The K-Pop scene keeps growing, with more groups emerging and the competition getting fiercer. With so much talent out there, it's tough to pick who'll make the cut for the next big K-Pop act. That's where survival shows come in. Nowadays, these shows even let global fans vote for their favorite members. It's a chance for everyone to shine, and while not everyone debuts right away, it's a fantastic platform to gather fans and catch the eye of talent scouts.

In 2024, there's a lineup of new survival shows hitting the screens. We're excited to see the rising talents and the groups that'll come out of these shows. Below is a list of these upcoming survival shows! We will be updating this list as news about survival shows are out so stay tuned!

Note: This list will include only shows that will begin or is speculated to start airing in 2024.

 

1. "I-LAND 2" (April 2024 ~)

"I-LAND 2," an upcoming reality survival show co-produced by CJ ENM, WAKEONE, and THEBLACKLABEL, is set to air on Mnet in April 2024. The program is a sequel to the 2020 show "I-LAND," which previously introduced the boy group ENHYPEN. This program will follow the creation process of WAKEONE's new girl group, serving as their debut reality show.

 

2. "Build Up: Vocal Boy Group Survival" (January 26th, 2024)

Mnet has announced a new survival program, "Build Up: Vocal Boy Group Survival," where diverse passionate vocalists will gather to make an outstanding vocal boy group. Actress Lee DaHee was said to lead as the sole MC of the program. The project aims for a unique vocal group, focusing on groundbreaking singing techniques and diverse performances. PENTAGON's YeoOne and members from groups WEi, BDC, VANNER, UP10TION, JUST B, KNK, AB6iX, CIX, ONE PACT, NewKidd, and ACE are also reported to participate in the show. "Build Up: Vocal Boy Group Survival" premiered on January 26th, 2024, and is airing every Friday at 10:10 PM KST.

 

3. UTOPIA Label Survival Program (TBA)

UTOPIA Label is gearing up for the debut of their first girl group, slated for Q4 2023 or early 2024 through the Utopia Girl Group Project. It was announced by the agency that they are considering 7 girls for participation, although this information is yet to be confirmed by both the selected participants and the agency. This reality competition survival show is set to air later in 2023.

 

Are you excited for any of these survival shows? Let us know which show you are anticipating the most at the comment section!

Mnet's newest survival program "Build Up: Vocal Boy Group Survival" is currently underway and its contestants has stunned audiences with their mesmerizing performances. The program is unique in that it focuses on the participants' singing capabilities in order to create a 4 member vocal group.

The contestants are a mixture of already debuted idols, musical actors, soloists, and hopeful trainees. While they might come from different backgrounds, one thing is certain: their voices are swoon-worthy and have the power to bring an entire studio to its knees. Now, if you haven't become invested into the survival program yet, that's okay!

Find out who's participating in "Build Up: Vocal Boy Group Survival" down below!

 

V1 - CIX's SeungHun

Birthday: February 26, 1999

Blood Type: AB

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: All-Round

More facts:

- Trained for almost 10 years before making his debut

- Previously a contestant on "YG Treasure Box"

- While a trainee at YG Entertainment, he appeared on "Stray Kids" survival program

 

V2 - ONE PACT's Jay Chang

Birthday: March 8, 2001

Blood Type: O

Nationality: American

Voice Type: Soul

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "Under Nineteen" and "Boys Planet"

- Made soloist debut on Oct. 17, 2023 with mini album "Late Night"

 

V3 - JUST B's Bain

Birthday: May 4, 2001

Blood Type: AB

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Soul

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "Under Nineteen"

- Able to speak Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, and English

 

V4 - UP10TION's SunYoul

Birthday: November 6, 1996

Blood Type: B

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Unique

More facts:

- Previously a contestant  for "Mr. Trot 2" and "King Of The Masked Singer"

- Learned how to play the piano for 7 years

 

V5 - Lim JunHyeok

Birthday: July 17, 1993

Blood Type: O

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Power

More facts:

- Currently teaches singing at an academy

- Previously a contestant on "The Unit"

