K-pop producer Lee Soo-man meets with Macron to discuss global expansion

Lee Soo-man, right, key producer for A2O Entertainment and founder of SM Entertainment, shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Friday (local time). Courtesy of A2O Entertainment

SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man, who currently serves as the key producer of A2O Entertainment, met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Friday (local time), and discussed potential cooperation in the cultural sector between the two nations.

A2O Entertainment said Sunday that Lee had a meeting with the French president at the Elysee Palace. The 73-year-old K-pop producer visited Paris to deliver a keynote speech at France Music Week. Lee attended the week-long event, designed to promote the French music industry to global professionals, as the sole Asian attendee.

During their meeting, President Macron was said to be well aware of Lee's reputation as an outstanding entrepreneur and producer. A2O said Macron proposed the establishment of a local office for Lee in France, expressing a strong desire to foster collaboration between Korean and French creators.

"This high-level interaction signifies more than a mere courtesy call, demonstrating the French government's deep recognition of K-pop's global impact and Lee's cultural vision," A2O Entertainment said.

The France Music Week event Lee attended attracted over 100 figures who shape the global music industry, and featured discussions addressing major challenges within the music sector. Alongside Lee, prominent figures such as Robert Kyncl, CEO of Warner Music Group; Lyor Cohen, global head of music at YouTube; and Olivier Nusse, CEO of Universal Music France, also took part.

Lee's statement at France Music Week emphasized the protection of creators' rights in the AI era and predicted future trends where fans actively participate in content creation.

"I envision a world where fans evolve beyond simple consumers to become 'prosumers' who directly create content," he said, adding that "the rights of original creators must be strongly protected."