SM Entertainment’s “SMTR25” Trainees Criticized For Recent Teaser Video

Ahead of the “debut” of a new SM Entertainment boy group, the trainees of SMTR25 have come under fire after a teaser of them covering a senior group’s song.

SM Entertainment Addresses Debut Of New Boy Group This Year

Ahead of Reply High School, the variety show following the 15 trainees, it was announced that SMTR25 would release a cover of Girls’ Generation‘s “Into The New World.”

SMTR25 '다시 만난 세계 (Into The New World)' Performance Teaser#응답하라하이스쿨 #ReplyHighSchool
2026년 2월 13일 (금) 저녁 8시 20분 (KST) 첫 공개

Weverse Community is NOW OPEN!
🔗https://t.co/wZUtexJclJ#HANBI #SONGHA #NICHOLAS #DANIEL #KASSHO #JUSTIN #HYUNJUN #HARUTA #HAMIN… pic.twitter.com/IAPfUsKDdy

— SMTR25 (@SMTR25_official) January 23, 2026

The video saw the trainees performing the hit song.

Yet it was hit with a wave of backlash over the choice of song.

For many fans, “Into The New World” has been a song of female empowerment by a group that has inspired so many, and netizens didn’t think it was right for male trainees to perform it, especially after they seemingly altered the choreography. Some hit back at the choice of song and its choreography, sharing that there are plenty of male groups at SM they could have covered.

👏🏼this👏🏼song👏🏼is👏🏼not👏🏼meant👏🏼for👏🏼men👏🏼 https://t.co/YYPZv6bYGT

— coleni. (@jungsooyawning) January 23, 2026

There are plenty of songs out there and u decided to ruin and steal the context of this meaningful song sang by women and to empower others into a normal pop songs just for these men to break dance to it…it fcking ruined the song… https://t.co/3e74lgF3FC

— (# •⁠ ᴗ ⁠• ) 99 (@SEULMIMASEN_) January 23, 2026

Couldn’t even keep the choreo cuz god forbid you « look feminine » for 4 mins https://t.co/vZHvSZfu9n

— emma 🍏 (@todollua) January 23, 2026

GIRLS generation mind you https://t.co/vQlyzxPDTw

— laila (@kiiikiiigirls) January 23, 2026

I fucking hate when men steal everything from us https://t.co/kDZOt3Qg5D

— π 😴 (@letzbeh0nest) January 23, 2026

how dare they man-ize INTO THE NEW WORLD by GIRLS generation https://t.co/GawXo7qrER

— Ainy ⭐🎵 (@slapmyaes) January 23, 2026