Lee Soo Man: King of K-Pop, the documentary following SM Entertainment founder and former executive producer Lee Soo Man, will be streaming globally on Amazon Prime Video, starting May 13.
A prominent figure in the K-pop industry, Soo Man was one of the pioneers of the original Hallyu wave in the 1990s, which catapulted South Korean media, including film, music, and television, into global consciousness.
The documentary offers a glimpse into Soo Man’s life, delving into his personal archives. It also features music and materials from popular artists under SM Entertainment’s catalog, including Girls’ Generation, EXO, and aespa.
The upcoming 107-minute documentary is helmed by Ting Poo, who directed the intimate documentary Val, about the life of the late actor Val Kilmer, as well as the upcoming documentary on Christina Aguilera. What sets this documentary apart from others like it is that it delves deep not just into the culture or the artistry, but also into the controversies that have made waves across the media.
However, the release of the trailer sparked controversy, as it included footage from the 2017 funeral of SHINee’s Jonghyun, who died by suicide on December 28, 2017, at the age of 17.
This prompted backlash from fans, who believe it exploits real-life trauma experienced by idols to defend the industry’s harmful practices, with the aforementioned footage appearing just before a brief segment that mentions downplaying issues related to idol treatment.
Watch the trailer of Lee Soo Man: King of K-Pop below: