Former SM Entertainment executive producer Lee Soo-man is re-entering the K-pop scene through his new agency, A2O Entertainment. On Oct. 25, the agency introduced its roster of aspiring trainees in a video on its official YouTube channel.
The video featured dance performances by both boy and girl group trainees, aimed specifically at the Chinese market. A closing caption, “Produced by S.M. Lee,” confirmed that Lee personally directed the production.
A2O Entertainment, described as a “collaborative global artist development platform,” organizes its “Rookies” into four training groups based on age. According to the agency, trainees in the LTB group will progress to HTB, while those in LTG will move up to HTG as they advance.
The HTG group includes female trainees aged 16 and older, with LTG for those 15 and under. Similarly, HTB is for male trainees 16 and older, and LTB is for boys 15 and under.
Lee’s return marks nearly a year and seven months since his departure from SM Entertainment. Early last year, Lee was involved in a leadership dispute with SM’s management, leading him to sell his 14.8% stake in the company to HYBE, led by Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, on Feb. 10. HYBE initially pursued an acquisition of SM but halted the process in March 2023, effectively concluding the management dispute.
On March 31, Lee issued a statement marking the end of his era with SM, referencing lyrics from his early song Happiness to capture his sentiments about the transition. He also mentioned that “Kwangya,” his envisioned metaverse concept, was his “new dream” and acknowledged critics who had “maliciously distorted” his vision. However, Lee affirmed his commitment to move “always toward the future.”
