Starship Entertainment’s highly anticipated global boy group project “New Kids” is approaching its climax, with the final lineup for debut to be officially decided during a live broadcast on May 4 at 8 p.m. KST.
As part of the ongoing series “Debut’s Plan,” the reality show has been documenting the rigorous journey of trainees aiming to debut under the same label as IVE and MONSTA X.
In the recently aired EP.8 Semi-Final LIVE on the New Kids on the Starship YouTube channel, the 12 remaining contestants showcased their talent during the crucial ‘Pre-DEBUT Evaluation’ in front of the Debut’s Plan board, professional trainers, and over 1,500 fans.
Performances included original stages of songs like ‘I’m OK, You’re OK’, ‘So G.oo.D’, and ‘Crown in Bloom’, which highlighted the unique charm and growth of each trainee.
The 12 finalists moving forward are:nnKim Min-jae, Kim Ji-yong, Park Sung-hyun, Park Jun-hwan, Park Won-bin, Baek Junh-yuk, Wu Hao, Lee Tae-gun, Jang Kyu-hyun, Jang Yong-hoon, Jung Se-min, and Chu Yu-chan.
Notably, Park Sung-hyun secured a guaranteed spot in the final lineup by winning the ‘Debut’s Super Pass’, a reward given to one outstanding trainee.
The evaluation process has been heavily influenced by global fan engagement. Finalist selections were based on a combined voting system: 25% from the first fan vote, 25% from the second, and 50% from the third, alongside evaluations by the Debut’s Plan board.
The upcoming Final Debut Evaluation, which will be the centerpiece of EP.9, will determine the seven debuting members.
Five will be selected based on a 50/50 split between board evaluations and final fan votes, which remain open until 10 a.m. KST on May 3.
The last two members will be chosen during the live broadcast through the “Fan SAVE” and “Board SAVE” mechanisms, adding suspense to the final reveal.
Two songs—‘Moment That Pierces Through Dreams’ and ‘Crown in Bloom’—have been introduced for the final performances, with fans voting to match trainees with the song they’ll perform, ensuring an interactive and emotional final showdown.
As the debut draws closer, excitement is rising within the fandom and K-pop industry alike, with Starship’s “New Kids” already garnering attention for their diversity, charisma, and potential global impact.
