Girls' Generation's Sunny joins Lee Soo-man's A2O
Sunny of Girls' Generation has signed with A2O Entertainment, a new agency founded by her uncle and SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man, the company confirmed Thursday.
"(We) recently signed an exclusive contract with Sunny," A2O Entertainment said in a statement. "She is currently receiving production training under the guidance of producer Yoo Young-jin."
'Sunny is also helping design training programs for our trainees, providing psychological care, and participating in content production, styling and choreography direction,' the agency said.
On Monday, Sunny appeared in a YouTube video posted by A2O Entertainment titled '2024 Summer Training Camp,' where she appears directing a recording session by members of a new girl group in a US studio. Her unexpected appearance fueled speculation about her involvement with Lee's new venture, as she has been a free agent since parting ways with SM Entertainment in August 2023. Sunny has since occasionally participated in Girls' Generation group activities but had not been affiliated with a new agency until now.
Lee established A2O Entertainment after stepping down from SM Entertainment in 2023 following a high-profile dispute over management control.
The conflict erupted when SM Entertainment's management, led by co-CEOs Lee Sung-soo and Tak Young-jun, introduced the 'SM 3.0' initiative aimed at severing ties with Lee Soo-man's production system, accusing him of holding back the company's growth.
Lee opposed the move and attempted to regain control by selling his shares to Hybe, sparking a high-stakes takeover battle with Kakao. He ultimately sold his shares to Hybe and agreed to a three-year non-compete clause restricting him from producing music domestically. The dispute concluded with Kakao emerging as the largest shareholder — effectively pushing Lee out of the company he had founded.
A2O stands for Alpha to Omega, symbolizing a platform where celebrities and fans engage in every part of the entertainment process. Lee, who has been revealing A2O trainees through YouTube, debuted the agency's first group, A2O May, in December with a remake of TVXQ's hit 'Mirotic.'
The rookie girl group is scheduled to perform at the upcoming 'iHeartRadio Wango Tango' music festival in California on May 10.
Lee has previously said he hopes to create a platform where people can collaborate and create content regardless of socioeconomic status, race or region.
'Fans will soon be able to meet new A2O artists through our app-based platform,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
13 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Allies need to discuss Seoul's defense costs beyond current deal: Joseph Yun
Yun expects Lee-Trump summit 'within a short time' South Korea and the United States need to discuss whether Seoul is paying enough, including costs not currently covered under their existing defense cost-sharing deal, the acting US ambassador to South Korea said Tuesday. Joseph Yun, charge d'affaires ad interim at the US Embassy in Seoul, said the allies should revisit South Korea's financial contributions beyond the scope of the current Special Measures Agreement. South Korea has financially supported the stationing of around 28,500 US Forces Korea personnel by covering three major parts: labor expenses for USFK Korean workers, construction costs for military facilities and logistical support for military operations under the framework of the SMA. Seoul and Washington finalized the 12th SMA from 2026 to 2030 in October last year. 'But the SMA only covers a limited portion of the costs. If you look at the SMA in the document, there are just three categories. But there are other costs beyond those, and the question is how to share those additional expenses,' Yun told reporters in Korean during a press conference in Seoul. 'We also need to discuss whether South Korea's overall defense spending is enough. That's another issue that should be part of the discussion." Yun defended US calls for allies to meet the global standard of spending 5 percent of their gross domestic product on defense, citing the US' own unsustainable budget deficit as context. 'We need fairer sharing, and I think that was one of the key reasons why (US President) Donald Trump was elected — and that is the reality,' Yun said in English. Washington urges quick fix to tariff issue Yun explained Seoul and Washington need broader discussion on how to 'modernize the alliance,' which he described as one of two key challenges in South Korea-US relations. Yun emphasized the need for the allies to jointly address new strategic challenges and emerging regional issues, particularly those stemming from competition between the US and China, including how US assets, defense capabilities, and regional forces such as US Forces Korea and US Forces Japan are postured. Another key challenge for the alliance is trade, with Yun calling on the Lee Jae Myung administration to 'quickly deal with US expectations.' 'From the US side, the most urgent issue is to move quickly on tariff negotiations,' Yun said. 'In terms of trade, tariffs are by far the most serious concern, and the US hopes to normalize and resolve the issue swiftly, as that would help stabilize other areas as well.' When asked about a 'one-stop shopping' deal, which would clinch a deal on tariffs, investment and defense all at once, Yun also suggested that the US preferred a phased approach. Trump mentioned a 'one-stop shopping' deal on Truth Social following his phone call with then-acting President Han Duck-soo in April. 'There is no question: while they may be related in terms of narrow substance, they are different, and they are not readily mixed and matched. So my hope — and our hope — is that there can be a framework agreement that includes many of those parts,' Yun said in English, transitioning from Korean. 'We're not going to reach detailed deals in every one of them. So what is important is the framework agreement that includes all of those elements. But of course, for each stream, it may take a while to finally get all the details.' With regard to the first summit between Lee and Trump, Yun said the allies are doing their best to schedule the meeting, though the timing remains uncertain due to both leaders' unclear schedules. 