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The 15-member boy group, with members from five countries including the U.S., dropped its pre-release single at 6 p.m. KST, 5 a.m. ET.
Lee Soo Man's new boy group A2O SOUL is out with an official video for "SUPERSTAR," a pre-release single from a 15-member lineup that includes members from the United States.
The song and its video arrived October 13 at 6 p.m. KST, 5 a.m. ET, Soompi reports. The roster is Moon, Sora, Seoha, Teo, Gaku, Jun, Hansung, Lucien, See-One, Alure, Tai, Sono, Zai, Ayden and Zet, drawn from Korea, China, Japan, Thailand and the U.S.
The track rolls out a new genre labeled "New Synthwave," built on soft, intricate melodies and layers of synth.
A2O SOUL is launching alongside A2O LITE, a nine-member multinational girl group whose debut song, "NEON," was also set for 6 p.m. KST on October 13. Both acts gave their first performances a day earlier at a global debut showcase at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.
That showcase shares its name with the wider project, "WELCOME TO SOULITE From A2O SOUL A2O LITE." SOULITE is pitched as a virtual planet where anything a person wants can be made, home to 15 boys and nine girls. The two groups will chase different sounds and concepts while sharing one fictional universe that ties their stories together.
A2O Entertainment started promotions on October 8, opening official social media accounts and community channels for both groups. Teaser content for Mnet's M Countdown followed, along with videos introducing each group and its members.
This is Lee Soo Man's first domestic idol launch since leaving SM Entertainment, where he played a key role in developing H.O.T., BoA, TVXQ!, Girls' Generation, SHINee, EXO, Red Velvet and NCT. His three-year non-compete, set in 2023 when he sold his SM shares to HYBE, expired in February. After his exit, he founded A2O Entertainment and focused mainly on overseas markets.
According to allkpop, the SM founder is back after two years and five months with 24 new faces. The outlet also notes that A2O LITE members Ayune, OA and Aijing, all born in 2013, are debuting at 13, which it calls a record for the youngest girl group members to debut in K-pop history.
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