[COVER STORY] Kids on stage: How young is too young to debut in K-pop?

A2O LITE, a K-pop group that debuted last week, captivated audiences not only because their single Neon spent nearly 29 hours atop Melon's Top 100 chart, but also because three of its nine members are just 13 years old. The group, founded by former SM Entertainment executive Lee Soo-man through A2O Entertainment, made its debut on October 12 and launched its first single the following day.

All nine members are minors. This lineup, featuring nine members born in 2013, has reignited a longstanding debate in the K-pop industry about whether Korea's safeguards for child performers, primarily centered around weekly hour limits and contract terms, are sufficient for young performers who reach the stage before completing middle school.

The practice of early debuts is not uncommon, especially within Lee's roster. BoA, a solo artist, made her debut under him at 13 in 2000, while SHINee's Taemin and f(x)'s Krystal debuted at 14 in 2008 and 2009, respectively. NCT DREAM, which debuted in 2016, featured its youngest members at 14. Culture critic Jung Duk-hyun noted that Lee's approach to debut age remains a subject of scrutiny.