K-pop supergroup Seventeen’s newly released “God of Music” features a surprising collaboration with the Smurfs, animated by India’s Cosmos Maya.
The crossover video, out today, brings the CG Smurfs into the real world, much like the franchise’s recent feature film outings. Later, the boys from Seventeen accompany the Smurfs back into their animated environment as small blue versions of themselves, only smurfified.
The collaboration is nothing new; classic animated IPs have long sought relevance through high-visibility musical and pop culture tie-ins. In the marketing for the franchise’s most recent film, it almost seemed as if the Smurfs were starring in a Rihanna movie rather than the other way ’round, given that her name featured so prominently on every poster, ad, and commercial. Now, the property extends that approach by recruiting a top group from one of the most popular musical movements in the world.
According to Peyo Company president Véronique Culliford, the collaboration connects to the Smurfs’ legacy themes, but also positions the brand within today’s digital culture, where music videos function as major cross-media touchpoints:
This collaboration is built around joy and friendship, echoing the Smurfs’ original purpose of bringing more laughs, joy, and togetherness to the world, just as my father intended when he first brought the Smurfs to life. I know he would be happy and proud about this partnership with Seventeen, and to see that 67 years after they were created, his beloved blue characters continue to spread joy and unity in new ways.
Pledis Entertainment, the media engine that drives Seventeen, added:
This collaboration brings together two icons united by shared values—Seventeen, celebrated for spreading messages of positivity and togetherness through their music, and The Smurfs, beloved symbols of hope and happiness. We look forward to your continued support and interest as the project evolves to showcase how their combined forces amplify these values around the world.
The companies involved plan to extend the collaboration into consumer products by 2026, indicating that this is not just a promotional one-off but part of a broader transmedia strategy to reach fans across multiple formats and in both fanbases.