{
  "id": 19736413,
  "title": "Thai Idol TEN Talks SM Entertainment Departure & Forming His Own Agency: ‘I’m Starting Again From Zero’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/thai-idol-ten-talks-sm-entertainment-departure-forming-his-own-agency",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-13T00:33:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Billboard",
    "slug": "billboard",
    "url": "https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/ten-sm-entertainment-departure-us-tour-interview-1236377194/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "TEN, the globally renowned idol, recently parted ways with his former label SM Entertainment in April and decided to establish his own creative agency, ILLIMNT. This move comes after TEN celebrated a decade-long career in the entertainment industry with a three-day residency in Bangkok and now embarks on his first U.S. solo headlining tour, marking the start of a new journey for the artist. TEN's decision to leave SM was driven by his desire to pursue his own visions and take risks that he felt would not be possible within the confines of the old company. The artist's music reflects this newfound freedom, with his latest EP, OUTWEST, featuring a bold tech-house title track and a chiller counterpart, \"IRL.\" TEN's 10th anniversary concert was held in his hometown, Thailand, where he invited fellow Thai artists to collaborate, aiming to blend his South Korean roots with the raw, authentic style of Thai performers.",
  "summary": "Following his exit from one of K-pop's most prominent labels, the Thai superstar is taking a big solo step with his 14-city U.S. tour.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}