Lee Soo-man: "A2O LITE and SOUL Debut, A Question for K-Pop to Escape Mannerism" [Star On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Lee Soo-man, Key Producer and Visionary Leader at A2O Entertainment, spoke about the musical identity of A2O SOUL and A2O LITE.

The comprehensive daily newspaper Tonghaeng Media Sidae (hereinafter referred to as Sidae) held the "Sidae Forum" on the 21st at the Sebit Island Convention Center in Seoul, under the theme "K-Culture X Tech: The Path to Sustainable Growth."

Lee Soo-man, Key Producer and Visionary Leader at A2O Entertainment, a cultural pioneer who established the framework of the K-pop production system, took the stage as the keynote speaker.

On this day, Lee stated, "As K-pop has grown globally, performance and visuals have become extremely important. However, I asked myself whether we might be focusing too much on what we see and not enjoying the music itself for its own sake." He added, "I pondered whether we could create music that is good to listen to and also visually appealing, and whether we could build such power."

He continued, "Perhaps the debut of A2O LITE and A2O SOUL this time can be seen as a familiar approach, but it is a debut that poses a question again to K-pop, which can fall into mannerism if not handled correctly." Lee said, "Using new technology does not automatically make a group good, nor does being different from others guarantee good content. I absolutely do not recommend relying solely on difference." He added, "One must also possess human love. I believe this is the most important starting point even when discussing me and technology, and I think the potential of 4DGS will not remain limited to entertainment."

Meanwhile, the forum was divided into two parts. Part 1 followed Lee's keynote speech with a focus on AI-based video creation. Cecilia Sen, CEO of Utopia Studio, a global AI video specialist company, spoke on "AI Native Studio: The Convergence of Technology and Production."

Subsequently, motion graphics director Kim Geul-gyun (Apple TV Content Team) explained "Creation in the AI Era: Changes in Content Production Methods." Director Kim received an Emmy Award in 2024 for producing the main title of the drama "The Last of Us."

In Part 2, attention was paid to the phenomenon where trends led by K-pop are spreading to related industries such as lifestyle, beauty, and physical AI, with new cultural leaders taking the stage as speakers.

Yoon Sang-bo, Vice President of Galaxy Corporation, which is the agency for singer G-Dragon and operates "Robot Park" in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, spoke on "The Expansion of Entertech Utilizing Robots," and also introduced related projects such as humanoid robot idols and robot fashion shows. Shin Jae-ha, Vice President of APR, a leading global K-beauty company, discussed "Expanding the K-Beauty Paradigm Through Technological Innovation." Lee Seung-jin, Vice President of Musinsa (MUSINSA), which leads the domestic fashion and beauty lifestyle ecosystem, examined the present and future of "K-Lifestyle Created by K-Culture."

Sidae aims to be a deliberative media with the motto "Respected Individuals, Prosperous Republic of Korea," opening a new path for journalism. Brilliant Korea, the media holding company to which Sidae belongs, includes NEWS1, NEWSIS, Money Today, MTN (MTN), StarNews, and ZDNet, which operate independently, and also includes The Bell as an affiliated company.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original