After leaving the agency he founded, SM Entertainment’s Lee Soo-man quickly began planning his next moves. This resulted in the founding of a new agency, A2O Entertainment, and some loosey singles from various A2O artists aimed toward global markets. Now, it’s time for him to throw his hat back in the K-pop ring with the double debut of A2O Lite and A2O Soul — female and male counterparts seeming to exist in an NCT-style universe.
A2O Soul is the male group under this umbrella, and from what I can tell Superstar is considered a pre-release. They have quite a few members to their name, but Superstar is sleek and smooth rather than overbearing. It’s not completely unlike something you’d hear from RIIZE, but its dynamic arrangement has the benefit of being overseen by legendary producer Yoo Young-Jin. He ensures every vocal is smooth and buttressed by just enough harmony and interplay to stand out.
It’s so nice to hear a new group (pre)debut with an entirely vocal-focused song. There’s no shouting, no talking, no puffing up their chests to impress. Instead, we have a series of strong voices building on each other to accentuate Superstar‘s charm. A bright synthline acts as their anchor, imbuing the track with a celestial texture that makes it feel stately and grabs your ear immediately. Though there’s nothing “experimental” about Superstar, its sheer existence in 2026 K-pop feels surprising and that’s enough to instantly steal my attention. I can’t wait to hear what they have up their sleeves next.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
Grade: B+
It sounds pretty generic, like if I asked AI to generate me a synthpop song, this is what I’d prolly get. It’s fine.
8 (8, 8, 8, 8) for me.
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Wow….I haven’t enjoyed a synthpop song this much in years, especially the vocals. I’d give it a 9 for the vocals and hook alone. This is a song I can play from the moment I wake up until I fall asleep and not get tired of.
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i might be too young to comment on a song like this but it sounds like a generic ai song fr, like ‘write me a nostalgic melancholic synthpop track’…
as a new kpop fan i think i first got interested in kpop bcs the songs could be slightly gimmicky- by that i mean the songwriters and producers could throw in a bunch of lyrics to focus on creating a unique but pleasing sound, whether through combining harmonies, edm/hyperpop percussion/sfx, unique samples, unlikely instruments combined in one track, and putting energy into their songs in different ways (experimenting with grooves/rhythms), even if many times they miss. I think this song is missing the recent kpop nuance of individuality by being a bit tacky; but for people who joined kpop because of the effortless (but imo generic) sound during the 2nd generation; this is VERY kpop for them, and I can see it too, just not the kpop i’m familiar with 😉
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yo why did it become a winking emoji i did not type that 😭
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2nd gen kpop sounds generic to you now because those sounds have been done to death atp, but they weren’t that generic when they were happening.
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Oh, well, yes the 2nd could have the real smooth examples. But there were also crazy tracks in between, usually by the same groups just a few months later. For a while, kpop was known for taking the bonkers songs from the various Scandinavian writers and producers and running with them. There were also a lot more key changes in unexpectedly places, because autotune on the mics was not a thing.
2nd gen is “I Got a Boy” from SNSD/Girl’s Generation, the original every sound possible all over the place song. TVXQ “Rising Sun” is a masterpiece of shifting into other genres and back again effortlessly.
My own stan Super Junior followed up Sexy Free and Single with Spy and then Mamacita. SHINee went from Dream Girl to “Why So Serious” which is an immense composition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlSlbRgUUmQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZESm8OOjjM
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Sounds very mixed bag – very synth-y, very retro, very 2nd gen, very nostalgic. It would definitely better if they’ve go something more on the bridge like how they do on A2O Lite.
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I missed some more harmonies, but I am a sucker for a synthpop moment and this is a solidly produced track.
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YYJ hears the The Weeknd album with all the retro synths and says “hold my beer”.
I don’t know if its the best example of this subgenre, but it is really slickly produced.
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A2O’s debut made quite an impact on me. I suspect Lee Soo-man has an instinctive understanding of exactly what to emphasize to leave a lasting impression. His ability to sense what will make an impact is truly remarkable.
A2O Soul’s “Superstar” has a distinct 80s flavor and feels much more pop-oriented than A2O Lite’s “Neon.”
The synths and vocal effects create a rich, layered sound with a real sense of depth, brilliantly bringing a cosmic atmosphere to life.
I think both songs went on to have a major impact on the K-pop industry.
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