SM Entertainment “Poaches” BTS Team Member, Sparking Backlash
SM Entertainment has recruited a former BigHit Music exec who handled BTS‘s PR before the company rebranded to HYBE as Head of its newly created Global Marketing Center.
Choi Bo Yoon took up her post as Head of the Global Marketing Center in mid-last month and is now overseeing SM’s global marketing operations.
The centre, staffed with over 50 people, has a clear goal to close the gap with competitors like HYBE and JYP in global markets, including cracking the Billboard charts.
This is a significant shift for SM. The company previously had no dedicated global marketing unit, with different departments handling overseas strategy in a scattered way. Now they’re consolidating everything under one roof, and they’ve brought in someone with a direct hand in one of K-Pop’s biggest success stories to lead it.
Fans online were quick to react, and many were not impressed. Some pointed out the irony, noting that SM has long been framed by its fanbase as a label that prioritises artistry over chasing Western validation. The hire and the Billboard ambitions that come with it felt like a contradiction to that image.
but pink bloods told us SM is all about art and never cared about the western industry… https://t.co/Nw0vRNiCv5
— ⋆ (@akgaepop) May 12, 2026
but they said SM is not after western validation😭 https://t.co/fQJeoWOFAx
— KV⁷ LN¹ (@kv_styles) May 12, 2026
SM's seeking Western validation and failing https://t.co/RLBpXAKbXi
— 🏊♀️Kim⁷ 석진 Panda ⊙⊝⊜ ᴀʀɪʀᴀɴɢ ⟭⟬⟬⟭ (@boredKimPanda) May 12, 2026
Others were more sceptical about whether this move can actually deliver results.
you can employ 50/100/1000 people what makes BTS success isn’t replicable. you need very hard work, honesty, versatility from idols/groups and a very strong and dedicated fandom. kpopies aren’t that. https://t.co/qtSnESBrYz
— justine⁷ 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱 𝔲𝔫𝔱𝔞𝔪𝔢𝔞𝔟𝔩𝔢 (@_ddaengtear) May 12, 2026
sm will never understand that the reason their idols arent global isnt bc of lack of pushing but bc their idols are just that boring, 0 personality and several plastic surgeries wont make ppl in the west like you https://t.co/zbaSXWY3w2
— bam’s parent (@748846hdu6) May 12, 2026
People should know it by now, that some people are literally born to make history and BTS is one of them. They are destined to be this big and have a loyal fandom like Army. If it is possible for all then by now we would have so many legendary acts but each generation has only 1
— RajkumariG (@g_rajkumari) May 12, 2026
SM turns 30 this year, and “SM NEXT 3.0” is their big strategy for the next chapter. Whether this hire signals a real turning point or just a reshuffling of deck chairs remains to be seen.
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