On a blisteringly hot afternoon, more than 35,000 fans turned out at a sports stadium in Seoul to see a gathering of their favorite Korean pop stars. Marking its 15th anniversary, SM Entertainment, one of the biggest entertainment agencies in Korea, hosted the “SM Town Live World Tour in Seoul” concert at the Jamsil Sport Complex on Saturday. Boasting a lineup of more than 50 pop acts, including BoA, TVXQ, Girls’ Generation, Super Junior, f(x) and SHINee, the blockbuster concert featured genres including classic ballads, folk, hip-hop and dance. It was a night for SM, the pioneer of the country’s pop star culture and entertainment business, to display their history and influence over the industry. Despite temperatures peaking at higher than 32 degrees, the crowd, ranging from early teens to elderly fans, were on their feet during the concert, waving placards bearing their favorite stars’ name and singing along to their songs. More than 80 songs were played during the six-hour long concert, easing the spectators into the soothing tropical night. The evening was not only special for the cheering fans but also for the artists themselves. BoA, who debuted with SM in 2000, held a special ceremony on the stage to mark the 10th anniversary of her debut. The 23-year-old global star, who recently returned to fans with her sixth Korean album “Hurricane Venus,” sung her hit song “No. 1,” with SHINee’s Key, and was joined by all the participants of the show on stage, making for a remarkable moment. There were also unusual joint performances. Notably, Girls’ Generation’s Jessica was paired with her elder sister Krystal from f(x) to sing “Tik Tock” by Kesha, and small screen stars with the SM, including Kim Min-jong, Lee Yeon-hee and Ara also appeared on stage to perform along with the singers.