'Original SM' Flavor: A2O MAY Enters the Korean Market

A2O MAY, the group produced by Lee Soo-man at A2O Entertainment, has made its move into the Korean market two years after debuting overseas. The push became possible after the non-compete clause tied to Lee's exit from SM Entertainment expired in Korea. The group's mix of hard-edged SM-style soundtracks, bright dance songs, and ballads has struck a chord with K-POP fans who grew up on SM Entertainment's 2000s sound.

The group made its first appearance on a Korean music show on the 6th, performing "Love Got Me Ooh" and "Rain On My Parade" on Mnet's "M Countdown." The members returned to Korea on the 17th for further music show promotions.

Their performance of "Under My Skin" on KBS 2TV's "Music Bank" also drew attention. The song is A2O MAY's debut single and an English reworking of "MIROTIC," the 2008 hit by TVXQ. The performance video posted on the "KBS Kpop" YouTube channel drew 50,000 views in 12 days. For comparison, a "FLIRTY" stage by Cosmic Girls' Dayoung and Jay Park, uploaded the same day, pulled in 68,000 views.

A2O MAY's music brings to mind SMP, short for SM Music Performance, the signature style built by producers Lee Soo-man and Yoo Young-jin at SM Entertainment. Released in July, the title track "Love Got Me Ooh" from the single of the same name is a new jack swing song. The genre swept the Korean market in the early-to-mid 1990s through artists like Hyun Jin-young, DEUX, and Park Jin-young. It later shaped signature SM Entertainment hits of the late 1990s and 2000s, including S.E.S.'s "I'm Your Girl" and SHINee's "Replay."

A2O MAY's take on the sound feels like a step forward from the 2000s SMP formula. The older style often built toward a specific member's high-note showcase in the back half of a song. A2O MAY leans instead on balance across the group. The result is not a straight retro replay but a modern update that reads as polished and current.

That approach works because the members can carry it. Chenyu's low tone and Quchuang's steady high notes have caught listeners' ears in particular. Sijie's visuals and dancing stand out, and sisters Cat and Michelle handle everything from soft vocals to strong belts.

Viewers who watched the group's Korean music show stages praised the live vocals. Comments on the broadcasters' YouTube channels included, "Listen to that real live singing. Vocals are the foundation," "Textbook SM," "They win with lives where you can actually hear the mics," and "Reminds me of 2010s SM. The sharp singing and dance style is straight from the original."

Overseas, A2O MAY has drawn even bigger numbers. The official music video for "Love Got Me Ooh" has reached 41.67 million views one month after release. Last September, the group won the Rookie Group of the Year award (年度新锐团体) at the WEIBO MUSIC AWARDS 2025, hosted by China's largest social network Sina Weibo. The title track from their first EP, "PAPARAZZI ARRIVE," tied for No. 1 with pop star Justin Bieber on the weekly "Most Added" chart of the U.S. mainstream radio tracker Mediabase's Top 40 Airplay.