Lee Soo Man’s Controversial Girl Group Stuns With Chart Performance
Lee Soo Man‘s new girl group, A2O MAY, is turning heads not only for the controversy that surrounded their debut but also for their rapid rise in the charts.
Produced under his latest project promoting a new genre called “Zalpha Pop,” the group is seeing growing success in China.
A2O MAY recently entered the Top 10 of QQ Music’s main chart with their second single “Boss”. The track had already topped the platform’s New Song chart and remains in the upper ranks.
Regarding their U.S. breakthrough, Newsis reports that “Boss” also entered Mediabase’s Top 100 mainstream radio chart — a significant milestone that makes A2O MAY the first Chinese act to have two songs charting on Mediabase at the same time. Their debut single “Under My Skin (A2O)” had previously peaked at No. 39 on the same chart.
Despite these achievements, the group’s debut didn’t come without criticism. When A2O MAY released their first performance video, reactions were mixed. Some viewers claimed the members appeared to be digitally altered, suggesting AI may have been used.
SM Entertainment Founder Lee Soo Man’s Female Rookie’s New Performance Video Sparks Major Criticism
Others drew comparisons between “Under My Skin” and TVXQ’s hit “Mirotic”, raising questions about Lee Soo Man’s decision to use a melody and structure so closely tied to a group that famously split from SM Entertainment under difficult circumstances.
Nevertheless, A2O MAY’s momentum continues. The music video for “Boss” has accumulated over 60 million views across Weibo and YouTube. On May 10, the group made history again by performing at the Wango Tango music festival in Huntington Beach, becoming the first Chinese act officially invited to the event.
250510 Wango Tango A2O MAY – BOSS 💛#WangoTango #A2O #A2O_MAY #A2OMAY #A2OMAYxWANGOTANGO pic.twitter.com/JQNz893bP5
— ⋆⁺shan⟡⋆ (@1ndymynt) May 11, 2025
Lee Soo Man, now positioned as a “visionary leader” at A2O Entertainment, has hinted at more to come. Whether fans are fully on board or still skeptical, A2O MAY’s rise has certainly gained attention and raised eyebrows across the industry.
