A video showing A2O Key Producer Lee Soo-man buying grilled pork for citizens at a restaurant after A2O LITE—the group he introduced upon returning to Korea after three years—topped music charts and clinched music show wins is drawing widespread attention.

On October 22, posts surfaced across social media and online communities stating that Lee had "rang the golden bell" by covering the meal expenses for patrons at a grilled pork specialty restaurant in Seoul.

In the video featured in the posts, Lee was reportedly celebrating "A2O LITE reaching No. 1" and the "successful conclusion of the Shidae Forum." Shouting "Please eat plenty" to the clapping customers, he responded by raising both hands when patrons chanted his name. Lee also readily agreed to photo requests from citizens, showing his satisfaction.

Earlier on October 22, A2O LITE took first place on Mnet's "M Countdown" with their debut digital single "NEON." Prior to this, A2O LITE recorded their third music broadcast trophy, following wins on SBS Life's "The Show" on October 20 and MBC M's "Show Champion" on October 21.

A2O LITE's achievements do not stop there. On October 15, just 29 hours after their debut, "NEON" held the No. 1 spot on music streaming platform Melon's TOP 100, setting a record for the shortest time to reach the milestone. Lee Soo-man, the founder and former chief producer of SM Entertainment, previously disposed of all his shares and, in accordance with a three-year non-compete clause, founded A2O Entertainment overseas rather than in Korea to produce multinational groups. In particular, A2O LITE, made up of members with an average age of 14.9 years, quickly captured the eyes of music fans with their unconventional performance of "NEON."

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)