Many are against the idea.

SM Entertainment‘s founder Lee Sooman revealed his plans to hold an audition program in China.

He shared in a Chinese broadcast how he hopes the audition program will be located in China’s city of music, Chengdu. He also wishes that the chosen idols will have long-term popularity.

Rather than having a popular, short-term idol group, I want to grow stars who can be loved for a long time. – Lee Sooman

After the broadcast aired, Lee Sooman’s comments became a hot topic in Weibo, China’s largest social media platform.

Many netizens were averse to the idea of Korean entertainment companies coming to China to create Korean-like idol groups.

Why do they want to make the Chinese entertainment industry like the Korean entertainment industry?

Why does he want to make Chinese money? – Chinese Netizens

Others suggested that SM Entertainment take better care of their current artists before starting a new group.

In particular, EXO-L’s were angered over Lee Sooman’s apparent lack of support for EXO. They claimed that EXO was not receiving as much support from their company as BTS was receiving from Big Hit Entertainment.

EXO is the best in SM Entertainment.

Give EXO an album first. – Chinese Netizens