‘King of K-pop’ Lee Soo Man on his career, a global industry and what’s next

Now, as the founder of SM Entertainment and widely credited as the architect of K-pop’s global expansion, Lee will be inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame on Saturday alongside basketball legend Yao Ming, Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan, and rock icon Yoshiki, among others. The recognition arrives as Lee reemerges into the spotlight after a contentious, high-profile departure from the agency he founded in 1995 — a management battle that included a public feud with his nephew-in-law and a bidding war over his shares. Lee invested about $5 million in BoA’s 2009 American debut with “Eat You Up,” one of the first songs by a South Korean artist to be primarily written and produced by Western producers — a bold early attempt to bring K-pop into the U.S. mainstream.