Former SM Ent. chairman Lee Soo Man has officially returned to the music scene through A2O Entertainment.
According to a report from Maeil Business Star Today on October 10, Lee Soo Man is actively recruiting idol trainees and producers nationwide. Although it is not a large-scale audition, he is working hard to gather talented male and female trainees, including one from Gyeongnam, not Seoul.
Lee Soo Man has applied for the trademark “A2O Entertainment” through his private company Blooming Grace earlier this year. A2O Entertainment promises to be a hub for developing entertainment enterprises, sparking speculation that he may return as a producer. His plans to debut a new idol group through this recruitment process are noteworthy, although he may also debut a group from another entertainment company.
Previously, when he sold his shares to HYBE in February of last year, Lee Soo Man signed a “non-compete” agreement, preventing him from producing albums in South Korea for three years. With about one year and four months remaining until that clause is lifted, his return to the entertainment industry is entirely plausible.
Additionally, in a recent interview in Chengdu, he expressed his ambition to organize survival shows in China, particularly in this music city. He stated his desire to develop stars who can be loved by the public for a long time rather than short-lived popular groups.
On the Ocotber 25, A2O Entertainment released a video on social media platforms like YouTube and Weibo, introducing a potential trainee group named “Rookies,” which includes 19 members, 18 from China and 1 from Japan. The video concluded with the phrase “Produced by S.M. Lee,” affirming his role as a producer. Notably, A2O does not use the term K-Pop but instead refers to it as “Zalpha-Pop,” indicating a target audience of global Gen Z and Alpha generations.
Netizens have reacted strongly to Lee Soo Man’s lineup, claiming that he remains obsessed with China:
- He’s finally realizing his China dream?
- He really like China
- He’s still obsessed with his China dream it seems. I don’t care if he has sinocentrism or not. Just don’t debut these kids in Korea.
- He really seems to like China… Wow ㅋㅋㅋ
- Grandpa, just go live in China
- Alright, please make a lot of money in China
Source: pann
