HYBE Held Lee Soo-man Back, SM Raised the Stakes: His Girl Group Wins

A2O LITE, the new girl group produced by Lee Soo-man, A2O Entertainment's key producer, drew immediate attention upon debut. While Lee's track record as a producer played a role, external factors also helped fuel interest in the group. A non-compete agreement with rival HYBE and the debut of a girl group from his former company SM Entertainment ended up giving A2O LITE an unexpected boost.

A2O LITE released its debut single "NEON" on Oct. 13. The song reached No. 1 on the Melon Top 100 chart at 11 p.m. on Oct. 14, just 29 hours after its release.

Lee's long absence from the Korean market was one factor behind the remarkable start. When he sold his stake in SM to HYBE in 2023, he signed a non-compete agreement barring him from producing albums in South Korea for three years. The agreement expired in February.

Lee did not stop producing music entirely during that period. In 2024, he introduced A2O MAY, a girl group targeting overseas markets including China. However, it took more than three years for him to introduce a new group to the domestic K-pop market.

That gap ultimately heightened expectations for his return. During his time at SM, Lee led the development of K-pop acts across multiple generations, including H.O.T., BoA, TVXQ, Girls' Generation, EXO and aespa. What kind of music and concept he would bring to his first new group for the Korean market in years was a natural source of interest even before its debut.

The comparison with SM's Hearts2Hearts added another layer of intrigue. SM debuted the girl group in Feb. 2025, marking its first new girl group since Lee's departure in 2023. The debut drew particular attention as an indication of the company's direction without its longtime chief producer.

After Lee left, SM moved away from its single chief-producer model and adopted the "SM 3.0" system, in which multiple production teams oversee different artists. Hearts2Hearts was the first girl group introduced under the new structure, offering an early look at SM's evolving production approach.

Hearts2Hearts embraced a dreamy atmosphere and restrained musical progression on its debut track "The Chase." Some listeners felt the song departed from the powerful sound and dramatic structure associated with the traditional SMP (SM Music Performance) style. Others saw it as a different expression of the experimental and distinctive musical identity SM has long pursued.

It was against this backdrop that Lee introduced A2O LITE. Rather than simply marking another girl group debut, its arrival invited comparisons between "SM without Lee Soo-man" and "Lee Soo-man without SM." Interest naturally grew in how much of SM's established musical identity his new act would carry forward.

The involvement of producer Yoo Young-jin, a longtime collaborator of Lee, reinforced that connection. Yoo played a central role in shaping SM's musical identity over the years. Girls' Generation's Sunny also participated in training A2O's trainees, adding another link to the people behind SM's earlier production system.

A2O LITE's debut track "NEON" features elements reminiscent of older SM releases, including layered harmonies, high-note ad-libs and a dance break. With shorter, more streamlined song structures gaining popularity in K-pop in recent years, musical elements that once felt familiar could now offer something refreshing.

A2O LITE's chart performance also stood out alongside A2O SOUL, the boy group unveiled on the same day. Both groups were produced by Lee, but it was A2O LITE that reached No. 1 on the Melon Top 100 shortly after debut. Given that both acts marked Lee's return to the Korean market, the comparison with SM's new-generation girl group may have contributed to A2O LITE's early success, beyond the appeal of its music alone.

HYBE's non-compete agreement delayed Lee's return to the Korean market, but it also gave audiences more time to anticipate his next move. Hearts2Hearts, introduced earlier by SM, provided another point of reference for evaluating his new act. Regardless of their intentions, both companies ultimately helped create conditions that heightened interest in Lee's new girl group.

Initial buzz and lasting popularity, however, are two different things. The long absence and built-in comparisons may have worked in A2O LITE's favor at debut, but whether that attention translates into sustained success will depend on the music and activities the group delivers going forward.