K-Pop giant HYBE has launched a new campaign to garner support from SM Entertainment shareholders for its bid to acquire its rival.
At the end of last month, HYBE completed its acquisition of a 14.8% stake in SM Entertainment, the company behind K-Pop stars like NCT, EXO and Aespa. The deal was worth about 422.8 billion South Korean won (about US$322 million).
HYBE had previously announced its intention to increase its stake in SM for about 40% by buying back an additional 25.2% of its share capital under an agreement with minority shareholders.
SM management opposed the offer, calling it a “hostile takeover attempt” with SM Entertainment CFO Jang Cheol Hyuk citing monopoly issues, indicating the plan “would cause more diverse and direct problems, including a decrease in the diversity of artists, music and concerts”.
HYBE retaliate at SM, HYBE CEO Jiwon Park said the plan would usher in “an era of change for both companies.”
But prior to HYBE acquiring a substantial stake, South Korean technology and entertainment company Kakao reportedly purchased a 9.05% stake in SM Entertainment earlier in February for around 217.2 billion won (162 million US dollars).
Over the weekend, HYBE warned of taking “all necessary legal action” against its rival over a deal it made with South-Kakao.
The new campaign, which HYBE says it launched “to share its latest business strategy and plans to put SM Entertainment shareholders first,” marks the latest escalation in this ongoing corporate saga.
The company added in a statement that its campaign, which includes a dedicated microsite, was developed “to protect shareholder value from the inappropriate actions of current SM management.”
Additionally, according to HYBE, “it seeks to end an unequal partnership contract with Kakao, unrealistic and unsubstantiated financial projections, and emotional messages that cloud public opinion, all initiated by the current management of SM”.
As part of the campaign, HYBE posted video statements on the website featuring two of its suggested candidates for SM’s internal board: Jinsoo Jung, HYBE’s Chief Legal Officer, and Jaesang Lee, President of HYBE America. .
General Counsel Jinsoo Jung explains that “HYBE has been working for several years to make K-Pop a mainstream genre,” to realize HYBE’s “vision to become the world’s leading music-based entertainment platform company.” .
He also said that “HYBE had been considering the acquisition of SM for a long time” and had also “thought a lot about how the two companies could work together”.
Elsewhere in the video, Jinsoo Jung claims that SM Entertainment’s contract with Kakao is “completely irresponsible”, citing in particular the exclusive distribution rights granted to Kakao as part of the deal.
Jinsoo Jung said, “As SM artists become more popular globally, the importance of global distribution increases, so not only domestic fans, but also fans around the world can enjoy content. and music from their beloved artists.
“SM’s album sales are over 15 million copies each year, which puts her in a favorable position to secure the best terms for worldwide distribution. Despite her status, SM has granted distribution rights to this certain society not only permanently but also exclusively.
“This now weakens the bargaining power of the company and further makes the contract an unfair partnership contract in which SM gives far more than she receives in return from Kakao. Such a contract is an outright loss in business.
In a separate video, Jaesang Lee, President of HYBE America, shares HYBE’s “Master Plan” for SM Entertainment’s “Growth Strategy and Distribution Policy in Partnership with HYBE.”
In the video, Lee calls SM “the pioneer of K-Pop” and a “symbolic enterprise that has contributed greatly to the growth and development of the Korean music industry.”
He suggests, however, that “SM’s sales growth and earning power have weakened due to issues in corporate management, governance structure and the late introduction of the multi-production system.”
Elsewhere, he says that “as a rapidly growing company in North America, the largest market in the world, [HYBE] can provide the most realistic and effective support for SM’s global expansion strategy”.
He added, “In particular, HYBE’s major global distribution and promotion networks, the global fan platform, as well as well-established local management, solution and label organizations can provide business synergy. immediate and practical.The music industry around the world