Jin Bo-min, Lee Jun-seo, Park Jun-hwan‘s first ‘New Kids 7’… Monsta X I.M X Minhyuk shine with their senior beauty

‘Debut Plan’ has discovered idols who were previously unnoticed through ‘Communication Evaluation’.

‘Debut Plan’ is a large-scale global project that contains the debut process of a new boy group that Starship plans to present this year. In ‘EP.4 Episode’, which was released on the ‘New Kids on the Starship’ YouTube channel at 9:30 PM on the 4th, the story of New Kids growing into idols who can communicate with global fans across language and cultural barriers through the third plan, ‘Communication Evaluation’, was drawn. The entire team that won the evaluation with a different selection method from the first and second plans became the third ‘NewKids7’, drawing attention.

On this day, the New Kids, who improved their basic qualities and skills to become idols by filling in their strengths and complementing their weaknesses, had time to experience various communications with fans through the communication evaluation. The communication evaluation was divided into the concepts of ‘BOYHOOD’, ‘CRUSH’, and ‘FANTASY’, and the New Kids randomly chose the team they were confident in or wanted to challenge themselves with. ‘BOYHOOD’ was NCT DREAM’s ‘Chewing Gum’, ‘CRUSH’ was Stray Kids‘ ‘CASE 143’, and ‘FANTASY’ was ENHYPEN’s ‘XO’(Only If You Say Yes).

The third New Kids 7 was selected by the 7 members of the Debut Plan board of directors and 70 on-site judges. Each board member‘s vote counts as 10 votes. Since this was a team competition and not an individual competition, New Kids 7 carefully selected their ID members while thinking about how to win. After receiving advice from the trainer team, teams ‘Chewing Gum’ and ‘CRUSH’ replaced their ID members, excluding Team ‘XO’ Jinbo Min.

For the ‘Communication Evaluation’, Monsta X’s I.M and Minhyuk provided support as special trainer and on-site MC, respectively. Sign language performance artist Kim Ji Yeon and choreographer Son Hye Yeon were assigned to the ‘Hidden Plan’ class to teach the New Kids sign language and tutting dance. The New Kids, faced with the difficult task of having to sing K-pop in a foreign language version, were confused by the continuously added missions, but they did their best.

The ‘Chewing Gum’ team (Kim Min-jae, Kim Ji-yong, Miyata Haru, Park Won-bin, Suzuki Kaira, Jung Se-min, Jo Min-jae) was the team with the most solid fundamentals, with the four members of New Kids 7 and the New Kids who ranked first in the ‘Weakness Position Evaluation’, and was under the watchful eye of the other teams. The members displayed stable skills to the point that it was hard to believe it was their first live stage. Jung Se-min, who had been intimidated by the relatively skilled New Kids, broke down the wall on his own and achieved remarkable growth.

The ‘CASE 143’ team (Kim Yoon-seo, Seok Jun, Woo Hao, Lee Woo-joo, Lee Tae-gun, Jeon Jun-seo), which was formed when Lee Woo-joo, Lee Tae-gun, and Jeon Jun-seo, who had left the ‘XO’ team, joined the team, had a rocky start. During the mid-term review, I.M harshly criticized them, saying, “They don‘t even have an attitude.” The members, who came to their senses at the trainer team’s advice, began to change centered around the leader Seok-jun, and although there were some regrets in terms of perfection, they drew a hot response on site.

Team ‘XO’ (Park Jun-hwan, Baek Jun-hyuk, Lee Jun-seo, Jang Gyu-hyun, Jang Yong-hoon, Jin Bo-min, Chu Yu-chan), which was chosen as a team with stable visuals, devoted themselves to practice, led by ID member Jin Bo-min, and their efforts bore fruit on stage. Lee Jun-seo, who had blamed himself for giving the team last place in the ‘Strength Position Evaluation’ due to his vocal slur, also received good evaluations as the main vocalist of the ‘XO’ team.

As a result of the ‘Communication Evaluation’, the ‘XO’ team took first place. The ‘Chewing Gum’ team came in second, only 2 votes behind the ‘XO’ team. Through this evaluation, the picture of Park Joon-hwan, Lee Jun-seo, and Jin Bo-min, who had never been part of the New Kids 7 before, being crowned the third New Kids 7 has been completed. The third New Kids 7 will be given the benefit of a ballad version stage and concept photo shoot for the ‘ImPerfect’. In particular, on this stage, you can see the transformation of New Kids 7 who will present a new method of communication by conveying various languages as well as another language, sign language, through the stage and performance.

Amid the announcement of the fourth plan, ‘ImPerfect Game’ on the 11th, the New Kids who challenged the drama audition casting were shown suffering from a ‘mental breakdown’. Among the New Kids who have perfected the basic virtues of an idol by capitalizing on their strengths, making up for their weaknesses, and adding communication skills, who will prove to be the all-round idol with acting skills?

Meanwhile, the second round of voting for ‘Debut Plan’ will be held on the official website until 10 a.m. on April 17. You can vote once a day and vote for a total of two New Kids each day.

Jeong Hee-yeon, Donga.com reporter shine2562@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.