Korea’s SM Entertainment scales Chinese ambitions with new JV
Over a year after China's Tencent Music picked up a minority stake in SM, the STE joint venture will aim to localise artist development and management
News By Hanna Ellington | 1 September 2026
SM Entertainment, one of South Korea’s Big Four music agencies, is stepping up its ambitions in China with a new joint venture, aiming to rebuild and expand the cultural crossover between the dominant entertainment markets.
The leading agency recently announced the establishment of STE in Beijing with Tencent Music (TME), one of China’s largest music streaming operators, with the JV utilised as an artist development and management platform for the market.
Last May, Korean giant HYBE sold its…
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