Soo-man Lee's First Official Appearance After SM Dispute... No Response to Reporters' Questions

Soo-man Lee Attends Korea-Mongolia Business Dinner
First Official Appearance Since Management Dispute

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Lee Soo-man, former Chief Producer of SM Entertainment, appeared at his first official event since the SM management rights dispute. When asked about the current situation, Lee left the venue without responding.

Former Chief Producer Lee attended the "Korea-Mongolia Business Dinner" held at the Hyatt Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 14th. He delivered the keynote speech on the future of K-pop and Hallyu and their role for the planet.

On the day of the event, reporters were waiting at the hotel entrance upon hearing the news of Lee’s attendance. When asked about his thoughts on the SM management rights dispute, he did not answer and entered the banquet hall.

At the scene, Kim Min-jong, a singer and actor affiliated with SM who had arrived earlier, greeted and assisted Lee as he got out of the car.

This was Lee’s first public appearance since the SM management rights dispute. Earlier, on the 3rd, the "SM 3.0" vision was announced, calling for Lee Soo-man’s resignation; on the 7th, Kakao acquired a 9.05% stake in SM; and on the 10th, HYBE purchased 14.8% of Lee’s SM shares. Amid this complex acquisition battle surrounding SM, Lee had not expressed any particular stance.

Lee Soo-man, former Chief Producer of SM Entertainment, is attending the 'Korea-Mongolia Business Dinner' held on the 14th at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

In his keynote speech, Lee emphasized, "K-POP and Hallyu are a new vision to save the Earth." He said, "Through K-POP and Hallyu, we will take the lead in saving the Earth for humanism and sustainability," and added, "In 2023, a 'Music Festival and Campaign to Plant Trees and Save the Earth' will begin in Mongolia."

Lee continued, "Starting with Mongolia, I want to launch a campaign to plant trees in desert areas that anyone can happily participate in," adding, "I hope the 'Music Festival and Campaign to Plant Trees and Save the Earth' will be activated in Mongolia in 2023. K-POP will be a bridge connecting tree planting to save the Earth worldwide."

The full text of former Chief Producer Lee Soo-man’s keynote speech

K-POP and Hallyu, a New Vision to Save the Earth

Hello, I am Lee Soo-man. Thank you for inviting me to the Korea-Mongolia Business Reception, where efforts are being made to promote economic exchange between Mongolia and Korea. I sincerely thank the Prime Minister of Mongolia who hosted this event and all the distinguished guests present.

For the past 30 years, I have created and pioneered K-POP, dedicating my life to the history of K-POP and Hallyu. Thankfully, K-POP and Hallyu have evolved amid globalization and the technological revolution, now connecting the hearts of people worldwide beyond regions, borders, generations, and ideologies.

K-POP and Hallyu inherently embody humanity. Moreover, the explosive creativity of fandoms and prosumers has become a precious asset for the future of humanity.

For a sustainable future, I have started a new challenge to build a platform that connects the humanity and creativity of K-POP and Hallyu globally ? a lifestyle culture ecosystem linking fandoms, prosumers, and celebrities worldwide.

K-POP and Hallyu will become a new vision to save the Earth. The world is now in an era of carbon neutrality, overcoming the climate crisis on Earth and realizing sustainability. A sustainable future is a common agenda for humanity.

The future will be led by countries that build new ecosystems. The new ecosystem is a world of humanity and sustainability ? humanism and sustainability.

In 2022, I met leaders from Mongolia, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia upon their invitations to propose visions for future cultural cities ? ideas for sustainable lifestyle culture ecosystems of the future.

Last November, I signed an MOU with Mongolia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism to promote the "Smart Entertainment City Development and Tourism Project" in Mongolia. We will build the world’s first city model realizing sustainability in both environment and economy, support Mongolia’s campaign to plant one billion trees, revitalize the cultural tourism industry, and promote a K-POP festival to plant trees and save the Earth, as well as a Global Sustainable Culture Movement & Festival involving the whole world.

Since 2020, the Mongolian government has been accelerating efforts to grow Mongolia into a cultural powerhouse by establishing the "New Recovery Policy and Vision 2050."