 

V6 - KNK's Jeong InSeong

Birthday: July 1, 1994

Blood Type: A

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: All-Round

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "MIXNINE"

- Made soloist debut in October 30, 2023 with single album "Trust Yourself"

 

V7 - Kang HaYoon

Birthday: June 4, 2003

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Unique

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "LOUD" and "Kookmin Singer"

- He graduated from SOPA in 2022

 

V8 - Choi HaRam

Birthday: August 8, 2001

Blood Type: O

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Power

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "Phantom Singer 4"

- Made his musical actor debut on October 1, 2022 in "Court Of Humanity"

 

V9 - Newkidd's Lee MinWook

Birthday: November 13, 2000

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Soul

More facts:

- Former member of project group The T-Bird

- Participated in competition program "Oppa's Generation"

- Appeared in HBO Max Brazil series "Além do Guarda-Roupa"

 

V10 - JUST B's GeonU

Birthday: February 2, 2001

Blood Type: B

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: All-Round

More Facts:

- Previously a contestant on "I-LAND"

- Set to appear in Korean BL drama "Love Is Like A Cat"

 

V11 - AB6IX's Jeon Woong

Birthday: October 15, 1997

Blood Type: B

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Unique

More facts:

- While a trainee at YG Entertainment, he appeared on "Stray Kids" survival program

- Acted in INFINITE H's 'As Long As You're Not Crazy'

 

V12 - Wumuti

Birthday: July 7, 1999

Blood Type: B

Nationality: Uyghur-Chinese

Voice Type: Unique

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "The Dance And The Voice", "Road To Star", "Super Idol", "Under Nineteen", and "Boys Planet"

- Former member of Chinese boy group SWIN

 

V13 - VANNER's TaeHwan

Birthday: January 15, 1994

Blood Type: A

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: All-Round

More facts:

- Participated in "Peak Time" with the rest of his group, achieving 1st place

- TaeHwan and the rest of his members previously had part time jobs prior to joining "Peak Time"

 

V14 - Lim SangHyun

Birthday: March 7, 1997

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Soul

More facts:

- Currently signed to MNH Entertainment

- Made his official solo debut in July 2021 with single album "A Rainy Night"

- Made his music show stage debut with 'Honey Milk Tea' in 2022

 

V15 - Park JuHe

JuHe is currently a trainee and not much is known about him

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Soul

More facts:

- Decided to become a singer after watching fellow contestant Hwang InHyeok on "I Can See Your Voice"

- JuHe is the youngest contestant on "Build Up: Vocal Boy Group Survival"

 

V16 - Kim SeongJeong

Birthday: June 15, 1999

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Soul

More facts:

- Made his debut as a musical actor in 2021 with "Hadestown"

- Currently signed to YY Entertainment

 

V17 - Choi SuHwan

Birthday: September 3, 2001

Blood Type: A

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: All-Round

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "Produce X 101"

- Made his debut as a soloist on October 18, 2021 with the single 'New Herd'

 

V18 - Kim SeoHyung

Birthday: February 11, 2001

Blood Type: B

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Unique

More facts:

- Made his musical actor debut in June 2023 in "Swan Age: Shout Out, Joseon!"

 

V19 - Lee GwangSeok

Birthday: April 7, 1998

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Unique

More facts:

- Works as a freelance model

 

V20 - A.C.E's Lee DongHun

Birthday: February 28, 1993

Blood Type: A

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Soul

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "MIXNINE" and made it to the final debut lineup

- Acted in "Persevere, Goo HaeRa", "Age Of Youth Season 2", and "The Zombie Detective"

 

V21 - Hong SungWon

Birthday: January 24, 1999

Blood Type: O

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Unique

More facts:

- Made his acting debut in 2019 through "Excalibur"

- Other musicals he's been a part of include "Midnight", "Oz", "The Fiction", and "Wife"

 

V22 - FAVE1's HyukJin

Birthday: December 20, 1993

Blood Type: B

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Power

More facts:

- Former member of 100%

- Previously a contestant on "The Unit"

