‘1 tree can change the world’: NCT and Aespa K-pop label’s green movement (2024)

By Dong Sun-hwa

Ushering in 2023, K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment has vowed to tackle the climate crisis and ensure environmental sustainability in cooperation with its artists and their international fans. Its first step is to plant trees, according to the company’s founder and executive producer, Lee Soo-man.

“A song can change one’s life. In the same way, one tree can change the world,” Lee said during the recent SM Sustainability Forum.

This is the first time a Korean entertainment company has organised such an event, which was live-streamed to 470,000 people in 105 countries on YouTube.

“Planting trees can reduce carbon emissions and prevent desertification,” he explained. “So the tree-planting movement led by K-pop and hallyu, or the Korean Wave, can become a catalyst for a better, new future.

“In 2021, Mongolia announced it would plant a billion trees by 2030 and Saudi Arabia said it would reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and plant 50 billion trees.

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“If a K-pop festival joins this initiative, we can bring fandoms and youth to these regions. If more people voluntarily take part in this movement, it will boost our mission in saving our earth, making it greener.”

Lee added that he wants to contribute to building a new, futuristic city where sustainability and humanity exist side-by-side, with the help of music fans and global citizens.

“A tree will herald a new beginning,” he stressed. “Our future city will be a smart entertainment city fuelled by creative activities of prosumers – a portmanteau of the words ‘producer’ and ‘consumer’ – and creators around the world, where the virtual and physical metaverse coexist.

“I want to play a role in establishing such a city and making a cultural ecosystem that seeks sustainability and humanity.”

Two sociology professors at Pennsylvania State University – Sam Richards and Laurie Mulvey – underscored that Korea, the birthplace of hallyu, can take a bigger part in combating climate challenges.

“Korean entertainment can directly contribute to a sustainable future by prioritising stories and themes focusing on renewable energy or the rebirth of dynamic ecosystems,” Mulvey said.

“Korea, which has captured the attention of people around the world (with its cultural content), can become a model to the rest of the world.”

Richards elaborated: “People with power first have to envision new strategies that operate within and across different industries, and then ordinary citizens should practise these terms to support the implementation of the larger systemic changes.

“People have to work directly together because successful innovation and implementation are built on diversity of thought.”

Choe Jae-chun, a distinguished professor of eco-science at Ewha Womans University, said he believes SM’s tree-planting project can have an enormous impact on our planet.

“Korea succeeded in turning bare mountains into lush and green forests in a half-century,” Choe said. “If SM takes the lead in planting trees, global fans will follow suit. How much impact would this ‘K-pop planting’ have?

“Tree-planting is a good way of ecological transition that can re-harmonise human beings’ relationship with our nature. I just hope that SM keeps in mind the importance of biological diversity when planting trees.”

Suho, the leader of K-pop boy band Exo that debuted under SM in 2012, also expressed excitement over SM’s eco-friendly project. He was one of the panellists of the discussion that was presided over by Dafna Zur, a professor in the department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Stanford University.

“At first, I was floored to hear about tree-planting festival. That has never crossed my mind in the past,” he said. “But in a way, it will be the most special and meaningful festival in my life.

“I am a K-pop star but I am also a person who feels the direct impact of climate change. A healthy planet is a prerequisite for K-pop. I have been striving to be a good and positive influence for our fans, so I hope Exo fans can also relate to the importance of making our planet sustainable and put together our heads by making small changes in our everyday lives.”

After the forum wrapped up, SM held an online concert titled, “SMTown Live 2023: SMCU Palace@Kwangya” for free to celebrate the new year.

Opening the show was the music video of The Cure by SM artists that centres on the theme of environmental sustainability. From BoA to NCT to Aespa, a crop of singers under SM took the stage, with GOT the beat, a project girl group comprising seven female singers represented by SM, premiering its new song, Stamp On It. It will be included in the septet’s first mini-album that will come out on January 16.