A2O LITE debut single 'NEON' hits No. 1 on Melon

Nine-member girl group A2O LITE reached number one on the Melon TOP100 on the afternoon of the 14th, hitting the summit just 29 hours after the release of their debut song "NEON." This marks the fastest ascent for a rookie group's debut since the 2021 Melon chart reorganization, surpassing previous records held by NewJeans and ALLDAY PROJECT.

The nine-member girl group A2O LITE, introduced on the 12th by key producer Lee Soo-man of A2O Entertainment, has reached the top of the Melon TOP100 with their debut song "NEON." The track hit number one on the afternoon of the 14th, just 29 hours after its release, marking the fastest ascent for a rookie group's debut song since the Melon chart reorganization in 2021. This achievement surpasses the previous records held by NewJeans' "Attention" in 2022 and ALLDAY PROJECT's "Famous" last year. The song also reached number one on the iTunes charts in Italy and Malaysia. While the song's long duration, dramatic progression, and viral online memes and AI-synthesized videos have garnered significant interest, allegations of unpaid wages involving the mother of Chinese member Aijing have also surfaced.

Fastest rookie debut to hit No. 1 on Melon in 29 hours

On the afternoon of the 14th, "NEON" rose to the number one spot on the Melon TOP100 only 29 hours after its release. According to Melon, this is the shortest time any rookie group's debut song has taken to reach the top since the 2021 chart reorganization. The previous record for a rookie group was eight days, set by NewJeans' "Attention." Last year, ALLDAY PROJECT's "Famous" reached number one in three days. "NEON" reached the summit faster than both tracks.

In addition to Melon, the song also topped the iTunes charts in Italy and Malaysia. A2O LITE is a nine-member group consisting of members from South Korea, China, Japan, and the United States. The team was launched by A2O Entertainment, with Lee Soo-man participating as the key producer; the same company also manages the 15-member boy group A2O SOUL.

Dramatic progression in a 3-minute 28-second track featuring producer Yoo Young-jin

"NEON" captures the ambitions of the nine members to not remain stuck in their current shining moments. The production was led by Lee Soo-man and producer Yoo Young-jin, who has worked with him for a long time at SM Entertainment. The song has a duration of 3 minutes and 28 seconds. While the recent K-pop market trend favors short songs that are easy to listen to, "NEON" features a progression with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

The latter half of the song features a high-note section performed by Thai member Rada. This part, referred to as the so-called "saint part," has been analyzed as reminiscent of past K-pop. The sound is based on EDM, and some netizens have linked it to the music of the SM Entertainment group f(x). Reactions to the song's composition and sound have continued online alongside the debut's success.

Comments have also emerged regarding the members' visuals and outfits, with some noting they evoke past SM Entertainment artists. Online opinions included comparing Chinese member Aijing's straight brown hair to BoA, and seeing glimpses of Jessica's era in Girls' Generation in center member Oa. Some fans evaluated the group as one that evokes elements of BoA, Girls' Generation, and f(x) simultaneously. These are fan reactions and have not been presented as official explanations regarding the group's composition or stage production.

Viral spread through 'Mi-hon and Bi-hon' memes and AI-synthesized videos

The chorus of "NEON," "Neon and beyond," has drawn reactions from some users who hear it as "Mi-hon and Bi-hon" (unmarried and single). A challenge utilizing this wordplay was created, leading to the chorus being repeatedly shared online. Rather than just using parts of the song, this became a form of play that added new meanings to the pronunciation of the lyrics. This method of spreading is described as being distinct from existing K-pop choreography challenges.

The introductory two-person choreography performed by members Siri and Aijing has also been used in online videos. Content has spread featuring AI-synthesized faces of famous figures, such as Choi Min-sik and Yoo Ji-tae from the movie "Oldboy," and Song Hye-kyo and Lim Ji-yeon from the drama "The Glory," overlaid onto the choreography videos. According to the source, these videos spread like a game, increasing online buzz.

Sunny of Girls' Generation, who is the niece of Lee Soo-man, also released related videos on social media. Sunny posted a choreography video with the faces of Lee Soo-man and composer Yoo Young-jin synthesized onto it, which received a large response. The wordplay in the chorus, the members' choreography, and the content synthesizing famous faces have each led to online posts and challenges. The source noted a trend of using AI to turn difficult dances into play-based content.

Controversy arises alongside Lee Soo-man's resumption of domestic activities

After founding SM Entertainment in 1995, Lee Soo-man has been active in the K-pop industry, leading the activities of H.O.T., S.E.S., TVXQ, Girls' Generation, EXO, and NCT. During the SM management dispute in 2023, he sold a 14.8% stake in SM to HYBE. He had faced restrictions on his domestic activities due to a three-year management prohibition agreement signed at that time, but has resumed domestic activities after the agreement expired. A2O LITE and A2O SOUL are the new multinational groups introduced by Lee Soo-man.

Amidst the growing interest, allegations of unpaid wages involving the mother of Chinese member Aijing have been raised. The allegations claim that Aijing's mother has been owed unpaid wages by an education company in Beijing, China, since 2024. This has led to criticism. Regarding the inclusion of many Chinese members in the team, concerns were also raised that K-pop could be used as a stage to nurture Chinese artists. These issues have been discussed alongside the debut song's performance and online reactions as controversies surrounding A2O LITE.

A2O LITE has recorded number one hits on the Melon TOP100 and the iTunes charts in Italy and Malaysia with their debut song. The long composition, the vocal performance in the latter half, and the online memes and AI-synthesized videos have drawn attention, while allegations of unpaid wages involving a member's family and concerns regarding Chinese artists have also been raised. The source does not include the group's subsequent activity schedule.

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