R U Next? unveils the final lineup and name of HYBE and BELIFT LAB's newest girl group

"R U Next?" is an audition program where contestants compete for the opportunity to debut in a new girl group under BELIFT LAB, the agency that is presently home to ENHYPEN.

R U Next reveals final lineup and girl group name

On September 1, the show aired its grand finale, where 10 trainees - Minju, Moka, Youngseo, Iroha, Jiwoo, Jeemin, Wonhee, Yunah, Jeongeun, and Himena - fiercely competed for coveted spots in the 6-member girl group. During the finale, the six contestants who secured their places in the final debut lineup were unveiled. This lineup was determined through a combination of fan votes and company decisions.

The top two contestants in the global vote rankings automatically secured spots in the debut lineup, while the remaining four members of the group were selected by the agency. The six members who will be making their debut in the upcoming girl group are as follows: Wonhee, who ranked No. 1 in the global vote, Youngseo, who ranked No. 2 in the global vote, and the other four were chosen by the company - Minju, Iroha, Moka, and Yunah.

Additionally, R U Next? also disclosed that the name of the newly formed girl group from the show would be "I’LL-IT," which is a fusion of the English words "I'll (I will)" and "it."

More about BEFIT LAB’s group Enhypen

ENHYPEN is a South Korean boy band formed by Belift Lab, a former joint venture between CJ ENM and Hybe Corporation, through the 2020 survival competition show "I-Land." The group was shaped by the votes of viewers, with seven of the most favored contestants, namely Jungwon, Heesung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-Ki, officially becoming members. Since then, they have consistently captured global attention.

The name ENHYPEN was unveiled during the live broadcast of the final episode of "I-Land." Etymologically, the group derives its name from the hyphen symbol (-), which represents "Connection, Discovery, and growth." Much like how a hyphen connects different words to create new meanings, ENHYPEN aspires "to come together to connect, discover, and grow together to form a new act."

The group marked their debut on November 30, 2020, with the release of their extended play (EP) titled "Border: Day One." Following their debut in November 2020, the seven-member group embarked on a remarkable journey over the past year-and-a-half, achieving a continuous string of successes. They earned the title of 'Rookie of the Year' at various prestigious Asian awards shows and secured the New Artist of the Year accolade at the Gaon Chart Music Awards, all within just two months of their debut.

Their dedicated fanbase is known as ENGENE, a name with significant meaning. Pronounced like "engine," ENGENE carries two important connotations: firstly, signifying that their fans are the driving force i.e. the engines behind ENHYPEN's journey and success, and secondly, highlighting that ENGENEs share the same core DNA and a shared desire for growth and connection with the group.

Recently, their 4th mini album titled "DARK BLOOD" achieved a notable feat by ranking at 144 on the prestigious Billboard 200 chart. Impressively, they not only secured this position but also broke their own previous record for consecutive weeks on the chart by remaining in the top 200 for a total of 6 weeks. Their prior record was held by "MANIFESTO: DAY 1," where they managed to maintain the top spot for a remarkable 2 months.

Additionally, "DARK BLOOD" made strides by ranking 4th on the World Album Chart, showcasing their growing international presence. They further solidified their chart presence by claiming the 9th and 10th positions on the Top Current Album Sales and Top Album Sales charts, respectively. Moreover, they climbed to the 72nd spot on the Artist 100 chart.

ENHYPEN is set to captivate their fans with "The Red String of Fate" in Osaka and Tokyo as part of their new world tour, "ENHYPEN WORLD TOUR FATE IN JAPAN," scheduled from August 25th to October 1st. This fan event, known as 'The Red,' carries the meaningful connotation of 'the red string of destiny,' symbolizing the beautiful and enduring bond shared between ENHYPEN and ENGENEs. During this tour, they will hold four different concerts in Osaka and Tokyo, in addition to providing various special treats and celebrations for their dedicated fans.

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