- Appeared as a gust on "A Song For You Season 3" and "Shadow Singer"

 

V23 - Yun InHwan

Yun InHwan is a soloist and not much is known about him

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Power

More facts:

- Performs under the stage name Enan

- Currently signed to Purple Pine

- Regularly does busking performances

 

V24 - Ji YeonWoo

Ji YeonWoo is currently an RBW trainee and not much is known about him

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: All-Round

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "Wild Idol"

 

V25 - Ma JaeKyung

Birthday: January 15, 1997

Blood Type: B

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Soul

More facts:

- Previously promoted under the stage name Kyle

- Previously a contestant on "MIXNINE" and "Peak Time" (along with ROMEO members)

 

V26 - Jo HwanJi

Birthday: September 30, 1995

Blood Type: B

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Power

More facts:

- Made his solo debut on January 3, 2023 with the single 'Begin To Snow'

- Debuted as a musical actor in 2017 in "Seopyeonje"

- Appeared on "Phantom Singer 3", "Fantastic Duo Season 2", and "Immortal Songs"

 

V27 - BDC's Hong SeongJun

Birthday: March 14, 1999

Blood Type: A

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: All-Round

More facts:

- Was a contestant on "Produce X 101" and "Peak Time" (along with BDC members)

 

V28 - TaeWoo

Birthday: May 2, 1997

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Unique

More facts:

- Participated on "Sing Again 2" and "Vocal Play: Campus Music Olympiad"

 

V29 - Hwang InHyuk

Hwang InHyuk is a soloist and not much is known about him

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: All-Round

More facts:

- Hwang InHyuk sang the OST 'I Will Remember You' for "Summer Strike"

 

V30 - JUNGSOOMIN

Birthday: July 27, 2004

Blood Type: B

Nationality: Korean-American

Voice Type: Soul

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "LOUD" and "Stars Awakening"

 

V31 - Jang InTae

Birthday: April 15, 1997

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: All-Round

More facts:

- Formerly a member of vocal duo 415

 

V32 - Jeong YunSeo

Jeong YunSeo is a Mystic Story trainee and not much is known about him

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: All-Round

More facts:

- Previously trained with ZEROBASEONE's Ricky, Kim GyuVin, Zhang Hao, Han YuJin, and EVNNE's Yoo SeongEon and Ji YunSeo

 

V33 - Neon

Birthday: July 23, 2000

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Unique

More facts:

- Made his soloist debut on July 31, 2020 with the single album "Neon Summer!"

 

V34 - Park JeUp

Birthday: May 27, 1993

Blood Type: A

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Power

More facts:

- Participated in "The Unit", "Sing Again 3", and "I Can See Your Voice Season 4"

- Previously promoted under the stage name SeoWool

 

V35 - Kwon EuiBin

Birthday: May 28, 1999

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Unique

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "THE IDOL BAND: BOY'S BATTLE", "Oppa's Generation", and "National Singer"

- Was part of the band CLROCK, formed through "THE IDOL BAND: BOY'S BATTLE" and made it to the finals

 

V36 - M.O.N.T's Bitsaeon

Birthday: June 4, 1995

Blood Type: O

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: All-Round

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "MIXNINE" and "Peak Time" (along with fellow member Roda)

 

V37 - WEi's Kang SeokHwa

Birthday: December 1, 2000

Blood Type: B

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Unique

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "YG Treasure Box" and "Produce X 101"

 

V38 - UP10TION HwanHee

Birthday: May 6, 1998

Blood Type: O

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Unique

More facts:

- HwanHee was a contestant on "Boys Planet", however, left due to health reasons

- Also participated in "The King Of The Masked Singer" and "Sing Again 3"

 

V39 - Kim MinSeo

Birthday: January 11, 2003

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: Power

More facts:

- Previously a contestant on "The Origin - A, B, or What?"

