Return After 3 Years Sets Rare Record... Will the 'Original K-Pop Commander' Shift the Industry Landscape?

[Anchor]

Producer Lee Soo-man, often called the pioneer of K-pop, has returned to South Korea after three years. The rookie girl group he introduced climbed straight to the top of domestic music charts upon their debut.

Reporter Kim Gyeong-hui has the details.

[Reporter]

[♬ NEON / A2O LITE]

This is Neon, the debut song of the multinational nine-member rookie girl group A2O LITE.

It claimed the No. 1 spot on Melon's Top 100 chart just 29 hours after its release, a remarkably fast record for a rookie group's debut track.

This song also marks Producer Lee Soo-man's domestic return project, three years after leaving SM Entertainment.

Previously, when Producer Lee sold his stake in SM to HYBE, he had agreed not to produce albums in South Korea for three years.

[Lee Soo-man / Key Producer, A2O Entertainment: I have pondered, searched for, and experimented a lot with what could be different from the existing ways yet still receive a new kind of love.]

Analysts suggest that the success stems from combining public interest in Lee Soo-man himself with maximizing the appeal of original K-pop—such as a cappella harmonies and tightly synchronized choreography—alongside casting familiar faces reminiscent of BoA or S.E.S.'s Eugene.

[Lim Jin-mo / Music Critic: It has a Zalpha generation kind of vibe. It doesn't miss out on that, while at the same time subtly returning to the music of the past SMP (SM Music Performance) era.]

With an average age of just 15, including three 13-year-old members making them one of the youngest K-pop groups, their ability to pull off intense vocals and choreography close to the limit is also noted as a key factor in drawing attention from teens and those in their 20s.

[Mimiho / Music Critic: The way they use the members' voices for harmonies is pushed to such an extent that you think, 'No matter how I look at it, this feels more like an instrument than a human voice'—that aspect is quite impressive.]

[Lim Hee-yoon / Music Critic: While it seems that buzz is driving a lot of the momentum right now, it is clearly content that condenses the charm of K-pop. We will have to watch a bit longer, but I think they will be able to sustain a certain level of popularity.]

Attention is now focused on whether the original K-pop commander, who has successfully captured public interest, can overcome a substantial three-year hiatus and shake up the K-pop landscape.

(Video Editing: Kim Yun-seong, VJ: Oh Se-gwan, Design: Cho Su-in, Video Source: Mnet M2, A2O Entertainment)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.