26/02/2025
All The AWFUL Things SM Entertainment Did to Red Velvet
From trendy music to equally unique concepts with every comeback, Red Velvet has undoubtedly secured its place as one of the greatest girl groups of all time. Yet, despite their immense success and talent, fans have repeatedly expressed concern and called attention to the mistreatment these girls have been going through under SM Entertainment.
Table of Contents
- Rocky Debut & Early Controversies
- Clash of the Band Names
- Yeri’s Introduction & Backlash
- The New Member Issue
- North Korea Performance Controversy
- Lack of Full Albums & Inconsistent Schedules
- Limited Promotional Content & Poor Planning
- Issues with Album Restocks
- Latest Disappointment: SMTOWN LIVE 2025
- Conclusion
Rocky Debut & Early Controversies
Let’s begin with their debut and how SM clearly mishandled the entire situation from the very start. Red Velvet officially debuted on August 1, 2014, with their single “Happiness,” featuring the initial four-member lineup of Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, and Joy. However, their debut was announced only two days earlier, on July 28th, catching many by surprise. Typically, a proper debut involves months of anticipation, teasers, and build-up—none of which Red Velvet received.
To make matters worse, the debut music video for “Happiness” contained controversial imagery referencing tragic events in the U.S. and Hiroshima. SM Entertainment quickly issued a statement claiming the inclusion was unintentional and re-uploaded the edited video, losing 2 million views in the process. Fans were already disappointed by the rushed announcement and sudden debut, leaving many to question SM’s preparedness right from the start.
Clash of the Band Names
Before their debut, Red Velvet faced another controversy—this time around their group name. It turned out that an indie band had already been using the name “Red Velvet” since 2013. They had released a digital single and were performing live, especially around the Hongdae area, building a modest reputation.
When SM Entertainment announced the same name for their new girl group, the indie band’s members expressed concern. While the indie group hadn’t registered a trademark for “Red Velvet,” it was generally considered a courtesy to avoid taking a name already in use by another artist. The backlash from netizens and predebut fans was swift and strong. SM later apologized, clarifying they had no legal right to prevent the band from using “Red Velvet.” Thus, both groups technically continued under the same name, although it certainly added tension to the group’s debut era.
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Yeri’s Introduction & Backlash
Red Velvet’s success story was soon overshadowed by a wave of hate directed at Yeri, the fifth member introduced in March 2015 for their first extended play, “Ice Cream Cake.” This sudden addition raised questions about SM’s planning, as many felt the group had only just debuted a few months prior.
Born in 1999, Yeri became Red Velvet’s youngest member, and when she first debuted, she was met with harsh criticism. Netizens claimed she was less attractive and talented compared to the other members, going so far as to say she brought down the group’s vocal prowess. While Yeri excelled in variety shows, showing wit and humor, she was labeled as disrespectful and abrasive. On top of it all, rumors of her coming from a wealthy family and having parents as SM shareholders only fueled the hate. Yeri herself has revealed she felt scared of cameras after the barrage of negativity.
Moreover, Yeri has composed and written lyrics for Red Velvet, but SM’s tight control over artist music releases prevented her work from seeing the light of day. This lack of support and protection amid one of K-pop’s most intense hate campaigns highlights the company’s shortcomings in nurturing her talent and emotional well-being.
The New Member Issue
Adding a member post-debut is typically not something “Big 3” companies do, as it can lead to backlash and confusion among fans. SM themselves had previously experienced difficulties when adding Kyuhyun to Super Junior. At first, even the established members were resistant, underlining how poorly SM handles such lineup changes.
Yet, SM repeated the same mistake with Yeri, allowing her to become a target for hate. The company’s inability to foresee the negative response and protect her from it further reveals lapses in their artist management strategies.
North Korea Performance Controversy
In 2018, Red Velvet became the first K-pop girl group to perform in North Korea, Pyongyang, as part of a historic concert featuring various South Korean artists. However, SM mishandled the situation, causing a major issue. Just one day before the performance, it was revealed that Joy would not be attending, shocking both fans and governmental organizers alike.
The government reportedly found out about Joy’s absence at the last minute. Meanwhile, she was still attending other schedules like the Red Velvet concert in Japan and was initially slated to participate in the SM Town concert in Dubai before adjusting drama-related commitments. Even though SM had informed the government in preliminary discussions that Joy might not be able to participate, the company’s poor communication caused unnecessary confusion and frustration for everyone involved.
Lack of Full Albums & Inconsistent Schedules
One of the central points of frustration for ReVeluvs (Red Velvet’s fans) is the group’s lack of full albums. Despite Red Velvet’s recognition as one of the most vocally talented girl groups, they have only released four full albums in over 10 years.
Additionally, there are long gaps between comebacks, leaving fans waiting and disappointed. Last year, angry fans even sent protest trucks to SM Entertainment, urging the company to provide consistent and well-planned promotions. For instance, “Monster” by Irene and Seulgi faced a last-minute delay, disrupting a live countdown stream. Similarly, “The Velvet” was postponed just an hour before its initial release. These sudden changes and postponements have only fueled the belief that SM fails to fully support the group’s potential.
Limited Promotional Content & Poor Planning
Despite Red Velvet’s popularity, they haven’t fully embraced the promotional strategies common among today’s top K-pop artists—like consistent social media updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more elaborate video series. SM appears to overlook the group’s potential, underutilizing their YouTube channel and other platforms, even though Red Velvet was the first SM artist to surpass a billion views on their channel.
Issues with Album Restocks
Another major point of frustration is SM’s failure to restock albums. The SM Store once told a fan there were no plans to restock the “ReVe Festival Finale” album. After “Queendom” was released, the album sold out immediately with little to no restocks, forcing fans to look elsewhere.
Preorders have also sold out in under an hour, and album details are often released just days before the official drop. These issues affect Red Velvet’s performance on music shows, as fans are unable to purchase albums in time, all pointing to a glaring lack of planning and support for the group.
Latest Disappointment: SMTOWN LIVE 2025
By 2025, it seems nothing has improved. Just days before SMTOWN LIVE 2025 in Seoul, SM announced that Wendy would not be attending the highly anticipated event, citing “personal reasons.” However, Wendy took to Bubble to reveal she had informed the company of her decision over a month prior.
The delayed announcement left fans upset and blindsided. Many sympathized with Wendy’s frustration while criticizing the company for its lack of timely communication. Around the same time, Taeyeon of Girls’ Generation also announced she wouldn’t attend in a similarly delayed manner, sparking further backlash. Fans called out SM for its unprofessional and irresponsible handling of the situation, intensifying the public’s growing distrust of the company’s management.
Conclusion
From botched debuts and delayed releases to neglecting member opportunities and failing to communicate important news on time, SM Entertainment’s history with Red Velvet is riddled with lapses in care and professionalism. These incidents have led many fans to question the company’s commitment to both the group and their supporters. Moving forward, fans can only hope that SM Entertainment will finally address its shortcomings and give Red Velvet the support and management they rightfully deserve.
