Lee Soo Man founded SM Entertainment in 1989 in South Korea. He was inspired by American pop music like Michael Jackson during his studies in the US. SM Entertainment has since grown into a large entertainment company, debuting many popular K-Pop groups like S.E.S., TVXQ, Girls' Generation, and SHINee. Lee Soo Man previously pursued a career in music himself in the 1970s before focusing on producing other artists and growing his company. He is credited with pioneering the Korean Wave and spreading K-Pop popularity worldwide.