Lee Soo Man, the founder and former general producer of SM Entertainment, is making a comeback to the music industry through a new agency, A2O Entertainment.
On October 25, A2O Entertainment introduced its lineup of “Rookies” (pre-debut trainees) via a video posted on social media platforms, including YouTube and Weibo.
The video ends with the phrase “Produced by S.M. Lee,” confirming Lee Soo Man’s direct involvement in production. This return to the music scene marks Lee Soo Man’s first hands-on project in approximately a year and seven months, following his departure from SM Entertainment during the acquisition battle in March last year.
The video showcases several young talents, labeled as “Rookies,” who have captured attention for their promising potential. Notably, names like “Rookies LTB” and “Rookies HTG” appear, hinting at potential group names, along with individual member names. This suggests that A2O may debut multiple groups at once rather than a single team.
In its video description, A2O introduced the term “Zalpha-Pop” rather than K-pop, indicating a unique brand of music targeting the global “Zalpha Generation” (a blend of Generation Z and Generation Alpha).
When Lee Soo Man stepped away from SM Entertainment last March, he emphasized that K-pop must evolve beyond Korea to become a global music phenomenon. “The future of K-pop lies in its evolution into a global music genre,” he said, adding, “For music to connect with the world, it must blend with technology and aim to contribute to a sustainable future.”
Korean netizens commented:
"They're so young."
"They seem so young and I think there are virtual members?"
"Are they focusing on promotion in China?"
"I think most of these trainees are Chinese from their names."
"The song's catchy."
"It gives off SM vibes from twenty years ago."
"The kids are so young."
"I guess he's producing them and training them like NCT when they're young."
"The rookies seem not bad."
"I think most of them are Chinese and Japanese."
"This man is SM itself. The group gives off very SM vibes."
"I think this project would be successful. Lee Soo Man is the type of person who would make things work."
"Can't believe he's returning with a new agency."
"The quality is a bit low."
"There aren't any Koreans?"
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