Controversy over Lee Soo-man's girl group's sexualization; they are only 13 years old

While the new girl group A2O LITE, introduced by Lee Soo-man, is receiving intense attention upon their debut, the outfits and promotional image styling of the underage members have come under fire. Separately from the praise for their music and performance, voices are rising to hold the production team accountable for their responsibility to protect young members.
Recently, criticism has been mounting on online communities and social media regarding A2O LITE's album covers, images released on official SNS, and stage outfits. In particular, as it was revealed that members Ayoon, Oa, and Aijing were born in 2013 and are only 13 years old, points were raised that age-appropriate clothing and concepts should have been applied.
At the center of the controversy are short bottoms and crop tops that reveal the abdomen. Reactions suggest that the young members, who perform intense choreography, may have been dressed in excessively short clothing. Opinions continued to call for styling that prioritizes mobility and protection, stating that exposure is not necessary to showcase talent.
Criticism was also raised regarding the poses in the promotional images. Photos shared online showed individuals in light blue tops and bottoms kneeling on the floor or leaning their upper bodies forward. The cover for the debut single 'NEON', which utilizes green human silhouettes, also sparked debate regarding the poses and direction of the production.
Related posts included reactions such as, "Even if they can debut at a young age if they have talent and skill, producers must not forget they are minors," "The dancing is intense, so they should be dressed according to their age," and "Regardless of the song being good, I hope the outfits are improved." Concerns were also raised that the structure of debuting and promoting at such a young age is inherently harmful.
On the other hand, some opinions stated that they did not get a sexual feeling from the stage itself. They viewed it as a skill-centered performance because the members were focused on high-difficulty choreography and group dance. However, even among these reactions, opinions emerged that it would be better to reduce costume exposure considering the members' ages.
There were also voices saying that the criticism should not escalate into attacks against the young members. While pointing out the responsibility of the production team that decides on outfits and image direction, it was noted that one should be wary of pouring out insulting expressions in spaces where the members can directly encounter them.
Meanwhile, A2O LITE is a 9-member girl group under A2O Entertainment that released their debut single 'NEON' on the 13th. The debut song, produced by Lee Soo-man with music production involvement from Yoo Young-jin and Dem Jointz, garnered attention by reaching the top of the Melon TOP100 just 29 hours after its release.