Lee Soo-man, the founder of SM Entertainment, has returned to South Korea’s K-pop industry with two new groups, A2O LITE and A2O SOUL, introducing 24 idols in a simultaneous launch that has already produced a chart-topping single and controversy surrounding one of its youngest members.
The nine-member girl group and 15-member boy group performed at a joint showcase in Goyang on 12 October before releasing their first songs the following day. Both acts belong to A2O Entertainment, Lee’s new agency, and form part of his attempt to combine traditional K-pop production with emerging technology.
A2O LITE’s debut single, «NEON,» reached No. 1 on Melon’s Top 100 chart on 14 October, just 29 hours after its release. The song had dropped to sixth place by the following morning, according to Yonhap News Agency.
The launch marks Lee’s return to the Korean music industry more than three years after leaving SM Entertainment. His three-year non-compete agreement with HYBE, signed following the sale of his SM shares in 2023, expired in February 2026.
Who are the members of A2O LITE and A2O SOUL?
A2O LITE consists of nine members: Young, Oa, Ayune, Aijing, Himeki, Rada, Xili, Vora and Merci.
The multinational group includes performers from South Korea, China, Japan and Thailand. Its concept centres on girls with different personalities coming together to create a new light, combining themes of individuality, ambition and personal growth.
Their debut track, «NEON,» follows the members’ determination to pursue their dreams. Produced by Lee’s longtime collaborator Yoo Young-jin, the 3-minute, 28-second song features synchronised choreography, powerful vocals and a dance break reminiscent of earlier generations of K-pop.
All nine members are currently minors, with three aged just 13. Young turns 18 on 17 October.
A2O SOUL has 15 members: Moon, Tai, Gaku, See-one, Seoha, Sono, Lucien, Zai, Ayden, Alure, Zet, Sora, Teo, June and Hansung.
The boy group’s concept takes place in a fictional universe centred on the planet Soulite. Its members travel to Earth to discover human emotions, including love, happiness and passion, while learning about themselves through their encounters.
Their first release, «SUPERSTAR,» is a pre-release single from their upcoming debut album. The song explores the ambition to become a star and was also created with Yoo Young-jin’s involvement.
Three youngest members are 14 years old, with oldest member being 19 years of age at the moment of debut.
Lee Soo-man wants to combine K-pop with new technology
At the joint showcase, Lee introduced A2O’s production philosophy, explaining that the company’s name stands for «Alpha to Omega,» representing a continuous cycle of creation and reinvention.
The producer also unveiled plans to incorporate artificial intelligence, extended reality and 4D Gaussian Splatting, a technology capable of recreating moving subjects and environments in three dimensions, into the company’s entertainment projects.
Lee said the new filming techniques had already been used in both groups’ music videos, with additional immersive experiences planned.
SM Entertainment founder #LeeSooMan is back in K-pop as the key visionary behind A2O Entertainment, with new boy group A2O SOUL and girl group A2O LITE set to debut Tuesday! 🎤 At A2O’s launch Monday, Lee outlined his vision for a new K-pop experience combining music, AI and immersive 4D filming technology (4DGS), which was used to shoot both groups’ music videos and allows fans to view artists from virtually any angle. But he emphasized that music remains at the heart of K-pop, with technology enhancing the experience. #A2O #A2OSOUL #A2OLITE #Kpop
— KpopHerald (@Kpop_Herald) October 12, 2026
However, he stressed that technological innovation should not come at the expense of music.
«As long as K-pop groups are called singers, the most important starting point is ultimately the song,» Lee said at the showcase, according to News1.
He argued that a group’s identity should emerge through its music before extending to choreography, music videos and performances.
A2O also plans to expand its fan communication platform, BloomingTalk, with video conversations and interactive live programmes.
Aijing controversy emerges days after debut
Despite A2O LITE’s early chart success, the group has faced criticism following allegations that the parents of 13-year-old member Aijing failed to pay employees at an education company in Beijing.
Chinese media reported that former workers had complained about unpaid wages and that two court enforcement cases involving the company and Aijing’s parents amounted to approximately 3.45mn yuan (approx. $515,483).
Aijing’s mother acknowledged the payment problems in a statement published on the Chinese social media platform Weibo on 14 October.
She explained that her education business had experienced severe financial difficulties and said she accepted responsibility for failing to make payments on time.
«Failing to pay the amounts due on time was a mistake I must face and take responsibility for,» she said, according to MoneyToday.
She added that she was contacting the affected parties to discuss repayment and stressed that her daughter had no involvement in the business or the dispute.
The group’s debut has also prompted discussion among K-pop fans about the industry’s practice of debuting young performers. Some online commentators questioned A2O LITE’s styling and the pressures associated with entering the entertainment industry at 13.
