Dean Fujioka and Choi Sooyoung have expressed their high expectations for the global boy group that will be formed through ‘PRODUCE 101 JAPAN 新世界’ (hereafter ‘Produce Japan SHINSEKAI’).
‘PRODUCE 101 JAPAN 新世界’ is the fourth series of ‘PRODUCE 101 JAPAN’, Japan’s largest idol survival audition. The program has previously produced groups such as JO1, INI, and ME:I under CJ ENM’s global label LAPONE Entertainment. The boy group formed this season is expected to target the global market with a simultaneous debut in Korea and Japan.
‘Produce Japan SHINSEKAI’ has been heating up the competition for debut, starting with grade evaluations and moving through group battles and position evaluations. With 35 survivors confirmed during the second ranking announcement on the 14th, Dean Fujioka and Choi Sooyoung, who have been leading the program, spoke about the trainees’ growth and potential.
Dean Fujioka, serving as the ‘National Producer Representative’ in Japan, said, “The trainees’ performance skills and expressiveness have improved, but I felt the biggest change in their eyes.” He added, “Beyond just starting because they liked it, new meanings are piling up, and it seems like each person’s individuality and character are becoming clearer.”
He further noted, “I hope the group born from this program becomes a team that isn’t afraid of change, isn’t bound by past success, and continues to create a new version of themselves. I look forward to them being a team that constantly challenges themselves toward a new world.”
Girls’ Generation member and actress Choi Sooyoung also highly praised the potential of the group as a global act. She said, “The global color itself will be a great strength. Since members with diverse personalities and charms have gathered, I think they will be a team that shows strong energy and teamwork on stage, and natural chemistry and sincerity off stage.”
Meanwhile, the ‘Produce 101 series’, which once enjoyed syndrome-level popularity, had continued every year since its first broadcast in 2016, but effectively came to an end in Korea after ‘Produce X 101’ was embroiled in a manipulation controversy in 2019.
Mnet Plus is the official global platform for ‘Produce Japan SHINSEKAI’, providing live streaming worldwide (excluding Japan) and multilingual services, including Korean.
