[Kang Il-hong's Today Entertainment] 'Lee Soo-man's Choice' A2O LITE, Tops Music Charts in One Week

Gong Hyeong-jin's controversy delivers a painful lesson... 'Senior's abuse of power, losing dignity'Wednesday, October 21, A2O/ RESCENE/ Lim Young Woong/ Gong Hyeong-jin/ Ha YoungGroup A2O LITE performs on stage at 'WELCOME TO SOULITE From A2O SOUL A2O LITE' held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province on the 12th. /Goyang=Reporter Kim Seong-ryeol[THE FACT|Reporter Kang Il-hong] SM Entertainment's former general producer Lee Soo-man's first comeback project, girl group A2O LITE, is continuing its unstoppable rise, topping music charts and winning first place on music shows.Within a week of their debut, they have secured a music show trophy, clearly establishing themselves as promising artists to lead the next generation of K-pop.A2O LITE took first place with their debut song 'NEON' on SBS Life's music program 'The Show' aired on the 20th. This achievement came just one week after their official debut with the release of their music on the 13th.What particularly caught the eye was their performance skills on stage. They demonstrated stable vocal abilities with unwavering live performances not only during the main stage but also during the encore stage after winning first place. Their intense performances and high-quality stage presence, contrasting with their youthful appearance, are also receiving positive reviews.Their digital music performance is also dazzling. 'NEON' reached No. 1 on Melon TOP100 within 29 hours of its release and maintained the top spot for six consecutive days. They showed strength in the domestic digital music market by ranking first on Spotify's Korean chart and YouTube Music's music video chart.The response from the global market is also enthusiastic. After entering the Apple Music Global TOP100 chart at No. 4, they also topped the new songs, popular songs, and music video charts on China's QQ Music, attracting the attention of overseas fans.According to the music aggregation site Kworb, 'NEON' was played 299,898 times on Spotify Korea on the 16th. This is 120,855 more than the all-time daily record of 179,043 for 'Ditto' and 66,375 more than the 233,523 for Rosé and Bruno Mars' 'APT.'In addition, the introductory duet choreography by famous choreographer J.Black became a hot topic on social media, leading to the spread of various parody videos. Notably, A2O LITE garnered attention even before their debut as the first project since the return of former SM Entertainment general producer Lee Soo-man.And now, they are proving their potential beyond just being a hot topic, with their digital music performance and stage skills. A2O LITE has dominated both charts and music shows since their debut. Attention is focused on whether they can grow into a group that will lead a new trend in K-pop.Won ranks first in brand reputation, Jena third! Two members between BTS JiminThe rise of girl group RESCENE is unusual. Member Won ranked first in individual idol brand reputation for October, and Jena followed in third place, drawing the attention of K-pop fans.It is particularly noteworthy that two members of RESCENE have entered the top 3 consecutively, with BTS JIMIN in between.According to the analysis of individual idol brand reputation for October 2026 released by the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, RESCENE WONI ranked first, BTS JIMIN second, and RESCENE ZENA third.This survey comprehensively analyzed consumer participation, media interest, communication, and community activities. Both WONI and ZENA saw their brand reputation index increase from the previous month, further enhancing RESCENE's presence.So, what is the secret to RESCENE's popularity? First, the individual charms of the members are leading to overall group buzz. Won showed strength in communication and community sectors, and Jena also recorded an upward trend in brand reputation. The strategy of expanding touchpoints with fans and highlighting individual member personalities is gaining attention.If the upward trend in various charts is also supported, RESCENE has the potential to grow beyond a rookie group into a team that secures both fandom and public appeal.Of course, ranking first in brand reputation does not immediately translate to digital music performance or global popularity. Future digital music chart performance both domestically and internationally, expansion of overseas fandom, and competitiveness on the global stage are expected to be important points of observation.Will RESCENE be able to establish itself as a new trend in the global K-pop market based on this brand reputation surge? Attention is focused on whether the activities of WONI and ZENA will lead to the overall leap of the group, and on RESCENE's next move.Why are they strong? Records written with the Hero Generation, from Billboard to stadiumsSinger Lim Young Woong has once again proven their prowess as a representative digital music powerhouse in Korea by having as many as 10 songs enter Billboard Korea's 'Global K-Songs' chart.The representative song 'Love Always Runs Away' ranked 19th, and 'TtoTto' ranked 20th, while various songs including 'Please Be Happy,' 'Baila,' and 'Moise' also made it onto the chart. Notably, 'Love Always Runs Away' stayed on the chart for 39 weeks, and 'Moments Like Eternity' for 47 weeks. This is even more significant as it shows that not only new songs are popular but also existing hit songs continue to be loved.So, why is Lim Young Woong's digital music competitiveness so strong? The first reason is its emotion that transcends generations. Their broad musical spectrum, spanning trot, ballad, and pop, along with their sincere voice, captivates the hearts of various age groups.The second reason is the continuous music consumption by the fandom, the Hero Generation. They not only support new songs but also listen to and enjoy songs from a long time ago, creating long-term digital music competitiveness.The record of maintaining the top spot in the Idol Chart rating ranking for an impressive 290 consecutive weeks is also a symbolic achievement that demonstrates the fandom's cohesion and unwavering support. In addition, the recent stadium concert at Goyang Stadium once again confirmed Lim Young Woong's