'On the summit, we're working on it, and I would expect we will announce it. But again, it just needs to fit the schedule of both President Lee and President Trump,' Yun said. 'I have no doubt that, within a short time, there will be a summit meeting between President Trump and President Lee.' Denuclearization nonstarter for Pyongyang On the potential resumption of US-North Korea dialogue, Yun said he has no doubt that Trump considers his engagement with North Korea as 'unfinished business and homework.' 'It takes two to tango, and we haven't really heard from the North Korean side whether they, too, want to engage,' he added. When asked if the US should maintain the goal of North Korea's denuclearization, should dialogue kickstart, Yun said the goal would be a non-starter for North Korea. 'That is not a smart way to engage or begin discussions. You must engage smartly, with a path, so that eventually your big goal can be accomplished,' Yun said. 'And certainly, denuclearization is a big goal — but it cannot be put out as a condition for an initial meeting.' Yun, however, clarified that 'the US is not going to recognize North Korea as a legitimate nuclear weapons state.' 'There's no question about that. But is it a country that possesses nuclear weapons? Yes,' Yun went on to say. 'It is a nuclear weapons-possessing state, but we cannot recognize it as a legitimate nuclear weapons state.'
Korea Herald
15 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Lee turns to technocrats as Korea pushes for AI leadership
Experts say Bae Kyung-hoon's nomination reflects urgency, realism in Korea's AI policy shift President Lee Jae Myung sent a clear signal Monday that South Korea is going all-in on artificial intelligence, tapping AI expert Bae Kyung-hoon, chief of LG AI Research, as the new science minister to spearhead the country's AI initiative. Monday's nomination came on the heels of another high-profile pick from the private sector. On June 15, Ha Jung-woo, the head of Naver AI Innovation Center, was appointed as the first senior secretary of AI and future planning. The newly established post is tasked with leading the country's investments and policies for AI infrastructure. Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik explained that the president appointed the 49-year-old AI strategist to help propel Korea into the ranks of the world's top three AI powerhouses. 'We expect Bae to strengthen AI competitiveness alongside Ha Jung-woo,' said Kang. Bringing in top experts from Korea's tech giants LG and Naver highlights how serious the Lee administration is about making Korea a global AI leader. Lee has announced plans to invest over 100 trillion won ($72.29 billion) in public-private funds to push the AI industry forward. 'With both Ha and Bae on board, it is clear that the Lee administration's focus is on AI,' said Hwang Yong-sik, a professor at Sejong University College of Business and Economics. 'There is a growing recognition that relying solely on the public sector for AI development has its limitations. The industry needs both the government and the private sector. While the government can lead, AI advancement is not possible without support from the private sector, hence the appointment of experts from companies.' Bae's career spans startups and South Korea's largest corporations, including Samsung, SK and LG. In 2006, he worked as a senior researcher at Samsung Thales, a joint venture between now-defunct Samsung Techwin and French firm Thales. From 2011 to 2016, he was at SK Telecom's future technology R&D center Bae joined LG Group in 2016 as an AI expert, taking on various AI roles at LG Economic Research Institute, LG Uplus and LG Science Park. In 2020, he became the founding president of LG AI Research, the conglomerate's dedicated AI think tank. Under Bae's leadership, LG AI Research developed the hyperscale language model Exaone in 2021, commercialized it in 2023, and released its third version as open source in 2024. Most recently, his team unveiled Korea's first interference AI model, Exaone Deep, in March. In addition to his corporate leadership, Bae has also served in key government advisory roles related to AI governance and privacy. Not many people in Korea have such deep experience and expertise in the still relatively nascent industry as Bae, said Choi Byung-ho, a professor at Korea University's Human-inspired AI Research Lab. 'In Korea, only a handful of people in the field can handle the frontier model from start to finish, and Bae is one of them," said Choi. Choi stressed the urgency of AI development in Korea. 'We are in a race against time, and speed matters more than ever," he said. "Decision-making has to be fast and precise. We can't afford to put a generalist or bureaucrat in that role. Only experts with real field experience are what's needed.' Once the parliament gives the green light, Bae will be in charge of the Ministry of Science and ICT and oversee the country's science and digital infrastructure policies. He and Ha will work closely to develop national strategies and coordinate interagency efforts to execute AI policies. Both strongly advocate developing homegrown AI models using domestic infrastructure, data and expertise. Their appointments are expected to inject fresh momentum into the administration's push for sovereign AI. At a National Assembly hearing earlier this year, Bae warned that not developing a sovereign AI foundation model would be akin to 'forfeiting national strategic assets,' calling for a strategic approach. Going forward, when asked what is most important at the government level to accelerate AI development and build a Korean model, experts consistently point to infrastructure, which includes data centers, energy systems, supercomputers, graphics processing units, software and data resources. 'Infrastructure is the foundation, and Korea doesn't have the infrastructure it needs,' said Choi. 'At a time when frontier models evolve into global models, Korea needs more infrastructure to make a global model. This is a period of explosive growth. AI develops week to week. Both short-term and long-term strategies need to happen in parallel.'
