Lee Soo-man’s Vision for K-pop in the AI Era
Lee Soo-man, a key figure in A2O Entertainment and known as a visual leader, recently shared his insights on the future of K-pop in the age of artificial intelligence. His keynote speech at the 26th International Music Information Search Society (ISMIR 2025) held at KAIST Campus in Daejeon on the 22nd highlighted the role of technology in shaping the global music industry.
ISMIR is a major annual academic event that brings together experts, researchers, and professionals in the field of music information retrieval (MIR). The focus of this year’s event was on the intersection of culture and technology, particularly how it can drive the growth of K-pop globally. Lee Soo-man emphasized the importance of this convergence, discussing how it has transformed the music and entertainment landscape.
He reflected on his journey in pioneering the concept of Culture Technology (CT), which he structured into four stages: casting, training, music production, and marketing. This system has given rise to numerous successful artists such as H.O.T., BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, EXO, Red Velvet, NCT, and Aespa. These groups have become symbols of K-pop’s global influence.
In addition to his work in music, Lee Soo-man stressed the need for Korea to become a country that produces producers worldwide. He highlighted the contributions of key figures in K-Culture, including EJAE, Park Jin-young, Teddy, Bong Joon-ho, and Park Hang-seo, who have all played significant roles in shaping the industry.
Lee Soo-man also discussed the role of technology in K-pop creation, showcasing achievements such as holographic concerts, AI-powered speakers, and augmented reality (AR) music videos. Starting with the 3D music video of Girls’ Generation and Super Junior, which used advanced technology in collaboration with director James Cameron and Samsung Electronics, these innovations have redefined the fan experience.
Recently, Lee Soo-man launched a chatbot called Blooming Talk, allowing fans to engage in one-on-one conversations with celebrities 24/7. He also introduced A2O Zone and A2O Channel, aiming to provide economic rewards through the Play2Create model. His long-term goal is to establish A2O School, an environment where teenagers can use creative tools to develop into producers.
Another innovation he presented is Infinite Studio, a filming and editing technology developed with 4DV Intelligence. This technology, based on Gaussian Splatting, allows for high-quality image extraction from a single performance shot. It won the ‘Best in Show’ award at the SIGGRAPH competition in Vancouver, Canada, beating industry giants like NVIDIA and Meta.
Lee Soo-man believes that as AI evolves, human creativity will play an even more critical role. He stated that CT will amplify this creativity, helping cultures around the world connect and resonate emotionally. He predicts that the music and entertainment industries must continue to unite humanity through science and culture.
A2O MAY, a group produced by Lee Soo-man, continues to gain traction globally. The group has made waves in the U.S. and China, entering the mainstream US radio chart, MediaBase TOP 40, for five consecutive weeks. As the first group with only Chinese members, they set a new record for a Chinese female artist. They are also making progress on China’s largest music platform, QQ Music, with their upcoming EP ‘PAPARAZI ARRIVE’ set for release in October.
