'The best recognizes the best': Why soprano Jo Su-mi visited SM Entertainment

World-renowned soprano Jo Su-mi visited SM Entertainment's headquarters Friday to share musical insights with the company's staff and executives.

According to SM Entertainment, Jo served as the inaugural speaker at "Connect Day," a knowledge-exchange program where outside guests share insights with employees. Jo is currently the first exclusive recording artist signed to SM Classics.

When asked about her decision to sign with SM and collaborate with the company, Jo drew cheers and applause from the assembled staff with a witty quip: "Isn't SM the best? The best recognizes the best."

The event also featured a surprise appearance by Suho of EXO, who arrived with a bouquet of flowers. Suho contributed featured vocals to "Romance," a B-side on Jo's special album marking her 40th debut anniversary. The two shared behind-the-scenes stories about recording the track, revealing that they had communicated via video call despite the time difference.

Celebrating her 40th debut anniversary this year, Jo released a special album through SM and on Aug. 2 became the first Asian recipient of the 12th Maria Callas Special Award, further cementing her standing as one of the world's foremost sopranos.

She spoke about the album's title, "Continuum" — a Latin word meaning "to continue" or "ongoing." "I thought a great deal about how my life and artistic journey are really just beginning," she said. "No matter what hardships come, it is important to keep moving forward without stopping."

Having performed on world stages for decades, Jo said she has felt Korea's rising global profile more keenly than most. "When I went abroad to study, many people didn't even know where Korea was, and I had to overcome all kinds of difficulties," she said. "I worked hard while holding onto my pride in being Korean — but things have changed so much. These days, when I go overseas, people greet me first with 'Annyeonghaseyo,' 'K-pop, I love it,' 'K-dramas' — things like that. It makes me so happy."

Jo closed the event with an energetic send-off for the audience. "Life is short and you only get one shot," she said. "Let's all do something great together in this incredible place called SM, and live brilliantly. Let's go — together!"

Jo made her European debut in 1986 at the Teatro Verdi in Trieste, Italy, performing the role of Gilda in Verdi's opera "Rigoletto." She subsequently earned lavish praise from legendary conductor Herbert von Karajan, who called her "a voice sent by God" and "a soprano who comes along perhaps once in a century." She went on to perform at the world's five great opera houses — Milan's La Scala, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Vienna State Opera and the Royal Opera House in London among them. The first Korean vocalist to win a Grammy Award in the classical category, she has held a place at the pinnacle of the classical world for 40 years and is widely regarded as a singular prima donna who has expanded the horizons of Korean music globally, moving fluidly between classical opera and crossover.