TME(US:TME) Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-05-27 23:46Core Viewpoint - HYBE has announced the complete divestment of its shares in SM Entertainment, with Tencent acquiring the stake in a deal valued at 243.3 billion KRW (approximately 1.3 billion RMB), marking a significant shift in the K-pop industry landscape [1] Group 1: Transaction Details - The transaction was executed through an off-market block trade on the 30th, bypassing the secondary market to avoid potential backlash from retail investors [2] - Tencent acquired a 9.66% stake in SM, which, combined with Kakao's 32.4% ownership, indicates a strong Chinese-Korean capital alliance in the management of SM [2] Group 2: Market Reactions - The announcement has led to significant discontent among Korean retail investors, who feel misled after previously investing heavily in SM alongside HYBE [2] - Online discussions reflect a sense of impending change in SM's management dynamics, especially with Tencent now as a major shareholder [4] Group 3: Strategic Implications - The cash-out of over 200 billion KRW by HYBE is seen as a strategic move to fund future growth initiatives, including global tours for Le Sserafim and the debut of NewJeans in the U.S. [4] - The current competitive landscape among the three major K-pop agencies is evolving, with YG relying on Blackpink, JYP on Stray Kids, and SM now facing a mixed ownership structure with Chinese capital involvement [4]