A2O LITE, the new nine-member girl group formed by SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man (이수만), was highly anticipated as his significant return to the K-pop scene after a three-year hiatus. However, immediately after their debut, member Sheng Aijing (盛艾敬), known as AIJING, became embroiled in controversy. Her mother was recently accused of failing to pay employee wages during her company's operation, sparking heated discussion among netizens. In response, AIJING's mother posted an apology on Weibo on the afternoon of the 14th, admitting that the wage issue was her responsibility and pleading with the public not to direct criticism towards her daughter, emphasizing, "This is all the parents' responsibility; the child is not at fault."
AIJING's parents previously operated an education company in China called Beijing Sophis Education Technology Co., Ltd. However, due to a rapid deterioration in business conditions, the company was ultimately unable to pay employee salaries and subsequently closed, leading to disputes over unpaid wages and debts.
Addressing the controversy, AIJING's mother first apologized to the affected employees, stating, "Regardless of the objective difficulties at the time, failing to pay due amounts on time is a mistake I must acknowledge and bear." She also expressed deep apologies to everyone who suffered losses as a result.
She further explained that she has been trying to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, but after the company fell into a management crisis and faced changes in the industry environment, matters could not be handled as smoothly as initially expected. She confirmed that she is currently contacting relevant individuals one by one, continuously negotiating solutions, and pledged not to shirk her responsibilities until all issues are resolved.
However, regarding the criticism directed at her daughter, AIJING's mother urged the public to distinguish between the responsibilities of parents and children. She emphasized that this incident should be borne and properly handled by the parents, and that her daughter has no connection to her past business operations or related disputes. She pleaded with everyone not to shift the blame onto her child.
A2O LITE is the first girl group created by producer Lee Soo-man after his departure from SM Entertainment. The group officially debuted on the 13th with their title track, "NEON." Comprising nine members from Korea, the United States, Japan, China, and Thailand, their ages range from 13 to 17.
Among them, 13-year-old AIJING quickly garnered attention after her debut, with many noting her initial appearance reminded them of BoA (보아). Unexpectedly, just as her entertainment career began, she was plunged into public scrutiny due to her mother's wage dispute, becoming a focal point of discussion.
The revelations also sparked another wave of questions. Some netizens questioned how AIJING could participate in competitions in the U.S., film advertisements, and act in dramas despite her mother's alleged unpaid wages, asking about the source of her training and entertainment resources. Some even extended the family dispute to AIJING herself, directly calling her the "daughter of a defaulter," shifting the discussion from her stage performance to her family background and moral responsibility.
It is understood that AIJING's mother served as the legal representative of the educational company involved, while her father was the supervisor. Employees accused the company of failing to pay salaries starting in 2024. Although AIJING's parents had promised to repay in installments, overdue payments re-emerged just three months later. The total amount reached 3.45 million Chinese Yuan (approximately 15.5 million New Taiwan Dollars).
Meanwhile, A2O LITE's music chart performance after their debut has also drawn significant attention. As of 11 PM on the 14th, their title track "NEON" simultaneously topped both the "TOP100" and "HOT100" charts on the Korean music platform Melon, demonstrating impressive momentum.
Full Text of AIJING's Mother's Apology Statement
Hello everyone, I am AIJING's mother.
I sincerely apologize for the recent concerns caused by matters related to me.
In the past, I operated an education-related business, but as the business conditions rapidly deteriorated, the company fell into severe financial difficulties, leading to debt disputes. Regardless of the objective difficulties at the time, failing to pay due amounts on time is a mistake I must acknowledge and bear. I offer my deepest apologies to all who have suffered losses as a result.
I have always made my utmost efforts to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. However, after the company entered a management crisis, it also encountered changes in the industry's operating environment, which prevented matters from being resolved as smoothly as initially expected.
Currently, I am contacting relevant individuals one by one, negotiating solutions with everyone, and maintaining continuous communication. I will absolutely not shirk my responsibilities until all issues are resolved, and I will see this through to the end.
The responsibility for this incident should be borne by us, the parents, and handled properly by us. The child has no connection to my past business operations or related disputes.
Once again, I extend my most sincere apologies to all who have suffered losses. For the unresolved issues, I will continue to do my best to handle them and fulfill my responsibilities.
