After non-compete ends, Lee Soo-man returns with ‘open audition’

Lee Soo-man, the former chief producer and founder of SM Entertainment, is returning to the Korean music scene with an unconventional move: a walk-in audition open to anyone, with no prior application required.

A2O Entertainment Korea said Monday that it will launch its first public audition program, titled “A2O ZALPHA AUDITION.” The project is personally planned and overseen by Lee, marking his first official move in Korea following the expiration of his non-compete agreement.

The audition will run under the slogan “EVERY SUNDAY, A NEW POSSIBILITY BEGINS,” and take place weekly on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at A2O Entertainment Korea in Seoul’s Gangnam district. Applicants can simply show up on-site without a prior screening process, a format that stands out in an industry typically known for closed and highly selective trainee systems.

Those unable to attend in person can also apply through the company’s official online channels.

Participation is open to anyone regardless of nationality or gender, with applicants able to audition in vocals, rap, dance or acting. The program is expected to expand beyond Korea to Japan and the United States.

Lee is widely credited as a key architect of the modern K-pop system, having founded SM Entertainment and helped shape the industry’s training and production model.

His return follows a high-profile management dispute between SM Entertainment and HYBE in February 2023, during which Lee sold his shares in SM to HYBE. As part of the deal, he agreed to a three-year non-compete clause that barred him from producing albums in Korea. The clause expired at the end of February.

After leaving Korea, Lee established A2O Entertainment under his personal company Blooming Grace, headquartered in Singapore, and has continued his activities overseas.

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.