2nd Generation Male Idol Leaves 20 Years Of Idol Life Behind For New Career

A prominent second-generation boy group member has decided to bid adieu to his 20-year-long career as an idol to pursue a new dream.

The idol in question is none other than Super Junior member Sungmin. On April 30, KST, SM Entertainment released an official statement confirming that Sungmin’s exclusive contract with them had ended, bringing his two-decade-long journey with them to an end.

Sungmin | @_liustudio_/Instagram

Sungmin, who joined SM through an audition in 2000 as a middle school student, also took to his personal Instagram and expressed his warm regards for the label. He described the company as his “teacher, family, and friend,” adding that the end of this incredible journey is also the start of his new dream.

Sungmin has joined Totalset Entertainment to shift his career to Trot music. He is the first SM idol to officially transition into this genre. His new label is home to trot artists such as Hong Ja and Park Goon.

While this might be the starting point of Sungmin choosing trot as his primary pursuit, he made his official trot debut in 2023. It was a significant career pivot for someone whose artistic identity had been dominated by polished K-Pop performances.

Sungmin debuted as a Super Junior member in 2005 and has since been a jack of all trades, including a musical actor, a soloist, and a YouTuber. In 2014, after his marriage to actress Kim Sae Eun, he gradually shifted away from group activities. The couple welcomed their son in 2023.

| @_liustudio_/Instagram

Sungmin has now joined the growing list of prominent idols who have left SM Entertainment in recent months, including Girls’ Generation‘s Sunny, Red Velvet‘s Wendy, and Yeri.

Red Velvet’s Wendy And Yeri Officially Leave SM Entertainment