SM founder Lee Soo-man returns home with tech-driven double debut

Three years after being ousted from the music company he founded, SM Entertainment, K-pop entrepreneur Lee Soo-man made his homecoming debut with two fresh idol groups on Monday. The ex-CEO, now representing A2O Entertainment from Singapore, introduced a 15-member boy group named A2O Soul and a nine-member girl group called A2O Lite in a joint showcase at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Both groups made their live debut for the first time during the event.

Their digital singles, "Superstar" and "Neon," are set to release at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The launch presented an unusual approach — two groups entering the scene simultaneously, tied together by a shared fictional universe named Soulite, depicting an alien planet. "The question I'm asked most about A2O is what sets it apart," Lee stated during the showcase.

"While K-pop groups are typically classified as singers, I believe that a singer's most crucial asset is their song. I aimed for everything — from the song, dance, music video, performance, and concert — to stand out and be different from anything that has come before."

However, Lee added that uniqueness alone isn't enough.