Lee Soo Man’s rookie groups A2O LITE and A2O SOUL debuted on October 13 — and the advertising world has wasted no time. Industry insiders say the two groups were swarmed with 56 brand deal proposals in a single day, a staggering figure for acts barely a week old.
A2O LITE (Credits: Koreaboo)
According to reports, 56 advertising proposals came in for the two groups on October 15 alone, just two days after their debut. One insider put it bluntly: “the situation is so hectic” that the phone lines are practically overwhelmed.
Numbers Behind the Madness
The brand frenzy is backed up by genuine chart performance. A2O LITE’s debut song “NEON” rocketed to No. 1 on Melon’s TOP100 chart at 11 PM on October 14 — barely 29 hours after debut — and was still holding the top spot as of October 16. The track has even been racking up real-time chart peaks across Melon, Flo, Bugs, and Genie.
Much of the attention traces back to the man behind them. Lee Soo Man, the legendary producer who founded SM Entertainment, exited the company in 2023 when he transferred his stake to HYBE — agreeing to a three-year non-compete clause barring him from music production in Korea.
The Return of a K-Pop Titan
That non-compete was lifted in February, clearing the way for his return to the domestic music industry. Now A2O LITE and A2O SOUL stand as his first major post-SM project, and the industry response suggests the hype is real.
Advertisers rarely shower this much attention on brand-new groups, and 56 proposals in 24 hours signals that brands see commercial gold. Whether the rookie acts can convert the buzz into a long-running career is the real test — but five days into their debut, Lee Soo Man’s comeback is already one of the hottest stories in K-pop.
Also Read: A2O LITE’s 13-Year-Old Member’s Short Outfit Triggers Outrage Online
Source: Koreaboo — read the full story there.
