For the past three years, the K-pop scene has been swept by girl groups backed by major agencies and veteran hitmakers such as Min Hee-jin, creative director behind NewJeans.

But one of the most talked-about breakthroughs came from a far smaller company: Kiss of Life, a girl group launched by the little-known S2 Entertainment.

The group’s rapid rise — often described in the industry as a “miracle from a small agency” — has drawn attention to the creative force behind it: Lee Hae-in. The former idol recently transitioned into producing and served as the group’s creative director.

Kiss of Life may be the only successful group Lee has produced so far, but her unconventional approach has quickly made her one of the most closely watched new producers in K-pop. Her success is notable not only because it came without the backing of a major agency, but also because her methods challenge some of the industry’s long-standing conventions.

Interest in Lee has only intensified as Kiss of Life’s momentum slowed following her departure from S2 Entertainment, prompting renewed attention on how much of the group’s early success stemmed from her creative direction.

So what sets Lee apart?

According to the producer herself, the answer is simple: stories. And those stories, she says, often come from a habit she has maintained for years.

“I’ve always kept a journal,” Lee said in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Friday.

“When I was a trainee, every day followed the same routine. I felt like my days were becoming identical, so I started writing about different ideas and topics. Whenever I read a book or watched a film and something inspired me, I wrote it down.”

Because she did not know what path her career would ultimately take, she recorded a wide range of thoughts and creative ideas — even experimenting with web novels.

“I archived my thoughts in my journal,” she said. “It’s like a treasure to me. When I open those notebooks later, I can see the books I was reading at the time or the ideas I had back then.”

One such entry eventually helped shape “Midas Touch,” the track widely credited with propelling Kiss of Life into mainstream recognition.

Lee recalled writing about the era when Britney Spears’ “Toxic” dominated pop culture. When she revisited the entry years later, she realized that the electronic sound popular at the time had largely disappeared from the current K-pop landscape.

She decided to reinterpret that style for a modern audience.

“They say music trends move in roughly 20-year cycles,” Lee said. “When I look back at my diary, I can see what genres were popular then. If R&B was trending at that time, I might take its roots and reinterpret it slightly.”

At the heart of Lee’s producing philosophy is the belief that an artist’s appeal ultimately comes from narrative.

“You can have a beautiful or handsome artist, but if there’s no charm, people won’t be interested,” she said. “And that charm often comes from story.”

She compares the process to watching a drama series.

“When you watch a drama, you find the main character compelling. Part of that may be appearance, but much of it comes from the story you connect with,” she said. “If there’s a narrative that maximizes a person’s charm, people can immerse themselves in it.”

Kiss of Life was built around that principle. Rather than focusing solely on polished visuals, the group’s debut emphasized authenticity and individuality. All six songs from the group’s debut album “Kiss of Life” were accompanied by music videos that formed a connected narrative.

“If you watch the whole album, you can feel the story flowing through it,” Lee said. “I wanted to show the charm of storytelling.”

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