influence.Approximately 95,000 people gathered over three days for 'I'm Hero The Stadium 2,' held from September 4th to 6th. The cumulative audience for solo performances since 2022 has reached approximately 1 million, setting another milestone.At the concert, they delivered special emotions to the fans by performing representative songs such as 'Love Always Runs Away,' 'Sand Grains,' and 'Moments Like Eternity,' as well as new songs. The new songs, including the title track 'TtoTto' from the 10th-anniversary special digital album 'I'm Hero 10,' became an important catalyst for connecting the stadium's excitement to digital music.Ultimately, Lim Young Woong's strength is not simply in high rankings or large concert venues. The reason why the voice that makes listeners seek out songs again, the empathy that spans generations, the fandom that has been together for a long time, and the emotion that fills the stadium continue on the digital music charts is because of this.Songs loved for a long time, a singer loved unchangingly. Lim Young Woong's true competitiveness lies in the strength that becomes stronger with time.Trust shattered by a single word... Outdated, "The mouth is dangerous"Actor Gong Hyeong-jin is facing strong criticism for his so-called 'kkondae remarks' towards junior actress Cha Ji-yeon. Although he has issued an apology, why is public opinion not subsiding easily?The controversy arose on October 17th, during the 70th-anniversary event of Far East Broadcasting. Gong Hyeong-jin, who was hosting, demanded Cha Ji-yeon, who greeted him, to "bow again because I am your senior," and when Cha Ji-yeon's photo appeared on the stage screen, he made remarks to the effect of, "Why is my photo not there? I am much more senior than her."While an explanation was given that it was a joke intended to make the junior comfortable, the problem is not the intention of the joke, but how the recipient and the audience at the venue perceived it.First, the status of being a senior was used as a basis for authority, not consideration. While seniority and age can be reasons for respect, they do not grant the right to publicly demand courtesy or embarrass someone.Second, the other person was made an object of laughter on a public stage. Jokes that might work among close friends can be perceived differently at official events. Especially, the host's words are conveyed not only to the person on stage but also to the audience watching.Third, the controversy has spread as past remarks have been re-examined. With the re-emergence of his past remarks on a broadcast comparing the senior-junior relationship between Hyun Bin and Lee Seung-gi to a 'straw,' criticism has grown as to whether this incident is a mere slip of the tongue or an issue that requires reflection on his words and actions.The agency explained that it was intended to be friendly and apologized to Cha Ji-yeon and those who felt uncomfortable, stating that they would be more cautious in their public remarks. However, an apology does not immediately mean empathy or the restoration of trust. What is important is not just to explain the intention, but to acknowledge the discomfort felt by the other party and show change through actual actions.This controversy offers a clear lesson to all celebrities. Before speaking in public, they must think again whether they are belittling others to create laughter, whether they are disregarding the other person's position by leveraging their friendship, and whether their words would be acceptable if broadcast live nationwide.The dignity of a senior is not shown by how many years earlier one debuted, but by how one treats those who started later. This brings to mind the recent controversy of singer Shim Soo-bong's remarks targeting a junior singer.The public does not demand perfection. They expect to see a person who admits their mistakes and changes. What Gong Hyeong-jin needs now is not to repeatedly make excuses, but to prove his change through his future words and actions.A celebrity's words do not end as a personal joke. Those words contain an attitude, and attitude ultimately leads to an evaluation of that person. They must never forget this fact.Filming is finished, what to do... SBS's 'There is a Seung-san' is held backThe controversy over actor Ha Young's great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities has ultimately caused considerable repercussions in the broadcasting industry. Following her departure from a follow-up season of a Netflix series, SBS's new drama 'There is a Seung-san,' which had completed filming, has also been excluded from its planned broadcast in the first half of next year.The work in question is a comedic legal detective drama in which Ha Young participated. It was originally scheduled for broadcast in the first half of 2027, and filming was over 80% complete when the controversy over Ha Young's great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities erupted.As the controversy spread, Ha Young released a handwritten apology and stepped down from the follow-up season of the Netflix series 'Trauma Center.' Subsequently, filming for 'There is a Seung-san' was completed after much difficulty, but the broadcast schedule was ultimately adjusted.SBS stated that they are considering various options considering the efforts of the cast and crew, but the specific broadcast schedule has not yet been confirmed. In particular, for SBS's Friday-Saturday drama, which had been on a successful streak with 'Manager Kim' and 'Doctor X,' this was an unexpected variable. The vacancy left by 'There is a Seung-san,' which was originally scheduled for broadcast, is expected to be filled by another production.Of course, controversies surrounding an individual actor and the overall quality of a work are separate issues. However, the fact that a drama with enormous production costs and the efforts of numerous staff members is facing broadcast schedule disruptions due to controversies involving a lead actor, and that the damage is extending to the production team and fellow actors, cannot be taken lightly.In a situation where controversies surrounding an actor expand into risks for the entire production, will 'There is a Seung-san' be able to meet the viewers? Attention is focused on SBS's final decision.eel@tf.co.kr