a2olite

On the day a 13-year-old girl debuted in South Korea, an enforcement debt of 3.45 million yuan was still listed on a public judicial platform.

The girl is Sheng Aijing, stage name AIJING, a Chinese member of the South Korean girl group A2O LITE. The group is managed by A2O Entertainment, founded by Lee Soo-man, who earlier established SM Entertainment and launched acts including H.O.T, TVXQ, and Girls’ Generation. On October 17, “Using workers’ hard-earned money to pave the way for her daughter’s stardom” topped Weibo’s trending searches.

The company brought to light was Beijing Sofis Education Technology Co., Ltd., established in July 2010 with registered capital of 2 million yuan. Her mother, Zhang Jing, owns 97% of the company and serves as its legal representative; her father, Sheng Jiachuan, is a supervisor.

The couple have more than a dozen companies registered under their names, spanning catering, education, and childcare. Several have records of enforcement proceedings and restrictions on high spending. This August, the two were listed as judgment debtors, with enforcement claims totaling 3.45 million yuan.

The group has some heavyweight talent behind it. In April last year, A2O signed SUNNY, a member of Girls’ Generation, to oversee trainee development and mental health guidance. Online accounts say she was deeply involved in this debut.

The timeline makes the contrast even more jarring. According to a timeline compiled by Kankan News, wage arrears began in 2024. The parties reached an installment repayment agreement through labor arbitration, but the agreement was breached again after just three months. That same year, Sheng Aijing won a competition; the following year, she went to the United States to compete in a world dance competition. Now she has officially debuted in South Korea, while the 3.45-million-yuan enforcement record remains on the platform.

On the evening of October 14, an account claiming to belong to her mother posted an apology, admitting that the business had deteriorated and saying she would take responsibility to the end, while emphasizing that her child had nothing to do with the dispute. One commentator did the math: preparing for a single world dance competition can cost 200,000 to 300,000 yuan.

My view is that the anger is not directed at that 13-year-old girl. What people cannot stomach is the money behind her path. “The principle that children should not suffer for their parents’ wrongdoing only holds if they also don’t benefit from their parents’ wrongdoing.” When family finances cannot be separated, that principle is hard to avoid.

There is a legal distinction here: a person subject to enforcement is not the same as a dishonest judgment debtor. I don’t know whether these parents have been placed on the dishonest-debtor list; I could not find that in public records. The 3.45 million yuan is the enforcement amount specified in an effective legal document, and its nature should be understood according to the court document.

Look one level deeper, and the issue is the business of child idols itself. Debuting at 13 means a longer period for monetization and deeper emotional bonds. Companies trade time for loyalty; family risks become part of this system, but the system offers no corresponding safety net.

The mother’s apology letter did not mention a repayment deadline.

The stage lights are bright. Workers’ wages are still listed on a judicial platform.

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