The rookie girl group A2O Lite, introduced by SM Entertainment founder and A2O Entertainment Key Producer Lee Soo-man, has reached the top of a major music chart just one day after their debut.

They are drawing attention for breaking away from contemporary K-pop formulas.

A2O Lite is the first girl group presented by producer Lee Soo-man following the expiration of a three-year non-compete agreement that prevented him from producing domestic albums after he sold his stake in SM Entertainment to HYBE and left the company in 2023.

Following the release of their debut song "Neon" on Tuesday, it drew enthusiastic responses and climbed to the top of the Melon Top 100 chart in just a single day.

Unlike recent K-pop tracks, "Neon" incorporates elements of past K-pop styles, featuring a relatively long running time of over three minutes, intense synchronized choreography, and a dance break section.

Netizens praised the track, calling it "the essence of K-pop."

In particular, certain members became a hot topic for evoking memories of BoA during her debut era and former Girls' Generation member Jessica.

An industry insider noted that "Neon" evokes nostalgia among people in their 30s and 40s.

(Photo Source: Melon)