[Current & Culture] Lee Soo-man and the Ma Trio

There was a time when the air near university campuses was filled with the acrid smell of tear gas, like dandelion seeds drifting in the wind. I, an elementary school student who moved from a coastal village on the East Sea to Seoul in the mid-1980s, remember the scent of Seoul back then that way. It was an era of democratization struggles and also the age of radio. Even though TVs were widely available, radio remained a powerful mass medium and was very popular; DJs were akin to YouTubers with millions of subscribers today. That was the heyday of the Ma Trio.

In order of age, Lee Soo-man, Lee Moon-sae, and Yoo Yeol. They were called the Ma Trio because their heads resembled horses. There are many photos of them smiling brightly together like friends, but in fact, there was a considerable age gap; Lee Soo-man is nine years older than Yoo Yeol. Their real commonality was not their appearance but their careers. All three were singers and outstanding DJs at the same time. Lee Moon-sae hosted "Starry Night," Yoo Yeol hosted "Music Album" (which was also made into a movie), and Lee Soo-man hosted "Pops Tonight." Although the program name changed to "Music Camp," DJ Bae Cheol-soo, who succeeded Lee Soo-man, has maintained the tradition of evening pop programs for over 30 years.

Following his career as a singer and DJ, Lee Soo-man ventured into business. He founded SM Planning (now SM Entertainment, hereafter SM), named after himself, and achieved great success. He was the Mun Ik-jeom who sowed the seeds of idol culture and the Columbus who pioneered overseas markets no one had explored before. It was only decades after founding SM that Bang Si-hyuk, who surpassed his success, appeared, and Chairman Lee Soo-man seemed to have decided on a successor by transferring his shares to him. This is the current SM share acquisition battle that has thrown the K-pop market into turmoil.

This story, rich enough to be material for movies or dramas, also features emerging forces challenging the giants. First is Lee Sung-soo, Lee Soo-man’s nephew-in-law and a prodigy who became SM’s CEO in his early 40s. Once considered the chairman’s loyalist due to their blood relation, he unexpectedly exposed all the chairman’s various corruptions and confronted him. Joining him is Lee Chang-hwan, CEO of Align Partners, a self-proclaimed activist fund. He is even younger than Lee Sung-soo, in his 30s. Living with his elderly mother on welfare, winning first place on a TV quiz show, graduating from Seoul National University’s business school, and founding an investment company, he is the protagonist of a fantasy-like success story. Rather than sensational expos?s, he and Lee Sung-soo are jointly attacking by meticulously pointing out the problems of Chairman Lee Soo-man and his allies. And behind them stands Kakao. Ta-da. If you look deeper, many more names and factions appear, but unless you are involved in the broadcasting and entertainment industry, there is no need to know them all. I have simply summarized enough for general readers to follow.

This incident in the K-pop market, which has become a representative cultural product of our country, might change the entire game. At the SM shareholders’ meeting at the end of this month, the alliance of Chairman Lee Soo-man and HYBE will face off again against the alliance of CEOs Lee Sung-soo, Lee Chang-hwan, and Kakao. The outcome will likely be decided by a vote, but what is even more intriguing is how the Ma Trio members view this situation now. I long for their songs and radio shows that made the harsh 1980s and oppressed youth laugh and cry. To confess, no matter how much I think about it, among the three, or rather among all radio DJs, my favorite was Pops Tonight’s Lee Soo-man. When feeling empty, nothing soothes the heart better than music. The youngest of the Ma Trio, Yoo Yeol, sings: The glorious days are gone.

Lee Jae-ik, Novelist