Lee Soo-man, chief producer at A2O Entertainment, received the World Culture Industry Forum (WCIF) Award
At the 7th WCIF welcome dinner held on the 2nd at Hotel Susung in Daegu, the 2026 WCIF Award was presented
Earlier, the WCIF judging panel selected Lee Soo-man as the recipient, praising him as “the key figure who launched famous K-pop groups and built a systematic producing system that helped K-pop grow into a global cultural industry.”
Lee was unable to attend the event because of an overseas schedule, so he delivered his remarks in a video message
He said, “Ever since I first introduced H.O.T. in 1996, I was convinced that the era would come when culture, not the economy, would lead the world — a ‘Culture First’ era.” He added, “I want to dedicate today’s honor to fans and artists around the world.”
He also stressed, “In the age of AI, content will become a new language that connects humanity beyond borders and languages, and South Korea must become a country of world-class producers, not just a country of artists.”
He also said he would continue working through A2O Entertainment to build a new global cultural ecosystem and nurture producers
Lee Jang-woo, chairman of WCIF, said, “Producer Lee Soo-man is not just a hitmaker, but a cultural innovator who created the new industrial ecosystem known as K-pop.” He added, “This award goes beyond the success of one individual and is a meaningful selection that symbolizes how South Korea’s cultural industry is leading the future of global culture.”
The ceremony drew a large number of global urban design experts, top domestic cultural planners, and young trendsetters. Yuko Obuchi, a member of Japan’s House of Representatives and a key figure in Korea-Japan cooperation, also attended
Meanwhile, Lee Soo-man founded SM Entertainment, one of South Korea’s four major entertainment agencies, and has long wielded influence as a pioneer of K-pop. He produced numerous global groups, including H.O.T., TVXQ, Girls’ Generation, Super Junior, and EXO, and is now launching new idol groups through A2O Entertainment
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today reporter]
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI
