Last week, we wrote about YG Entertainment gearing up for their next survival program called, “MIX & MATCH”. Similar to “WHO IS NEXT: WIN”, the show will follow a total of 9 trainees including members of Team B and 3 other trainees who will participate in the battle program to debut as the agency’s next boy group.
Now, YG Entertainment CEO Yang Hyun Suk has revealed more details about the new group during the press conference for “MIX & MATCH” at Conrad Seoul Hotel in Yeouido. At the press conference, he announced that the new group will be called iKON. Specifically, he said, “Instead of iCON, I replaced the C with K to represent K-Pop… I hope iKON will become a group that represents Korea.”
“WIN: Who is Next” Team B
He also revealed that B.I, Bobby, and Kim Jin Hwan of Team B, who lost the chance to debut on last year’s survival show “WIN: Who is Next”, have already been set as iKON members. As expected, since B.I and Bobby recently worked on the title track for WINNER‘s debut album. Yang Hyun Suk said, “Team B’s leader B.I, Bobby, and Kim Jin Hwan are already fixed members. The system will feature the other 6 who will compete with 2 being eliminated.”
He further revealed that he intends for iKON to debut in 2015.
As for the eliminated competitors, he doesn’t have any plans for them to debut under YG Entertainment.
The “MIX & MATCH” boys at the press conference
The 9 featured in ‘Mix & Match’ include:
- Team B’s B.I
- Team B’s Bobby
- Team B’s Kim Jin Hwan
- Song Yoon Hyung
- Kim Dong Hyuk
- Goo Joon Hee
- New trainee Jung Jin Hyung
- New trainee Jung Chan Woo
- New trainee Yang Hong Seok
“MIX & MATCH” premieres on 11th September KST.