In the thriving landscape of Korean music, pursuing musical diversity has returned to the core values cherished by SM Entertainment. As jazz education in South Korea flourishes across Asia, SM's decision to launch this special jazz project in 2024 is, frankly speaking, incredibly bold and "crazy."
This track is originally a viral hit that swept the globe in 2024 by the Korean girl group Aespa, and has been thoughtfully reinterpreted by three jazz musicians with extensive experience in New York and around the world. Hogyu Hwang’s bass slide entry showcases the fluid texture of an authentic New York musician. While many modern jazz sets don't necessarily feature the massive double bass, seeing them perform reminds us that they are collaborating with SM’s "universe" with utmost sincerity. I believe this work represents a breakthrough and an innovation that brings a positive impact to the musical environment of the "Big Four" K-POP agencies.
Following aespa, this is a track that EXO fans will find intimately familiar. However, under the meticulous restructuring (rephrasing/re-harmonization) by these talented hyungs, they have chosen to pay homage to this explosive single through a jazz lens. Contemporary New York jazz has a sound of its own—it’s broad and hard to define just how much Cuban or Brazilian influence is mixed in. Yet, the profound musical knowledge of these three has led them to craft high-caliber works fueled by raw, formidable skill.
Drummer Jongkuk Kim, like bassist Hogyu Hwang, is a graduate of Berklee College of Music; however, he has long been based in New York. Before heading to Seoul for the SM JAZZ TRIO project, he was already frequently recording and performing at prestigious venues like Blue Note and Jazz at Lincoln Center alongside top-tier American jazz masters such as Aaron Parks, Dayna Stephens, and Meshell Ndegeocello. If you’ve ever loved jazz, watching SM JAZZ TRIO will definitely provide deep insights into the New York jazz mindset!
If you love jazz and have been mesmerized by the likes of Robert Glasper and Meshell Ndegeocello, you’ll find that they are all close peers who write music together.
Recommended Listening: Robert Glasper & MeShell Ndegeocello - Love You Down - 10/23/2025 NYC Blue Note
On March 22, these three charismatic hyungs will bring their instruments to Taipei, ready to race through the melodies of K-POP with everyone. If you’ve ever screamed for aespa’s spectacular stages or shed tears over EXO’s ballads, this live performance will be the closest and most unique encounter with these classic melodies in Taipei’s nightlife!
