British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, center, poses with SM Entertainment CEO Jang Cheol-hyuk, right, at the K-pop giant's headquarters in eastern Seoul's Seongdong District, Tuesday. From left are SM's Chief Global Officer Choi Jung-min, British Council in Korea Director Paul Clementson, Dowden, British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks and Jang. Courtesy of SM Entertainment

British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, who is visiting Seoul for the Summit for Democracy, paid a surprise visit to the office of K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment, Tuesday.

Dowden, accompanied by a delegation of British officials including British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks, British Council in Korea Director Paul Clementson and special adviser Edward de Minckwitz, visited the headquarters of SM Entertainment in eastern Seoul's Seongdong District, and met with SM's CEO Jang Cheol-hyuk and Chief Global Officer Choi Jung-min.

Known for his longstanding passion for culture and entertainment and his children's avid love of K-pop, the deputy prime minister requested a visit to the leading K-pop company through the British Council in Korea, according to a statement released by SM Entertainment, Wednesday.

SM, a titan in the K-pop industry with chart-topping acts including Super Junior, EXO, Red Velvet, NCT, aespa and most recently RIIZE, welcomed the British delegation, showcasing the breadth of its global influence.

Dowden's visit included a tour of the SM Studio Center as well as a stop at Song Camp Studio, a creative hub where Korean and foreign composers and lyricists collaborate to produce global hits. He also toured recording booths and mixing rooms, expressing admiration for SM's artists, noting the high quality of even the unmastered tracks compared to the mastered versions.

As SM Entertainment continues to expand the scope of K-pop's global reach, Jang informed Dowden that the company partnered with London-based television production company Moon&Back Media last year for a new project to debut a British boy group trained in the K-pop system. Dowden expressed his excitement and anticipation about this groundbreaking project, according to SM.