting campaign.

Lee stated, "K-pop and Hallyu based on humanity will be an important starting point and catalyst for this tree-planting movement," and stressed, "I firmly believe that the humanity and dreams for Earth's sustainability shown by K-pop and Hallyu will once again move the whole world and contribute to saving the Earth."

"Everyone can refer to this and become a producer. I hope you start here at the SMCU Palace," he said, reiterating SM's humanity motto: 'Be Humble, Be Kind, Be the Love.'

The forum topic following the keynote speech was 'Humanity & Sustainability.' Presentations were consecutively given by world-renowned ecologist and evolutionary biologist Professor Choi Jae-chun, Ewha Womans University Chair Professor of Eco-Science and Chairman of the Biodiversity Foundation; Sam Richard, a leading American Hallyu researcher; and Lori Mulvey, Professor of Sociology at Pennsylvania State University.

The panel included Producer Lee Soo-man, Professor Choi Jae-chun, and Suho from the Hallyu group EXO. In particular, Suho shared stories related to K-pop and Earth's sustainable development, drawing on his experience as an artist.