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On August 29, 2023, Hybe Labels and Geffen Records held a press conference for The Debut: Dream Academy. They unveiled the 20 contestants who will participate in the upcoming audition program, sparking curiosity among fans.
The Debut: Dream Academy marks the inaugural collaboration between US record label Geffen Records and South Korean entertainment powerhouse Hybe Labels. The project is designed as a survival show, through which contestants will be selected to form a new global girl group.
This highly anticipated survival show has piqued the interest of K-pop enthusiasts worldwide, as contestants from diverse countries have been invited to showcase their talents. The show will engage the audience further, allowing them to participate by casting their votes through platforms provided by Hybe Labels.
Everything to know about survival show The Debut: Dream Academy
Release date
The much-awaited survival show The Debut: Dream Academy is slated to premiere on September 1, 2023, at 8 AM US P.D.T. and will run till November 17, 2023. The survival show will be available to stream globally on YouTube and ABEMA in Japan.
Contestants
During the aforementioned conference, Hybe Labels and Geffen Records unveiled the 20 contestants for the upcoming survival show, The Debut: Dream Academy, who will be competing for a spot in the global girl group. At the press conference, the contestants introduced themselves in both English and their native languages.
Selected from a pool of over 120,000 auditionees, the audition program will feature 20 participants hailing from 12 diverse nations, including South Korea, the United States, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovakia, Belarus, Thailand, Australia, and the Philippines.
The 20 contestants who are going to participate in the The Debut: Dream Academy are as follows:
1. Adela
2. Brooklyn
3. Celeste
4. Daniela
5. Emily
6. Ezrela
7. Hinari
8. Iliya
9. Karlee
10. Lara
11. Lexie
12. Manon
13. Marquise
14. Mei
15. Megan
16. Nayoung
17. Samara
18. Sophia
19. Ua
20. Yoonchae
Voting
Over the course of 12 weeks, the project will culminate in the selection of the group's ultimate members and the unveiling of the group's name during the live finale on November 17.
Fans will hold a pivotal role throughout the competition by participating in fan voting on platforms including South Korea social media platform Weverse and TikTok.
The Debut: Dream Academy press conference
The Debut: Dream Academy press conference included HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, Interscope Geffen A&M Records Chairman John Jannick, HxG CEO Mitra Darab, HxG General Creator Son Seongdeuk, HxG Creative Director Humberto Leon, and HxG Chief Creative Production.
In the press conference, Chairman John Janick stated:
"It's really exciting to make the best girl group with excellent partners. More than 100,000 people from all over the world have applied, and 20 talented participants have already gathered today to become global stars. These finalists have been training for more than a year. They trained with the best teachers."
Meanwhile, Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk talked about the core values of the agency which expanded the K-pop phenomenon in the world, and said:
"The core value of HYBE is to find talented people and help them grow into artists, and the Geffen team has also successfully grown artists by trusting and protecting the same core values here in the United States and around the world. Thus, we began our journey together to create a dynamic group by inviting diverse and talented people from various countries around the world by applying the methodology of K-pop, which is now a global phenomenon."
Hybe and Geffen Records' approach to creating their upcoming international girl group will be showcased in a documentary series scheduled to premiere on Netflix in 2024.
