[Photos] Lee Soo-man returns to K-pop after 3 years, unveils simultaneous debuts for 15- and 9-member groups

Return of K-pop founder opens new door to future entertainment

Lee Soo-man, 74, key producer at A2O Entertainment, made a high-profile return to the K-pop market after more than three years at a debut showcase held Oct. 12 in Goyang, Gyeonggi province. He simultaneously launched the 15-member rookie boy group A2O SOUL and the nine-member girl group A2O LITE, presenting a new paradigm that aims to move beyond the existing K-pop ecosystem. His push into the global music market is now gathering momentum after a noncompete agreement he signed when he sold his stake in SM Entertainment to HYBE in February 2023 expired in February this year.

‘Alpha to Omega’: A2O’s infinitely expanding, interconnected universe

The producer said the vision of the new agency A2O Entertainment reflects the meaning of ‘Alpha to Omega’: “The beginning connects to the end, which leads to a new beginning.” He signaled fundamental changes in content production as advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics continue to develop. Drawing on his experience on global stages including the United States and China, he expressed a strong determination to use A2O to experiment with new ways of recording and making use of people and reality, going beyond conventional music production.

New ‘4DGS’ technology enables interaction with artists beyond space and time

The most closely watched element of his comeback is the introduction of ‘4DGS’, or 4D Gaussian Splatting. The innovative rendering technology uses multiple cameras to film an artist’s performance simultaneously from different angles and reconstruct it in three-dimensional space. An evolution of the former ‘matrix camera system,’ the technology allows fans to view artists from any vantage point and angle they choose. The producer said it would offer “a new extended-reality experience that goes beyond simple 2D video,” while highlighting the potential industrial value of the collected data as training data for future AI and robotic systems.

A2O Entertainment makes its case with distinctive music and Blooming Talk platform

Despite the dazzling technological advances, the producer emphasized that the central focus remains ‘music.’ A2O SOUL is entering the fiercely competitive music industry with its prerelease song ‘SUPERSTAR’, while A2O LITE is making its debut with the single ‘NEON.’ Insisting that “the essence of K-pop begins with the song,” he expressed confidence in delivering polished music that audiences will first feel is “good” before looking for what makes it different. He also previewed the launch of ‘Blooming Talk,’ a new communications platform featuring video chats and interactive live talk-show functions designed to foster close connections with fans, signaling plans to expand into a diversified platform business.

“The song matters most” … K-pop master seeks to prove the aesthetics of difference

The producer recalled, “As I have shared K-pop’s development and created new cultural content, I have continually asked the question, ‘What’s the Difference?’” He made clear his firm belief that, as long as a group is called a band of singers, every point of distinction must begin with the song. The public and the industry are watching closely to see what kind of seismic shift the weight of the name Lee Soo-man and the forward-looking vision of A2O Entertainment will bring to the global K-pop scene.