Key producer and visionary leader of A2O Entertainment Lee Soo-man / Courtesy of A2O Entertainment

Lee Soo-man, the legendary figure behind the global rise of K-pop, is setting his sights beyond the phenomenon known as "hallyu."

The founder and former executive producer of K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment envisions a future where Korean entertainment transcends national labels.

"We must now move beyond hallyu," Lee said in a written interview with Yonhap News Agency on Monday. "The next step, stage four, is complete globalization," he stressed.

For decades, Lee has been a driving force of innovation in the music industry. Since his debut as a singer and emcee in 1971, he has pioneered transformative movements within Korean pop music.

In the 1990s, he introduced elements of American black music to Korea through the discovery of singer Hyun Jin-young. In 1995, he founded SM Entertainment, ushering in the first generation of K-pop idols with boy group H.O.T.

His company went on to produce global icons, such as BoA, TVXQ, Girls' Generation, EXO and NCT, laying the foundation for the modern K-pop system.

A2O May / Courtesy of A2O Entertainment

After leaving SM Entertainment in 2023, Lee entered what he calls the third chapter of his life by founding A2O Entertainment. His new company debuted its first group, A2O May, in December 2024 with a remake of TVXQ's 2008 hit single "Mirotic."

The group initially focused on Chinese-language platforms, aligning with Lee's broader vision of globalization.

Lee has long advocated a three-stage approach to hallyu: first, exporting K-pop; second, collaborating with local markets worldwide; and third, launching K-pop acts tailored to those markets. The approach, widely adopted by major K-pop agencies, has led to the rise of groups composed entirely of foreign members.

Now, he believes it is time for a fourth stage — moving beyond the "K" label altogether.

"I designed and realized the 'three-stage hallyu' theory, but now we must enter the 'Beyond K-pop' stage," Lee explained. "The Chinese activities of A2O artists and their preparations for expansion into the United States and Japan are all part of this globalization effort. That's why we're introducing Zalpha Pop — music targeting Generation Z and Alpha — instead of calling it K-pop."

A2O's emphasis on the Chinese market has sparked a debate, particularly due to the larger number of Chinese trainees within the company.

However, Lee dismissed concerns, emphasizing that his "China Dream" is not about exporting K-pop but about applying his established producing techniques within the Chinese market.

"Music has no borders, and shouldn't have any," he said. "The biggest stars come from the biggest markets. While A2O started with Chinese-language platforms, its music will soon become available on Spotify, and our artists will actively engage in Western markets. Our trainees come from diverse backgrounds."

Lee remains optimistic when asked about concerns over the recent potential slowdown in K-pop's growth.

"K-pop idol groups have seen tremendous popularity in recent years, and now we are in a transition period where new groups must rise," he said. "It takes time for groups that have disbanded or paused for military service to return to the stage or reestablish themselves. I thus don't want to preach a skeptical view that K-pop has peaked."

Still, he acknowledges the need for innovation.

"As a producer observing market trends, I constantly think about innovation. The key is to find a way to globalize further and to produce music and celebrities that are completely globalized without relying on the 'K' label."

Lee believes the entertainment industry is at a crucial turning point, where both qualitative and quantitative growth must be achieved. He envisions Asia as the future hub of the global culture industry.

"We must consider how Korea can become a country of producers, and how Asia can become the center of global cultural distribution," he said. "I believe the world's biggest celebrities will emerge from Asia in the future, and the region will lead global pop culture." (Yonhap)