- Spent 10 years of his childhood in China

- Able to speak in Korean, Chinese, and English

 

V40 - PENTAGON's YeoOne

Birthday: March 27, 1996

Blood Type: B

Nationality: Korean

Voice Type: All-Round

More facts:

- Held his first solo fan concert on November 25, 2023

- Acted in a variety of different K-Dramas and web series which includes "Queenmaker", "Idol In My Living Room", and "If You Wish Upon Me"

Are you currently watching "Build Up: Vocal Boy Group Survival"? Who are you rooting for?

Are you a fan of BL (Boys Love) drama?

Korean BLs made an impressive entry into the BL world back in 2020 with "Where Your Eyes Linger" and other releases that year. In 2021, plenty of other exciting dramas were released, check the list here. But the genre got more and more popular worldwide in 2022 with a lot of releases (check the list here). And again, 2023 seems to be a great year for BL fans.

We've gathered the Korean BL web dramas that were aired in 2023.

The dramas are not listed according to a specific order.

 

1. "Sing My Crush"

Cast: Jang DoYoon and Son HyunWoo

Summary: Follow the story of acquaintances BaRam and HanTae after an incident occurred during their school years. Now that they are adults, will BaRam be able to suppress the feelings for HanTae that he has harbored for so long?

When: August 2nd

You can watch it on: iQIYI

 

2. "Bon Appetit"

Summary: A romance between an office worker and his neighbor who cooks well.

Cast: Lee KiTaek, Yoo JeongHoon

When: September 27th

You can watch on: iQIYI

 

3. "Love Tractor"

The web drama is an adaption of the webtoon by the same name written by AngryMonster and HmmYongYong. To be produced by the same production of "Semantic Error".

Summary: A romance story where SeonYool, a man of the city who comes to the countryside for a while, meets YeChan, a country guy who loves the countryside so much.

Cast: Han SeungHo, Do Won

When: June 7, 2023

You can watch on: iQIYI

 

4. "A Shoulder to Cry On"

The web drama is an adaption of the webtoon by the same name written by DongMul.

Summary: Due to TaeHyun's joke, DaYeol gets falsely accused of scandalously attacking him. Among the archers, DaYeol's athletic path is in danger. DaYeol asks TaeHyun to explain the truth; however, he discovers that he is getting swayed by him.

Cast: OMEGA X's JaeHan and YeChan

When: March 14th

For more about the web drama, check our cast and summary here.

You can watch on: Viki

 

5. "Starstruck"

A BL based on the web novel "Starstruck" ("스타스트럭") by Ha TaeJin.

Summary: It tells the story of Jo WooJae and Seo HyunJun, who have been close friends since middle school. Seo HyunJun has been hiding his one-sided love for Jo WooJae for years, thinking that Jo WooJae will never love him back. But one day, Seo HyunJun saw his gift under Jo WooJae's feet and confessed to him his feelings from him out of anger.

Cast: SF9's ZuHo, Kim InSeong

When: May 18th

For more about the web drama, check our cast and summary here.

You can watch on: Heavenly TV OTT

 

6. "Unintentional Love Story"

The BL web drama "Unintentional Love Story"  is based on the webtoon “Unintentional Love Story” ("비의도적 연애담" in Korean) written and illustrated by PB.

Cast: B1A4’s GongChan, Cha SeoWon, Won TaeMin, DoWoo

Summary: “Unintentional Love Story” is a romance that tells the story of a relationship that starts with a lie but eventually blossoms into real love.

When: March 17th

For more about the web drama, check our cast and summary here.

You can watch on: TVING

 

7. "Happy Merry Ending"

The BL web drama "Happy Merry Ending" is based on the webtoon "Happy Merry Ending" ("해피메리엔딩" in Korean) produced by BOMTOON Webtoon.

Cast: KNK's Lee DongWon, Byeon SeongTae, Kim KyuJong, Sin MyungSung

Summary: It is a music drama that revolves around the 2 characters SeungJun and JaeHyun, who have known each other through music, and how they became close again through music to heal each others's wounds.

