Bada, "Lee Soo-man's soul does not age—supported my tuition fees during difficult times"

Singer Bada, a former member of the group S.E.S., has expressed special respect and gratitude toward producer Lee Soo-man. She revealed anecdotes ranging from the connection where he showed her, an 18-year-old girl 29 years ago, a future as an idol singer, to the fact that he even supported her university tuition fees after learning about her family's difficult financial situation. In particular, she drew attention by describing Lee Soo-man by saying, "Teacher's soul does not age." She candidly expressed her admiration and gratitude upon seeing that despite the long passage of time, he has not lost his passion and conviction for music.

On the 16th, Bada posted a long message on her social media (SNS), reminiscing about the time she first met Lee Soo-man. She recalled Lee Soo-man, who specifically explained the position and vision of an idol singer to her 18-year-old self at the time, saying, "29 years ago, it felt like I was talking to someone who had seen the future." For her, as she was about to enter the path of a singer at a young age, Lee Soo-man was more than just a producer who taught her how to sing; he was a person who allowed her to imagine what kind of singer she could become.

Bada particularly noted Lee Soo-man's unchanging musical passion. She wrote, "It is strange. Teacher's soul does not age," adding, "I felt a conviction similar to a boy's purity from him back then, and I still feel it in our conversations these days." It is evaluated that even after a long time, Lee Soo-man's perspective on new music and markets still retains pure passion and conviction. Bada's writing goes beyond simple reminiscence of the past, as she confirmed these qualities not only through memories of the time they spent together but also through recent conversations that have resumed.

She also spoke honestly about her musical state before debuting with S.E.S. Bada looked back, saying, "Before my debut, I had almost completed basic training as a vocalist from my father, who was a singer, but I was not ready to enter the sophisticated and clearly concept-driven market of popular singers, especially idols." This means that being good at singing and building one's own color in the popular music market were separate tasks. She expressed gratitude, stating that through Lee Soo-man's producing and advice, she found a musical direction that suited her and was able to grow into a singer with a more sophisticated color.

What Bada remembers specially in her relationship with Lee Soo-man were questions and conversations regarding music. She explained that by listening to Lee Soo-man's views, she did not simply receive correct answers but gained opportunities to contemplate and think for herself. Bada, who found the process of finding answers itself enjoyable, revealed that this experience helped her maintain an attitude of protecting the fundamentals of music even while active as a solo artist. It is a confession that the experience of making her constantly contemplate her own music, rather than just following a direction set by someone, became the foundation for her long career.

Bada also described Lee Soo-man as an adult who shows a belief and conviction that becomes even clearer as time passes. She wrote, "One adult I know is showing the same belief or conviction from those days, which is becoming more transparent and clear as time goes by," and "Watching him continue to produce vital music is a special experience." She placed significance on the fact that the musical sense of Lee Soo-man she felt at the time of her debut is not just a memory of the past but continues even now.

Above all, the part that drew attention among the past anecdotes revealed by Bada was the support for university tuition fees. She stated, "The thing I truly cannot forget for my whole life. I express my gratitude once again to the teacher who knew my difficult family circumstances at the time and paid my university tuition fees." She directly shared the fact that she received not only musical advice but also practical help during the process of growing as a singer. At the end of her post, Bada added encouragement, "Teacher, fighting!", repeatedly expressing her gratitude for the long-standing connection.

Bada's post is garnering even more interest as it coincides with the timing of Lee Soo-man's resumption of activities in the domestic music market. Bada debuted in 1997 as a member of SM Entertainment's first girl group, S.E.S., gaining great popularity, and has since expanded her field of activity as a solo singer and musical actress. During the SM management dispute in 2023, Lee Soo-man sold his holdings to HYBE and signed a non-compete agreement regarding domestic album producing at that time. After the expiration of the agreement, he returned to the domestic music market as a key producer for A2O Entertainment.

The new girl group A2O LITE, recently introduced by Lee Soo-man, is also receiving attention. The group's debut song 'NEON' drew topical interest with news that it rose to number one on major music charts just 29 hours after its release. Watching Lee Soo-man continue his musical journey through a new generation of idols, Bada seems to have recalled the passion and conviction she experienced during her teenage years. Bada's confession to the mentor who showed her the future of a singer 29 years ago highlights once again the meaning of the long-standing musical connection and the help received in that process.

Read the original (Korean)