Recently, sm Entertainment, led by Lee Soo-man, has been sold in the M & A market. Exactly is a stake acquisition of Lee Soo-man Producers for 18.73% (4.39 million shares). However, only 5 percent of shareholders, excluding Lee Soo-man Producers, have a stake of more than 5 percent, and Korea Investment Trust Management (5.04%).
sm did not formulate For Sale. However, it was reported that companies that caught up with domestic entertainment industry such as Kakao Entertainment, CJ ENM, and Hive sent love calls, and sm as well as affiliate stocks rose together.
Lee Soo-man Producers founded sm Entertainment, named after him, in 1995. sm's artists, starting with H.O.T. and S.E.S., and Espa, which debuted in 2020, have become top domestic and overseas groups.
With this growth, sm has been the best entertainer in Korea. For trainees who dream of idol, they became 'company that they want to enter' and grew into a company that gives K-pop fans a sense of trust that 'sm is reliable'.
Lee Soo-man, who has been in the company for nearly 30 years, has turned 70 years old. The Harvard Business School rights succession, which is passed on to the family, is also sceptical. It is clear that Lee Soo-man Producers have an amazing sense, but it is difficult to see Lee Soo-man Producers' sons have the same sense.
Of course, For Sale the stake doesn't mean full retirement - you can still participate in production as Producers and make your own voice. We can expect more synergy through collaboration with the mentioned candidates. However, if you go to Harvard Business School, Lee Soo-man's influence in the company may be reduced.
This is not the first time that Lee Soo-man’s stake in For Sale theory has appeared, but even the specific company name is mentioned, and For Sale theory seems to be becoming a reality. The fans who have been loving and listening to sm Entertainment's music have also been shocked.
Some fans even expressed their desire for Lee Soo-man Producers to take charge of the company through a hashtag called "I'm sorry Lee Soo-man come back." They said, "I swear every day, but I am sorry that I am going out." "What is the wilderness going to leave?"
Nothing has yet been formulated: Lee Soo-man Producers may still have an influence after For Sale. However, the wind of change toward sm Entertainment is slowly blowing.