When: April 27th

You can watch on: Viki

 

8. "Individual Circumstances"

Cast: MYNAME's JunQ, Han JeongWan

Summary: The story revolves around Ha YeonWoo, Chungmuro's face genius movie director who was once a promising prospect in his field, and Sung WooJae, a writer who has wounds from his past when he had to disappear for the sake of breaking with his first love

When: January 19th

You can watch on: GAGAOOLALA

 

9. "Why R U"

Cast: Lee JungMin, Lee YeHwan, Park ChangHoon, Lee SangMin

Summary: This is a Korean remake of the Thai BL drama of the same title. The drama starts with the story of Zon who, after his sister made a wish for him to live in a BL world, starts to imagine he fell into a BL world and eventually ends up catching feelings for Saifah. However, most of the drama revolves around Tutor and Fighter, who starts as each other's arch-nemesis but develops a close relationship later.

When: August 24th

You can watch on: TBA

 

10. "Bump Up Business"

Cast: OnlyOneOf

Summary: The story revolves around a 5th year trainee and soon-to-debut idol, Eden and JiHoon, a celebrity from the same agency, and the love story between these 2 people who are not good at expressing what they truly feel.

When: October 20

You can watch it on: iQIYI

 

11. "Jun & Jun"

Cast: Ki HyunWoo, Yang JunMo, Jo ChanHyun, and Park HyeongSeop

Summary: It is an office romance story between an idol who became an intern, Lee Jun, and his office manager, Choi Jun.

When: July 20

You can watch it on: Viki

 

12. "Love Class 2"

Cast: Han HyeonJun, Kim TaeHwan, Lee GwangHee and BAE173's J-Min

Summary: This is the second season of "Love class", a love story between two classmates.

When: August 11th

You can watch it on: Rakuten Viki

 

13. "Wuju Bakery"

Cast: Jeff Satur, Barcode Tinnasit, Dion, and Q

Summary: Wuju Bakery is another Thai-Korean collaboration part of the Hanyang Studio project that is set to be filmed in Korea this summer. After a spaceship crash in a bakery, this one is ruined. The boss of the spaceship encounters the owner of the bakery and a chaotic life begins for the both of them. At the same time, other aliens who hid in different parts of the city are looking for them.

When: December

You can watch it on: TBA

 

14. "All The Liquors"

Cast: Kim JunHyung, Won DoHyun, Jeong HoGyun, and RoShin

Summary: This drama tells the story of two who cannot understand each other unless there is alcohol, and with that, they get to understand each other and help each other heal their pains.

When: March 2, 2023

You can watch it on: GagaOOLala

 

15. "Our Dating Sim"

Cast: Lee SeungGyu and Lee JongHyuk

Summary: This drama follows the story about what happens when two men who have been friends since school days meet again at work. Together, the create a dating simulation game.

When: March 9th

You can watch it on: Viki

 

16. "The Eighth Sense"

Cast: Lim JiSub and Oh JunTaek

Summary: A university romance about the confusion often felt by college youth regarding life and love.

When: March 29

You can watch it on: Viki

 

17. "Love Mate"

Cast: Cho HanGyeol and Cho HyunMin

Summary: A heart-fluttering office romance between Haram, a bold newcomer, and Seo YiJun, a person who doesn't believe in love.

When: May 26

You can watch it on: Viki

 

18. "Weather Forecast Love"

Cast: Shin JeongYou, Woo JiHan

Summary: Follows two people who thought they were meant for one another and knew everything about each other, although they didn't talk much. But just like the weather forecast, their love is unpredictable.

When: November 10

You can watch it on: iQIYI

 

Bonus:

"Boys' Voice" - Web Variety

Cast: Han GiChan, Jeong MinGyu, Newkidd's Lee MinWook, Oh JinSeok

Summary: "Boys' Voice" is a reality program featuring four amateur voice actors and professional, Park YoHan. Together, they will embark on a journey to improve their voice acting skills in preparation for the Bomtoon webtoon, "Art Of Taming A Tiger". Fans will be able to see how the four rookies progress and immerse themselves in the art of voice acting.

When: August 17th

You can watch it on: YouTube

 

Which 2023 BL drama was your favorite?