Lee Soo-man Returns to K-pop After Ban Lifted; Weekly “ZALPHA AUDITION” to Be Held

Lee Soo-man, former CEO and founder of SM Entertainment, announced his return to South Korea’s music industry following the end of a three-year competition ban. A2O Entertainment Korea revealed on March 24 that it will host the public audition “A2O ZALPHA AUDITION,” which Lee Soo-man personally plans and oversees, marking his first official move in the country since the ban was lifted.

In February 2023, during the management dispute at SM Entertainment, Lee Soo-man sold 14.8% of his shares to HYBE and agreed to a competition ban requiring him to avoid engaging in similar business activities for three years. As this period concluded at the end of last month, he began taking steps to return to the South Korean music scene.

The ZALPHA AUDITION will be held regularly every Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at A2O Entertainment Korea’s headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Applicants can register on-site without prior procedures, and applications can also be submitted through official online channels. The audition welcomes participants from various fields such as vocals, rap, dance, and acting, with no restrictions based on nationality or gender. The company stated it aims to discover next-generation artists for global stages through this audition and to introduce a new growth model backed by a systematic training system.

During the competition ban, Lee Soo-man operated actively through his Singapore-based company, Blossoming Grace, establishing A2O Entertainment. He continued his role as an international producer by launching the girl group A2O MAY, which features members of Chinese descent. Lee Soo-man plans to introduce a new boy group this year, and the addition of members like Girls’ Generation’s Sunny and producer Yuha Jung has heightened industry interest in his new projects.

As the founder of the “K-pop idol powerhouse” that produced groups such as H.O.T., S.E.S., BoA, Dongbangshinigi, Girls’ Generation, EXO, and NCT, Lee Soo-man’s return to South Korea is expected to have a significant impact on the K-pop industry. This audition is set to expand beyond South Korea to include Japan, the United States, and other regions.