‘Universe League’ contestants are throwing down the gauntlet to debut in a global boy group.

The SBS global boy group audition program ‘Universe League’, which will air for the first time on the 22nd, will tell the story of 42 contestants who participate in a dream match for their debut.

According to the production team, the contestants will carry out their first mission that day. They will fiercely perform on stage to be selected as starting members of BTOB Lee Chang-sub‘s Team Groove, GOT7 Yugyeom and EL CAPITXN’s Team Beat, and NCT WayV‘s Ten and Yangyang’s Team Rhythm.

The 42 contestants will be divided into 7 groups of 6 each and prepare for the stage to decide which teams they will belong to. After watching the performances, the three team coaches select one ‘First Pick’ to be the starting player, and the players who are not selected face the risk of elimination. Only half of the participants, or 21 people, can become the starting players.

As seven stages unfold, the participants show off their center-level visuals and outstanding skills to capture the hearts of the coaches. Among them, from The Boyz‘s ‘Thrill Ride’ team, a contestant has emerged that two teams’ coaches have their eyes on. After the ‘Thrill Ride’ stage, both Team Beat and Team Rhythm select Park Joo-won as their ‘First Pick’.


Park Joo-won, who was selected by Team Beat and Team Rhythm, gets to choose which team he will head to. Here, the Team Beat directors and Team Rhythm directors are said to have tried to seduce Park Joo Won in order to win his heart.

In particular, Team Rhythm director Ten, who is affiliated with SM Entertainment, appeals by saying, “I’ll show you how SM practices,” and Team Beat director El Capitan, a producer under HYBE, counters by saying, “I’ll take you to HYBE’s practice room.” It is tipped that MC Park Jae Bum exclaimed, “I can’t believe I’m watching SM and HYBE fight here.” People are curious about which team Park Joo Won, who has become a contestant coveted by SM and HYBE, will choose between Team Rhythm and Team Beat.

Meanwhile, ‘Universe League’, jointly produced by SBS and F&F Entertainment, is the second season of ‘Universe Ticket’, which produced the global girl group Eunice. It will be first broadcast at 11:20 PM on the 22nd.

Reporter Hong Se-young, Donga.com projecthong@donga.com