[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] A2O LITE, a new girl group launched by Lee Soo-man (74)—a former singer-turned-producer and founder of SM Entertainment (SM)—who has returned to the domestic K-pop market after a three-year hiatus, is making a strong showing on music charts immediately following their debut.

According to the music industry on the 14th, A2O LITE’s debut song “NEON” ranked 10th on the Melon Top 100 chart as of 9 a.m. that day.
A2O LITE is a girl group produced by A2O Entertainment—with Lee Soo-man serving as chief producer—to target the domestic market. A2O LITE achieved the remarkable feat of entering the top ranks of Melon’s Top 100 just one day after the release of their debut song.
Lee Soo-man agreed not to engage in music production activities in South Korea for three years when he sold his stake in SM to HYBE in 2023. The following year, he launched the girl group A2O MAY through his new agency, A2O Entertainment, and focused his efforts on targeting the U.S. and Chinese music markets.
A2O Light, the group unveiled by Lee Soo-man—whose non-compete agreement expired last February—as part of his return to the domestic K-pop market, garnered attention even before their debut. The group consists of nine members: Korean members Young, A-Yoon, and Bora, as well as Himeki (Japan), Siri, Merci, and Ai-Ching (all from China), Rada (Thailand), and Oa (U.S./Japan).
Their debut song “Neon,” which caused a sensation immediately upon release, is a pop track centered on the girls’ bold declaration: “We will go higher and farther, following a new light.” The song blends a heavy bassline with an intense beat, and the repeated lyrics “Neon and beyond” create an addictive quality.

“Neon” was co-written and composed by Yoo Young-jin, who joined A2O Entertainment as an exclusive producer following Lee Soo-man after leaving SM. During his time as an exclusive producer at SM, Yoo Young-jin spearheaded the creation of numerous hit songs, including H.O.T.’s “Descendants of Warriors,” TVXQ’s “Rising Sun,” BoA’s “Girls On Top,” Super Junior’s “Sorry, Sorry,” and aespa’s “Black Mamba.”
In the comments section for “Neon” on Melon, praise continues to pour in, with listeners noting that the song is sophisticated while evoking memories of the hit songs by SM artists that Yoo Young-jin worked on in the past.
A2O debuted the stage for “Neon” on their debut show, which aired on music channels Mnet and Mnet Plus one day before the release of their debut single. The official video of the performance, posted on YouTube, has surpassed 1.5 million views. Among the members, Aiching, born in 2013, is drawing attention for her appearance, which resembles that of SM artist BoA during her early debut days, thereby increasing interest in the group.

Lee Soo-man also debuted the 15-member boy group A2O Soul (A2O SOUL) alongside A2O Light. The fact that he unveiled two idol groups simultaneously upon his return to the K-pop market has also drawn attention. “A2O,” which serves as both the company name and the prefix for its groups, stands for “Alpha to Omega.” It symbolizes a cycle where the beginning and the end are connected, and where the end leads to a new beginning, signifying constant change and expansion.
At the debut event for both groups held on the 12th at KINTEX Hall 2 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Lee Soo-man also revealed plans to produce content using new technology. The plan involves utilizing “4DGS” (4D Gaussian Splatting) technology, which combines footage shot by multiple cameras to reconstruct the artists’ appearances and movements in a three-dimensional space.
In addition, he announced plans to launch a new fan engagement platform called “Blooming Talk” and an “Interactive Live Talk Show” where artists and fans can communicate in real time.