According to an exclusive report by Star Today on October 10 KST, Lee Soo Man has begun casting idol trainees in South Korea.
While there is no public casting call, it's known among industry insiders that Lee Soo Man and his staff have begun gathering information on prospective idol trainees. One trainee from the Gyeongsangnam-do was recently cast.
Earlier this year, Lee Soo Man registered the trademark for a new agency known as A20 Entertainment. Previously in February of 2023, Lee Soo Man signed a share sales agreement with HYBE Labels, preventing him from producing music in South Korea for 3 years. The agreement is due to expire in approximately a year and 4 months, indicating that Lee Soo Man is preparing to resume activities in the entertainment industry by that time.
Furthermore, it's said that Lee Soo Man will soon begin recruiting talented music producers who will work alongside Yoo Young Jin at his new venture. Some producers may be selected from EKKO Music Rights, a publishing company housed under Lee Soo Man's Culture Technology Group Asia.