Korea Herald
17 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Meet, perhaps date your favorite K-pop star with VR headgear
VR technology brings fresh energy to K-pop-themed films Imagine your favorite K-pop star being just within reach, confessing their love or playfully teasing you. Picture them beaming as they offer a bouquet of your favorite flowers. It's no longer just a fantasy — thanks to VR concerts. On Wednesday, CGV released "Cha Eun-woo VR Concert: Memories." Viewers wear a VR headset and are immersed in a romance-movie-like experience, stepping into the role of the romantic lead opposite the singer. By raising a hand while wearing the headset, the system recognizes your gestures, allowing you to choose essential story items based on your preferences, leading to different scene outcomes. As the film is also a concert movie starring the K-pop idol, performances are woven into the storyline. Viewers can watch Cha singing and dancing just like in any other concert, but much closer. "It was fascinating to see a nearly 180-degree background view and how Cha Eun-woo seemed to come right up close. The headset was a bit heavy, but it was really fun," said Ha Ji-yeon, a fan in her 20s. Just a few years ago, K-pop films were either documentaries that shed light on artists' off-stage lives or concert films that captured performances and behind-the-scenes footage. Wheesung's "Live in 3D Wheesung: It's Real," released in 2010, is often remembered as the beginning of this trend. It was followed by BigBang's "Big Show 3D" in 2011, Beast's "Beast Encore Concert 3D" and Infinite's "Second Invasion Evolution The Movie 3D" in 2012 — all live concert films watched with 3D glasses that became quite the trend at the time. After the 3D film wave passed, BTS's "Burn the Stage: The Movie," which documented the group's world tour "Trilogy Episode III The Wings Tour," was released in 2018 and drew 315,010 viewers. Since then, many major K-pop acts have followed up their world tours or large-scale concerts with accompanying films to extend the excitement. Now, VR films are breathing new life into the now largely predictable patterns of K-pop cinema. The company behind Cha Eun-woo's VR concert, Amaze VR, which previously produced TXT's "Hyperfocus: Tomorrow X Together VR Concert" in 2024, has ambitious plans to expand the K-pop VR concert market. Amaze VR CEO Lee Seung-joon confidently predicted that VR concerts to become one of the leading trends in the K-pop scene. 'Last year's TXT VR concert sold over 170,000 tickets worldwide. That's about 30-40 percent of what a live concert sells, and based on that success, we plan to launch a new VR concert every two months starting June,' said Lee. He explained that the filming process for realistic VR visuals is similar to shooting a Marvel movie. 'We film the artist directly on a green screen stage and then add backgrounds and effects using CG. All of the backgrounds are computer-generated,' explained Lee. "Cha Eun-woo VR Concert" is also set to be released in Japan, the US and South America. To screen the concert, each seat must be equipped with a VR headset, synchronized with the screen and sound system and managed by staff overseeing the devices. Amaze VR owns over 2,400 headsets and has set an ambitious goal of establishing 'Amaze Theaters' worldwide, akin to IMAX auditoriums. "Using just one or two days of an artist's time to create an experience that lasts forever holds immense value. I hope someday all artists would release a VR concert alongside every new album or tour — and this marks our first step toward that world," said Lee.
