A2O Lite’s ‘Neon’ tops Melon chart 29 hours after release
The debut single reached No. 1 on Wednesday night before slipping to sixth the next morning, drawing attention to producer Lee Soo-man’s return to South Korea’s K-pop market.
A2O Lite’s debut single ‘Neon’ reached No. 1 on South Korean music service Melon’s Top 100 at 11 p.m. Wednesday, October 14, 29 hours after its release, according to The Korea Herald and Yonhap News Agency. By Thursday morning, the song had fallen to sixth, making its swift climb a brief chart lead for a new group launched by producer Lee Soo-man.
How ‘Neon’ climbed Melon’s Top 100
Released at 6 p.m. Tuesday, ‘Neon’ entered the Top 100 at No. 77 four hours later, The Korea Herald reported. It reached No. 10 by 9 a.m. Wednesday and No. 2 by 9 p.m. Melon’s Top 100 combines recent and daily streaming activity, according to the paper.
The Korea Herald reported that ‘Neon’ reached No. 1 faster than NewJeans’ debut single ‘Attention,’ which took eight days in August 2022. The paper identified AllDay Project’s ‘Famous,’ released in June 2025, as the previous fastest debut single to top the chart since Melon revamped it in 2021; that song took three days.
The ranking changed again overnight. Yonhap reported that Soyeon’s ‘I’m Gonna Toesa (feat. Kian84)’ had returned to No. 1 by 10 a.m. Thursday, while ‘Neon’ was sixth.
Lee Soo-man’s return with A2O Lite
A2O Lite has nine members from South Korea, China, Japan and Thailand, Yonhap reported. The group was launched by A2O Entertainment, which Lee founded after leaving SM Entertainment. He introduced A2O Lite alongside the 15-member boy group A2O Soul at a media showcase in Goyang on October 12.
The debut also marks Lee’s return to South Korea’s K-pop market after a three-year non-compete agreement expired earlier in 2026, according to Yonhap. Lee accepted that restriction when he sold his stake in SM Entertainment to Hybe in February 2023. The Korea Herald described A2O Lite as his first girl group aimed at the domestic market since his departure from SM.
Yoo Young-jin, a longtime collaborator of Lee’s at SM, produced ‘Neon,’ both outlets reported. Yonhap described the three-minute, 28-second track’s performance as featuring synchronized choreography, coordinated outfits, high notes and a dance break.
Music critic Lim Hee-yun told The Korea Herald that curiosity about Lee’s return and social media promotion may have helped drive the rapid rise. He said it remained uncertain whether the group would gain broader public appeal.
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Sources and context
- A2O Lite tops Melon faster than NewJeansThe Korea Herald
- Lee Soo-man's new girl group A2O Lite tops Melon chartYonhap News Agency
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.