A2O Lite member Aijing’s parents face wage nonpayment allegations in China

A2O Lite member Aijing has been drawn into controversy just days after the rookie girl group’s debut, after allegations surfaced that a company run by her parents failed to pay former employees’ wages.

Aijing, a 13-year-old Chinese member of A2O Lite, drew attention at the group’s debut showcase in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Monday, for her dance skills and styling that some said resemble BoA during the early years of her career.

The following day, however, Chinese media reported allegations involving a Beijing-based education company connected to Aijing’s parents.

According to reports by Dahe Daily, former employees claimed that the company had failed to pay wages on time since 2024. Aijing’s mother is reportedly listed as the company’s legal representative, while her father serves as its supervisor.

In the media reports, the former employees said they reached an agreement through labor arbitration to receive the unpaid wages in installments, but claimed the company made payments for only the first three months before stopping. They also presented documents that showed around 40,000 Chinese yuan ($5,980) in unpaid wages, according to the reports.

According to Chinese corporate information platform Tianyancha, two court enforcement cases involving the company and Aijing’s parents were filed on Aug. 31, with the total enforcement amount listed at approximately 3.45 million yuan. However, it remains unclear whether the entire amount is related to unpaid wages.

The allegations have prompted divided reactions on Chinese social media platform Weibo. Some users criticized Aijing’s parents, questioning why money could be spent on supporting their daughter’s entertainment career while former employees allegedly remained unpaid. Others argued that the financial dispute involving her parents should not be used to criticize Aijing, who is a minor.

A2O Lite officially debuted on Monday under the production of Lee Soo-man, founder and former chief producer of SM Entertainment. The multinational girl group, consisting of members from Korea, Japan, China, Thailand and the US, performed its debut track “Neon” at a joint showcase with boy group A2O Soul.

Aijing is the youngest member of A2O Lite and serves as one of the group’s main dancers.