Lee Soo Man
Lee Soo Man (이수만) changed the scale of Korean pop long before most rivals understood how big the category could become. After beginning as a singer in the 1970s, he built SM Entertainment into the company that systemized trainee development, concept-led rollouts, and fandom expansion across Asia and beyond. A huge part of modern idol business infrastructure still traces back to the model he helped normalize.
That legacy is attached to artist generations, not just boardroom mythology. Through SM Entertainment, Lee helped shape the conditions that launched acts such as H.O.T., TVXQ!, Girls’ Generation, EXO, Red Velvet, NCT, and aespa. His influence has always sparked debate, but his impact on how labels train, package, and export K-pop remains central to any serious history of the market.
The current era keeps him relevant. After exiting the company he founded, Lee returned through A2O Entertainment, where he is again testing how talent development and global positioning can evolve after the SM era. In 2026, he matters not as a nostalgia figure, but as a founder still trying to shape what the next cycle looks like.
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Latest Articles
2026 Is the Year of Rookie Boy Groups
SM, YG, Lee Soo-man, and Min Hee-jin are all racing to debut new boy groups in 2026. Here is why everyone moved at once, and what it means for K-pop.
Lee Soo Man's Return: The Godfather of K-Pop Is Free
The three-year non-compete clause binding SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man expires at the end of February 2026. A2O Entertainment is already operational, Yoo Young-jin has defected, and a new boy group is in the works. The man who invented the K-pop idol system is building again.