One of the better shows on Korean cable recently was 'Lee Hyori's X Unni' which featured the K-pop diva as she tried to mentor the talented but underachieving girl group SPICA. SPICA is under the same label as Lee Hyori and while they're recognized as amazingly talented, they have not been able to crack through to the upper echelon of girl groupdom. I thought it was great watching Hyori as she tapped into her vast reservoir of knowledge and tried to push the little group that could towards the right direction.

That got me thinking, if I were an up-and-coming K-pop group, which old school K-pop star would I want as a mentor? Today's Way Back Wednesday will feature some artists who I feel would have the most to offer. There are many who are actively doing just that and others who aren't in the spotlight but all have something to offer.

Yang Hyun Suk, J.Y. Park, Lee Soo Man

Whether you're a fan of these guys or not, there is no question that they are running the most important companies in K-pop right now. I think it would be a great opportunity to go through the famed JYP and SM Academies or the rigorous monthly auditions in front of YG and his crew (*note to self: food documentary idea). Who better to learn from than the three people who have revolutionized the K-pop landscape? And yes, before creating H.O.T. and SM Entertainment, Lee Soo Man was once a well-known singer in Korea (check the 3rd video below).

Lee Hyori

I just had to include the queen. The one thing I liked about Lee Hyori while she was working with the aforementioned SPICA is that she was able to be emotionally invested with the group but always kept sight of their shortcomings and what they needed to work on. She kept it real, she understands the game, and she was focused on success.

Teddy Park

Yang Hyun Suk has had the good fortune of having some of the best producers in K-pop work for him from Lee Hyun Do and Perry back in the Jinusean days to Brave Brothers. The main producer over at YG over the past 5 years or so is none other than former 1TYM leader Teddy. This guy is rarely in the spotlight but even newbie K-pop fans know his name because of the huge hits he's created with 2NE1, Big Bang, and others. Forget having him mentor me, I would love to just sit down with him and talk about his philosophy on music and where he gets his inspiration from that has had the likes of Lady Gaga asking to work with him.

Yoon Mi Rae

I've said this many times (maybe too many) but Yoon Mi Rae is the biggest hidden gem in Korea. I think she is more talented than the majority of "artists" in the Korean music scene but for reasons beyond my comprehension, she just has never hit it big. That could be an asset; the knowledge of why things didn't work out and help a group avoid that road. I think she has the perfect blend of compassion and know-how to shape a group into stars.

Tiger JK

Speaking of Yoon Mi Rae, did you watch the 'Infinity Challenge' Duet Concert back in 2007? Her husband, Tiger JK teamed up with Yoo Jae Suk and watching him work was enlightening. He had this super organic, non-pressure system of just letting Yoo Jae Suk do anything and just go with the flow. Teaching is not about what you know, it's about communicating what you know the best and Tiger JK had that zen, Yoda-like thing going on.

BoA

I'll be honest, when BoA was first mentioned as a judge on 'K-pop Star' with J.Y. Park and Yang Hyun Suk, I didn't think she had the gravitas to hold her own but boy was I wrong. BoA has actually turned out to be the most insightful judge of the three and it stems from her thirteen years in the music business, which began at a very early age, and all of the hardships and lessons she's learned. Who better to lead the next generation of young stars than the original, truly young idol star?

Kim Jo Han

The former Solid front man has been steadily working behind the scenes as a vocal coach to some of K-pop's biggest stars and as one of the first (if not the first) Korean-Americans to make it big in the K-pop scene, I think he would have a unique perspective as someone who was a part of the very early K-pop scene but now can watch from the background on the changing industry.

Moon Hee Jun

I've always been intrigued by Moon Hee Jun after I found out that he actually created the dances for the H.O.T. hit "Warrior's Descendent" and S.E.S' "I'm Your Girl" among others. I just thought it was interesting that he had the skill set to come up with these iconic dances. On top of that, even though his rock metal career was a painful failure, I like the fact that he even tried that type of music. Moon Hee Jun seems to be in a good place right now and I think he would be perfect to help mentor and shape a young group just starting out.

Kahi

After School isn't that old but the former leader has been in the business for thirteen years and has taken quite the road to get to where she is. Being a back dancer for years (she danced for DJ DOC, BoA, and 1TYM among others), choreography teacher, failed girl group member with S.Blush, then hitting it big with After School. That's a lifetime of diverse experiences right there and I feel that if anyone could communicate that to a young girl group, she would be the person.

Some of you are probably wondering where people like Eric, Andy, Rain, Yoon Jong Shin, and Tony An are. Old schoolers who are actually mentoring and creating groups today. Honestly, they just didn't make my personal list. I feel the people on this list can really offer something that the other's can't and who I have personal admiration for. Feel free to tell me how wrong I am!