Especially, President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh of Mongolia announced at the 76th UN General Assembly in New York in September 2021 that to respond to climate change and change Mongolia’s future ? where 76.9% of the land is desertifying ? a campaign to plant one billion trees by 2030 will be carried out.

Mongolia, home to Genghis Khan, the Gobi Desert, beautiful skies, and vast nature, is historically and ecologically an important treasure for humanity. Tree planting is a return to the Earth’s origins and the beginning of humanity.

Starting with Mongolia, I want to launch a campaign to plant trees in desert areas that anyone can happily participate in. I hope the "Music Festival and Campaign to Plant Trees and Save the Earth" will be activated in Mongolia in 2023. Then, K-POP fans and young people worldwide will participate and visit. K-POP will be a bridge connecting tree planting to save the Earth globally.

Korea and Mongolia, sharing dynamic and enterprising spirits, are partners who must jointly solve global environmental issues. Since 2007, for 16 years, Korea’s Forest Service has planted trees in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, supporting the Mongolian government’s greenbelt project to prevent desertification and yellow dust. Korean and Mongolian private companies, NGOs, and local governments have continuously cooperated to restore forests.

The MOU I signed with Mongolia represents a firm resolution of warriors toward the future ? Genghis Khan and his brothers’ firm determination ? to create a sustainable future city model in Mongolia based on the humanity and creativity of K-POP and Hallyu, and to present it to the world.

The future city that saves the Earth, a country starting a future lifestyle culture with humanity and sustainability, will be the first mover of the future.

Last year, at the WTTC Global Summit held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, I shared the vision of a "future lifestyle culture ecosystem with humanity and sustainability" and expressed my ambition to carry out a tree-planting campaign with K-POP fans. Receiving warm applause and support, I felt this could become a reality, not just a dream.

In 1997, I declared, "If you dream alone, it is just one dream, but if we all dream the same dream together, it is the beginning of a new future," and ventured overseas. Now, as I challenge a new future again, I hope Korea will dream together with the world for humanity and Earth’s sustainability.

I believe the humanity and dreams for Earth’s sustainability shown through K-POP and Hallyu can once again move the world, and this can be the beginning of the future to save the Earth, the future presented by Hallyu.

Imagine the miracle that will happen in Mongolia, where desertification is progressing fastest in the world.

A music city and sustainable festival city where concerts and festivals to save the environment happen year-round. A city created through ideas developed in virtual and physical metaverses by K-POP and Hallyu fans and young people worldwide. A city where eco-friendly energy powers drones and mobility, and artists and global citizens participate in planting trees. Mongolia, combining entertainment and sustainability, will become a catalyst for solving Earth’s climate, environmental, and ecological crises.

One tree is the beginning. One song changes a life, and one tree changes the world. If the habit of planting one tree becomes a new lifestyle culture, it can become the standard for future cities.

Until now, human history has been a history of wars between nations, ideologies, and greed. However, if we start a movement to create a sustainable Earth with K-POP fandoms and Hallyu fans, it will rapidly spread worldwide, overcoming the generation gap ? the sharpest conflict in the global village ? and open a new culture and world where families and generations travel together to plant trees.

The ultimate vision of K-POP and Hallyu should be to contribute to "creation," the highest and unique nature given to humans by God. And to create a world where everyone enjoys the joy of creation,

we must take the lead in a sustainable Earth and "saving the Earth." Isn’t today the last moment to build future cities not with AI brains but with human creativity, the highest nature of humans?

The future city must be humanity’s greatest creation. Through Culture Technology, I want to contribute to the birth of future cities dreamed by humanity by creating a future lifestyle culture ecosystem with humanity and sustainability.

A creative city where virtual and physical metaverses coexist, created by continuous participation and dynamic creative activities of prosumers and creators worldwide; an educational city for families; a city where everyone plants trees ? I want to contribute to the birth of such a city.

A new Culture Technology Project! Starting the tree-planting project in Mongolia, I hope you will become partners with Mongolia and Korea to realize Earth’s sustainability and build a new lifestyle culture ecosystem and future city that saves the Earth.

I believe that music fandoms worldwide and the one and only Earth’s global citizens can realize this grand vision to save the Earth. Thank you.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.