'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
MBC's most recent idol reality show, Fantasy Boys just concluded, and the latest K-pop group on the block revealed all its members. The show started on March 30, and concluded on June 8, 2023, with the final twelve members being announced in a live finale.
Touted to be a male version of My Teenage Girl, it featured potential trainees from across Japan, China, the United States, Australia, and Thailand. The global auditions prior to the show were conducted privately. Later, public auditions from November 18 to December 31, 2022, led to the selection of more participants. In addition to music releases, the group is intended to have webtoons, games, characters, and even NFTs to promote the same.
All you need to know about the twelve members of the K-pop boy group Fantasy Boys in order of their ranks from the show finale
12) Kaedan
Despite only training for two months, Kaedan from the United States of America managed to become a part of the debut lineup of the MBC show. At fourteen years of age (his date of birth is March 24, 2009), he is among the youngest members of Fantasy Boys.
His position in the final group would be that of the dancer and vocalist. Kaedan had ranked eighteenth in the semi-finals but managed to improve his position to 12th.
11) Hikaru
A Japanese national who was born on September 14, 2003, Hikaru earned his position in the debut group. After being a trainee for four years, he participated in the show and is set to become a member of the vocal team. Hikaru had placed fourth during the semi-finals, slipping to 11th in the finale, narrowly making it to the lineup.
10) Kim Woo-seok
As the younger brother of MAJORS' Suzy, Kim Woo-seok has K-pop in his blood. Born on March 12, 2004, he placed third in the semifinals, maintaining his position in the top ten to become one of the members of Fantasy Boys.
9) K-Soul
Despite the controversy surrounding his position on the show, K-Soul is part of the final lineup of Fantasy Boys. He has previously been part of Chinese survival shows and was part of a C-pop group called Mu Ji Shao Nian. After ranking fifth in the semi-finals, the Chinese idol placed ninth in the finale.
8) Hikari
Not to be confused with fellow Japanese member Hikaru, Hikari who was born on January 21, 2001, also secured a position on the final debut lineup of the K-pop group. He had a trainee period of a year and eight months under KISS Entertainment, where they trained to become a rapper. Hikari was sixth in the penultimate episode.
7) Kang Min-seo
After bringing his rank up from seventh to 11th in the final episode, Kang Min-seo guaranteed his spot as a member of Fantasy Boys. The Korean national had a trainee period of a year before debuting. As of June, he is 21 years old, making him one of the older members of the boy group.
6) Ling Qi
A native of Beijing, China, Ling Qi trained for four years before entering the MBC show. He was previously a member of the pre-debut group, X-TIME under his company Boyi Culture. Apart from this, he was a participant in the Chinese survival show Idol Producer which was led by EXO's Lay. Prior to placing sixth in the last episode, Ling Qi was seventh in the semi-finals.
5) Lee Han-bin
Born on November 20, 2001, Lee Han-bin was a trainee with EZ Entertainment prior to joining the idol survival show led by MBC. A Korean by birth, Han-bin jumped from the eighth to the fifth position for the finale, ensuring his position as a member of Fantasy Boys.
4) Oh Hyeon-tae
ABYSS Company's trainee Oh Hyeon-tae also made it to the final lineup of the group, making a leap from being fourteenth in the semi-finals to fourth in the finale. A Korean national, Hyeon-tae was born on August 13, 2008, making him one of the youngest members of Fantasy Boys.
3) Hong Seong-min
Reportedly a former trainee at SEVENTEEN's agency PLEDIS Entertainment, Hong Seong-min was a frontrunner since the semi-finals, where he had placed second. He trained for four years under PocketDol Studio and will celebrate his nineteenth birthday on September 17, 2023.
2) Kim Gyu-rae
By climbing from fifteenth place in the semi-finals to second place in the final episode, Kim Gyu-rae is one of the youngest members of the group born on February 28, 2009. A JYP Entertainment trainee, Gyu-rae also had a very short training period prior to joining the Fantasy Boys survival show.
1) Yu Jun-won
Maintaining his first position from the semi-finals, Yu Jun-won emerged as an undisputable member of Fantasy Boys. Fans of idol survival shows might have seen Jun-won in &AUDITION - The Howling. Formerly a trainee at BTS' agency, HYBE LABELS, the April 21, 2003 born member was one of the frontrunners of the competition, maintaining the lead by coming first.
The number of foreign nationals who are a part of Fantasy Boys prove that K-pop is truly growing to be a global phenomenon. Despite the controversies surrounding idol survival shows in general, they do generate a lot of hype around the upcoming groups and create fanbases even before debut.
