US Edition‘King of K-pop’ Lee Soo Man on his career, a global industry and what’s next
Lee Soo Man pioneered K-pop’s global rise by sourcing international talent and creating cinematic storylines, shaping a genre now embraced worldwide, his career spanning over 30 years.
- On Saturday, Lee Soo Man, founder of SM Entertainment, will be inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame alongside Yao Ming, Michelle Kwan and Yoshiki, honoring his role in K-pop's global expansion.
- Lee's three-decade effort to break South Korean acts into the American mainstream built a system blending music from Europe, Asia and America for global audiences.
- Lee invested about $5 million in BoA's 2009 U.S. debut and pioneered serialized 'worldviews' for groups like EXO and aespa to engage global fans.
- Lee reemerges into the spotlight after a contentious departure and management battle over SM Entertainment, the agency he founded in 1995, with the Hall of Fame honor confirming mainstream attention after costly lessons.
- Focusing on Asia, Lee sees South Korea as the region's production hub and tests his vision with A20 MAY in China and the U.S., dismissing risks from Beijing's recent entertainment restrictions.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Lee Soo Man: The Visionary 'Father of K-pop'
Lee Soo Man: The Visionary 'Father of K-pop' Lee Soo Man initially resisted the grandiose title of “King of K-pop.” He preferred a more subdued moniker, “Father of K-pop,” reflecting his three-decade journey to introduce South Korean music to American audiences. Reluctantly, he conceded to the documentary producers' choice, understanding its broader appeal to U.S. viewers.As a pioneering force behind SM Entertainment, Lee has been instrumental i…
Meet the ‘King of K-pop’: This U.S.-educated computer engineer pioneered music industry practices that fueled the genre’s global expansion
Lee Soo Man resisted the title at first. “King of K-pop” sounded too brash, too nightclub-esque — like something you’d see on a neon sign in Itaewon, a nightlife neighborhood in the South Korean capital Seoul once popular with U.S. soldiers and foreign visitors. “I asked them, ‘Couldn’t it be…
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