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Group’s agency says exact reason for visa delay remains unclear
SM Entertainment’s Japanese boy band NCT Wish was unable to participate in the agency’s “SMTown Live 2025” concert in Los Angeles on Saturday, local time, due to delays in the US visa approval process.
“Despite faithfully completing all necessary procedures — including document submission and interviews — to secure the required visa for NCT Wish’s participation in the concert, the approval was unexpectedly delayed,” SM Entertainment said in a statement, Saturday.
“As a result, the group was unable to receive the visa in time and will not be able to perform on stage. We sincerely apologize to fans who had been waiting to see NCT Wish and feel deeply regretful for not being able to fulfill this promise, despite doing our utmost until the last moment,” the agency added.
SM Entertainment noted that the exact reason for the delay remains unclear.
SMTown Live 2025 is a global concert tour commemorating the agency’s 30th anniversary. The tour began in Seoul in January and, following the Mexico City and Los Angeles concerts, is scheduled to make stops in London in June and Tokyo in August.
Although rare, there have been previous instances of K-pop acts unable to enter the US due to visa issues.
In February, co-ed K-pop group KARD canceled its “New Era North America Tour due to delays in the issuance of working visas for both artists and staff. The tour was originally set to begin in Nashville on Feb. 27 and conclude in San Francisco on March 16. Despite submitting all required documentation, the group’s agency DSPmedia said the approvals were not granted in time.
In December 2015, girl group Oh My Girl was denied entry at Los Angeles International Airport. The group had traveled to the US for an album photoshoot but was reportedly held for over 15 hours by US Customs and Border Protection. Local media later quoted an anonymous US official who said the members were turned away after stating they had entered as tourists, despite traveling for professional purposes.
To legally perform in the US, foreign entertainers must obtain performance-specific visas, such as the “P-1” or “O-1” category visas. The application process requires complex documentation — including letters of invitation, performance contracts and full tour schedules — and can be subject to increased scrutiny based on the applicant’s nationality or travel history.
