Lee Soo Man Documentary “The King of K-Pop” Releases on May 13, Exploring 30 Years of SM Empire and Leadership Struggles

The documentary “Lee Soo Man: The King of K-Pop” about the Korean K-pop legend Lee Soo Man will be released on May 13 via Amazon Prime Video. Ting Fu, known for his acclaimed documentaries “Val” in 2021 and “Faces of Music” this year, is behind the film. As the founder of SM Entertainment, Lee Soo Man cultivated global K-pop icons through his company, including BoA, TVXQ!, Super Junior, Girls' Generation, EXO, NCT, and aespa. These artists played a pivotal role in the rapid spread of Hallyu in Japan and the United States and are recognized as key figures in transforming K-pop into a worldwide phenomenon. Although K-pop documentaries have previously appeared on streaming services featuring concerts and stories of top artists such as BTS, BLACKPINK, and Stray Kids, projects focusing on industry power figures are rare. The documentary opens with the line “If it took the United States 100 years to dominate pop music, Korea took 20 years” and captures intense aspects of the creative process through unreleased studio footage, dance rehearsals, and decades of untold stories from SM artists. While portraying Lee Soo Man as a visionary entrepreneur, the film also does not hide the criticism and controversies he and his company faced. It addresses sensitive topics in the K-pop industry, from the famous “TVXQ! slave contract debate” to his sudden expulsion from SM Entertainment in 2023. In 2023, Lee Soo Man resisted changes to the leadership structure but eventually sold his 14.8% stake in SM to HYBE, led by Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, and left the company on February 10 of the following year. The documentary reveals the complex intricacies of boardroom conflicts resulting from the leadership reshuffle and the corporate power struggles that led to his removal. These include the influence of large companies like Kakao Entertainment as well as public criticism from his nephew and then co-CEO, Lee Seong-soo—also known as Chris Seong-soo. Restricted from domestic activities until early 2026 due to a non-concurrent employment clause, Lee Soo Man founded A2O Entertainment in May of last year, headquartered in Singapore with subsidiaries in the United States, Japan, and China. Yu Young-jin, a former SM producer who followed Lee Soo Man to A2O Entertainment, appears in the documentary, during which Lee Soo Man stated, “Creating a system where stars emerge is the art of building culture.” The interviews also feature BoA, the K-pop queen who has been with SM for over 25 years, Super Junior’s Leader Leeteuk, EXO’s Leader Suho, NCT’s Leader Taeyong, and all members of IVE. This demonstrates the scale of Lee Soo Man’s network and influence built over 30 years. By examining Lee Soo Man’s life, the documentary provides a comprehensive look at the artistry of the K-pop industry, the intensity of its creative process, and the controversies underlying it, while also analyzing the systems and power structures that enabled Korean popular music to reach the global stage.