Since the '70s, Lee Soo Man has been a prominent figure who helped establish the current K-pop music market enjoyed by millions of fans. However, his prime eventually ended when he left SM Entertainment.
Whatever happened to the SM founder?
Lee Soo Man in 1970 to 2022: Debut, Launch of SM Entertainment, Rise in K-pop Market, More!
Born in 1953, former chairman Lee Soo Man, who founded SM Entertainment, originally debuted as a singer in the 1970s. He also joined the band, April and May, but later on withdrew due to poor health.
Since then, he has transformed into an MC after he has shown his qualities serving as a radio host while continuously establishing his solo singing career.
Read also: Pink Bloods React to SM Co-CEO Lee Sung Soo's Claims Regarding Lee Soo Man: 'This is shocking
In the 1980s, he went to California for his graduate school where he was inspired by MTV's colorful videos and sounds embroidered on the screen. This was when he set up SM Planning, the origin of SM Entertainment. He completed the registration of "SM Entertainment" corporation in 1995 and began its first step as an entertainment company.
Contrary to ordinary singers, Founder Lee introduced the K-pop training system and produced singer Hyun Jin Young who became SM's first-ever artist.
His system boomed in the 90s and since then, numerous idol groups, such as H.O.T., S.E.S., Shinhwa, Fly to the Sky, BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls' Generation, SHINee, EXO, Red Velvet, NCT, and aespa were born through Lee Soo Man's idol training system.
His music contribution expanded globally, not only in Asia but in the U.S., and achieved #1 status among K-pop agencies.
However, after 30 years reigning in K-pop, he met numerous conflicts regarding SM stocks, and taxes, as well as transitioned to a different direction after changing the management.
As the conflict escalated, he left SM Entertainment in February 2023 and is taking his own steps.
He particularly sold most of her shares to HYBE in an attempt to fight against his company executives who wanted to sell the shares to Kakao instead.
Where Is Lee Soo Man in 2023? Former CEO, Founder and Producer Becomes Professor
After leaving SM Entertainment, he was appointed as a visiting professor of computer science at KAIST.
Also, Lee Soo Man has been in charge of special lectures on leadership for undergraduate and graduate students. The term of office is three years until 2025.
In March, he founded a new company called Blooming Grace, a company that will “focus on the fusion of culture and technology."
He also plans to continue expanding K-pop in China. In May, local outlets reported that Lee is conducting auditions in Beijing to recruit talented teenagers. There are speculations that he is now going to pursue his initial plan in 2007 to make China the "Hollywood of the East."
READ MORE: SM Entertainment Artists Who Will Most Likely Stay Or Move Out of Agency + Reasons
For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz.
KpopStarz owns this article.
Written by Eunice Dawson.
