Aiching, a member of the girl group A2O LITE created by Lee Soo-man, is facing controversy as her mother is embroiled in a wage dispute. The mother stated that the issue is unrelated to her daughter.
On October 14, Aiching's mother apologized on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, saying, "I sincerely apologize for causing concern regarding recent events related to me." She explained that her education-related business encountered financial difficulties, leading to a debt dispute.
She acknowledged, "Regardless of any objective circumstances, my failure to pay the owed amount on time is a mistake I must face and take responsibility for." She added that she is currently in contact with the involved parties to discuss solutions and is committed to ongoing communication.
Furthermore, she expressed her intention to take full responsibility until all issues are resolved, emphasizing that the matter is separate from her daughter. "The responsibility for this incident lies with the parents, and it is a problem that must be resolved appropriately," she stated, asserting that her daughter has no connection to the business or the related disputes.
According to local Chinese media, two court enforcement cases were filed against Aiching's parents on August 31, with the enforcement amount reportedly reaching approximately 3.45 million yuan (about 6.89 billion won).
This controversy arose just one day after A2O LITE's debut. The group, which includes Aiching, debuted alongside the boy group A2O SOUL on October 12 at KINTEX in Goyang, South Korea.
A2O LITE is the first new girl group introduced after Lee Soo-man's non-compete agreement was lifted following his sale of shares in SM Entertainment to HYBE in 2023. The 13-year-old Aiching has garnered attention for her resemblance to the renowned singer BoA, earning her the nickname 'Little BoA' due to her similar looks and dance style.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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