Lee Soo-man's new girl group A2O Lite tops Melon chart

A2O Lite, the first girl group created by former SM Entertainment chairman Lee Soo-man, claimed the top spot on Korea's most popular music streaming platform, Melon, following the release of its initial single. The group's debut track, Neon, ascended to the number one position on Melon's Top 100 chart within 29 hours of its debut, following its release on the preceding day at 6 p.m. This achievement is rare for debut groups, as it usually takes longer for new acts to ascend the chart.

However, the group's climb was short-lived, as they slipped to sixth place the following morning. By 10 a.m. on Thursday, another member of the group, Soyeon, with her solo single I'm Gonna Toesa (featuring Kian84), reclaimed the number one position. A2O Lite, a nine-member group, was established by A2O Entertainment, the firm founded by Lee after his departure from SM Entertainment.

Lee officially introduced A2O Lite alongside the 15-member boy group A2O Soul at a media event in Goyang, a city near Seoul, on Monday. He had returned to the domestic K-pop industry after completing a three-year non-compete agreement that expired earlier this year. He had agreed to this restriction when he sold his share in SM Entertainment.