Rookie girl group A2O Light’s Chinese member A2O Light Sung Aijing (13) has been swept up in a controversy regarding her parents’ unpaid employee wages immediately upon her debut. On October 17, the related issue rose to the number one spot on the real-time search rankings of China’s largest social media platform, Weibo.
The controversy began on October 12, the debut day of A2O Light, through revelations made by Chinese netizens. According to comprehensive Chinese media reports, Beijing Suofeisi Education Technology Co., Ltd., operated by Sung’s mother, surnamed Zhang, has been withholding employee wages since 2024. After undergoing labor arbitration, the company agreed to pay in installments, but broke the promise again after just three months. The amount subject to enforcement by the Chinese court is known to be 3.45 million yuan (approximately $480,000 USD).
Immediately after the revelations on October 14, an apology letter written by someone claiming to be Sung Aijing’s mother was posted on Weibo. It stated that while a serious debt dispute arose due to worsened company management, she would negotiate with each creditor and “take responsibility until the end.” At the same time, she stated that her daughter had “no relation” to her past business and disputes. Agency A2O Entertainment did not issue an official statement until October 18.
Criticism within China continues to grow. This is because the company’s wages began to fall behind right around the time Sung, dubbed the “Little BoA,” reached the top of the youth division at the World of Dance (WOD) China competition. Furthermore, the company was still in violation of the installment payment order during her participation in the 2025 US global competition. Netizens are heavily criticizing the situation, asking, “How is there money to debut a daughter, but no money to pay off debts?”
On October 14, the search hashtag “#Ai Jing’s Mother Apology” recorded 97.1 million clicks on Weibo, ranking eighth. On October 17, “#Did You Make Your Daughter a Star With Workers’ Blood and Sweat Money?” surpassed 100 million clicks to claim the number one search ranking.
Chinese state-run media also joined in the criticism. Gan-gan News, an online media outlet affiliated with Shanghai TV and Radio Broadcasting Station, issued a commentary on October 16 criticizing that “employee wages that should have been paid on time turned into [the daughter’s] stage lighting, overseas training, and professional tuition fees.” They also urged that clearing the wage arrears must come first, stating, “Until the 3.45 million yuan is paid off, the stardom on stage will be overshadowed by the blood and sweat shadows of the workers.”
Beijing-born Sung Aijing gained attention immediately upon her debut, dubbed the “Little BoA” due to her appearance resembling BoA. A2O Light is a rookie girl group nurtured by K-pop master Lee Soo-man, former general producer of SM Entertainment. Their debut song “NEON” reached number one on the Melon music chart in just 29 hours, setting a record for the shortest time for a rookie group’s debut song.
