After several years away from the home market, legendary K-pop producer Lee Soo Man is reportedly gearing up for a big comeback. His return could potentially set the stage for a new power struggle in the K-pop industry involving both SM Entertainment and creative director Min Hee Jin.
Industry experts believe that this development could mark the beginning of a new era of competition within the Korean music scene.
Lee Soo Man’s non-compete agreement has officially expired, allowing it to re-enter the South Korean market in the first half of 2026. The manufacturer, widely regarded as the architect of the modern idol training system, had been withdrawn from the local industry for about three years.
During that time, Lee Soo Man did not remain idle. He founded entertainment company A2O Entertainment in Singapore and expanded its operations into major markets including the United States, China and Japan.
One of the first projects with his new company was the global girl group A2O MAY, which managed to reach #8 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart, proving that Lee Soo Man still holds considerable influence in the global music industry.
For his upcoming projects in Korea, Lee Soo Man will reportedly reunite with longtime collaborators. Among them is producer Yoo Young Jin, often described as “the architect” behind the distinctive SM Performance sound that has defined many SM artists’ hits for decades.
There are also reports that Lee Soo Man’s niece and Girls’ Generation member Sunny may move into a production role and participate in the next project.
Lee Soo Man’s return could put him in direct competition with two major forces. One is SM Entertainment itself, the company he founded and helped turn into one of K-pop’s most influential labels. The other is Min Hee Jin, who previously worked as a creative director at SM before launching her own ventures.
Min Hee Jin is currently leading OK Records and has started global trainee auditions for a new project. According to its team, the concept aims to highlight the “natural charm of young male artists and their musical stories”, moving away from the traditional idol training formulas often used in the industry.
Meanwhile, SM Entertainment is also preparing for the debut of a new group in the making known as SMTR25. The group has already attracted the attention of international fans through performances celebrating SM’s 30th anniversary and appearances on the Mnet Reply High School program.
Industry experts believe that the upcoming rivalry is not simply about which company will produce the most popular idols. Instead, it represents a clash of creative philosophies shaping the future of K-pop.
Lee Soo Man is seen as representing the traditional large-scale idol production system, now expanded with a more global perspective. Min Hee Jin, on the other hand, is known for a more artistic and personalized creative direction. SM Entertainment, with decades of experience, continues to balance innovation with the successful formula that has made it one of the biggest powers in K-pop.
With more projects in the pipeline from major companies like YG Entertainment and ADOR, the K-pop industry is expected to become even more competitive in the coming years.
According to an industry source, the most intriguing aspect of this emerging rivalry is that all three parties share roots in the same creative ecosystem. Yet each of them now pursues a very different vision, which could ultimately determine who leads the next generation of K-pop.
