Year: 2023

Introduction

K-pop survival shows have revolutionised the industry, with millions of viewers tuning in to watch their favourite trainees compete for a spot in the debut team. These shows have created K-pop idols who have gone on to achieve massive success, both locally and internationally. Seventeen, Twice, Enhypen, Kep1er, and IZ*ONE are just a few examples of K-pop groups that have gained worldwide recognition and fame through survival shows. The popularity of these groups and their commendable  success is a testament to the effectiveness of survival  shows in discovering new talent and preparing them for stardom. 

Besides the groups mentioned above, there are numerous other K-pop groups that have been formed through survival shows. There are two main types of K-pop survival shows: the first type which features contestants from different entertainment companies, such as Girls Planet 999 and Produce X 101,  provides aspiring idols  the opportunity to showcase their skills and compete with others from different companies. The second type of show features contestants who are all under the same company, such as I-Land with trainees from Big Hit Music and Stray Kids where trainees are under JYP Entertainment. These shows focus on training and preparing the contestants to become a cohesive group that is ready to debut.

With outstanding performances and plenty of suspenseful drama, it is clear why fans find these contests so entertaining. While the popularity of K-pop survival shows can be very beneficial to the contestants, the exploitative nature has received its fair share of criticism and has become a controversial topic in the industry.