S.E.S’s Bada shared a heartfelt tribute to producer Lee Soo Man on October 16, revealing that he once paid her college tuition when her family was struggling financially.
In a lengthy Instagram post, Bada — who debuted with S.E.S in 1997 and is marking her 28th debut anniversary this year — looked back on the nearly three decades since she first met the legendary producer. “29 years ago, I felt like I was talking to someone who could see the future,” she wrote.
She recalled that at 18, Lee Soo Man described Korea’s future idol landscape and vision to her “accurately and in detail.” Bada wrote that he “dressed my healthy voice in refined colors” and gave her the pride of being the country’s first female idol vocalist, while constantly sharing his musical insight and posing questions that helped her think and grow as an artist.
“He knew my family’s difficult situation at the time and paid my college tuition — something I will never forget,” Bada added. She also nodded to his new nine-member girl group A2O LITE, writing that watching him continue to create “music full of life with the times” is “a truly special experience.”
A2O LITE is the first girl group from Lee Soo Man’s A2O Entertainment since he left SM. The rookie group debuted earlier this week, and Bada’s tribute arrives as they begin their first promotions.
