Universe League

Universe League (Korean: 유니버스 리그) is a 2024–2025 South Korean reality competition show created by SBS. The show followed the process of creating a new boy group. It premiered on SBS TV on November 22, 2024, and aired every Friday at 23:20 (KST). In the finale on January 24, 2025, which was broadcast live, the show announced the final nine (instead of eight) members who would debut as AHOF (a backronym for All-time Hall Of Famer) and will be managed by F&F Entertainment.^[2]

The show served as a sequel to Universe Ticket, this time featuring all male contestants.

Production

Conception and development

Universe League was developed as the second season to Universe Ticket, which formed the girl group Unis.^[3][4] The second season was first teased during the Universe Ticket finale on January 17, 2024, with a promotional video revealing the title Universe League.^[5] On January 22, F&F Entertainment, in partnership with Prism Studios,^[6] confirmed their involvement and announced that preparations for the second season were underway, with plans to air the show on SBS later in the year.^[7] Building on the success of its predecessor, the format was restructured to focus on team-based competition, drawing inspiration from professional sports leagues.^[3][4] F&F Entertainment CEO Choi Jae-woo emphasized this shift in focus, stating that the goal was to highlight collaboration within the teams rather than individual popularity.^[8] Additionally, the format incorporated a system of starting and bench players, designed to "encourage participant's competitive drive and motivation to succeed".^[a][3] The ultimate goal for each team is to win the Prism Cup, securing their debut as a professional idol group.^[4]

Casting

Casting for Universe League began on April 22, 2024, with applications open to individuals born before 2011, setting the minimum age requirement at 14 years. There were no restrictions on career, affiliation, or nationality, allowing both trainees and independent artists to participate. In addition to direct applications, the production team encouraged viewers to recommend potential contestants through the show's official social media channels, with submissions accepted until June 30, 2024.^[6] To generate interest in the auditions, the production team released a series of promotional videos in June 2024, featuring Universe Ticket mentors Hyoyeon and Kim Se-jeong,^[9][10] as well as artists like Oneus,^[11] ONF,^[12] STAYC,^[13] Unis's Nana, and WayV's Xiaojun.^[14] These videos were shared on the show's official platforms to broaden the reach of the casting call.

After the application period closed, the final roster of 42 contestants was revealed on October 15.^[15] At the show's press conference on November 19,^[16] producer Lee Hwan-jin explained that the decision to limit the contestant pool to 42 was made to allow for more selective casting, focusing on factors like appearance, talent, and star potential. This smaller roster was intended to ensure each contestant would have sufficient screen time over the show's 10-episode run.^[17]

Meanwhile, as preparations for the main competition continued, SBS began unveiling the lineup of senior K-pop artists who would serve as the show's host and team directors. The competition is divided into three main teams: Team Beat, Team Groove, and Team Rhythm.^[18] On August 8, Jay Park was announced as the host, chosen for his prior hosting experience on the first season of The Seasons.^[19] This was followed by the confirmation of Lee Chang-sub as the team director for Team Groove,^[4] Yugyeom as the team director for Team Beat,^[20] and Ten and Yangyang as co-directors for Team Rhythm.^[21] On October 16, producer El Capitxn was also announced as a co-director for Team Beat, joining Yugyeom.^[22] Additionally, WayV members Kun^[23] and Xiaojun made appearances as guest directors for Team Rhythm,^[24] while rapper Punchnello served as a guest director for Team Beat.^[25]

Competition format and voting

The competition followed a multi-stage structure referred to as PRISM,^[26] an acronym representing the first five stages of the show: Pick, Represent,^[27] Intercept,^[b][28] Seven, and Move. The final stage was titled WAR, short for We Are Ready. Contestants, referred to as players (^[29]), progressed through these stages by competing in both individual and team-based challenges. The competition began with a draft process during the Pick stage, where team directors selected players to form their respective teams. The next three stages—Represent (Round 1),^[30] Intercept (Round 2),^[28][31] and Seven (Round 3)—featured performance-based rounds. Player rankings and eliminations were determined through a combination of live audience scores, global online voting, and decisions made by team directors. Online voting was conducted through the KTOPSTAR and HIGHER aps, as well as the official SBS website.^[26] The final two stages, Move and WAR, served to finalize the lineup of debuting members.^[32][33]

The Pick stage was divided into two parts.^[29][34] In the first part, the 42 contestants were divided into seven groups of six, with each group performing as a unit. After each performance, team directors selected their "first picks" () from the performing group. If multiple directors chose the same player, the player chose which team to join. Directors not selected by the player then moved on to recruit their second picks from the same group. This process continued until all teams filled their initial starting lineup.^[29] In the second part of the Pick stage, referred to as the "bench test" (), the 21 remaining contestants who had not been selected underwent one-on-one assessments by the team directors. Based on these evaluations, directors selected additional players to form their bench units. Contestants not chosen during this phase were eliminated from the competition.^[34][35] This completed the team formation process and initiated the performance-based stages of the show.

In Represent (Round 1),^[27] both the starting lineup and bench unit of each team performed songs released by their respective team directors in front of a live audience. Matches were held between starting lineups and between bench units.^[30][36] Audience members scored individual contestants after each performance.^[30] The highest-scoring contestant from each team was named MVP, and individual scores were totaled to determine the team's score. The combined scores of each team's starting lineup and bench unit determined the overall team rankings for the round.^[30][37] Intercept (Round 2)^[28][31] introduced original songs produced by each team director for their respective starting lineups. Each starting lineup competed in a head-to-head match against a bench unit from another team that selected the same song. The winning unit earned the right to officially record and release their version of the song on streaming platforms.^[31] Team rankings for this round were based on a both audience scores and online votes^[38] collected during the first global voting period, held from November 11 to November 17.^[39] In Seven (Round 3), each team presented two performances, with the team directors selecting seven-member units for each.^[38] Contestants not selected for either performance received a score of zero from the audience for that round.^[40] Rankings were again determined by a combination of audience scores and online votes,^[41] with the second global voting period held from November 22 to December 21.^[30]

After each performance round, cumulative individual scores—either based on audience scores alone or in combination with online voting—determined each player's placement within their team. This resulted in internal team reshuffling, in which contestants could be moved between the starting lineup and the bench unit.^[37][38][41] Following the reshuffling, yellow cards were issued to lower-ranking teams.^[34] The second-place team received three yellow cards, assigned to its three lowest-ranked members, while the third-place team received six yellow cards.^[37] Any contestant who accumulated two yellow cards was eliminated immediately.^[38] After eliminations, team trades were conducted. The team director of the first-place team was allowed to trade two players from their team with players from the second- and third-place teams. The team director of the second-place team was permitted to trade one player with the third-place team.^[37][38][41]

In the Move stage, only seven players from each team advanced to the final stage, totaling 21 finalists.^[32] Selection was based on a combination of online votes from the third global voting period,^[42] held from December 21, 2024, to January 11, 2025, and team directors' selections. The number of players each team could retain was determined by its overall ranking after Rounds 1 to 3. The first-ranking team retained five members, based on the five highest-voted players; the second-ranking team retained three; and the third-ranking team retained one. Team directors then filled the remaining roster spots in order of team ranking. Contestants not selected at this stage were eliminated.^[32] This led into the final stage, titled WAR or We Are Ready, where each team performed twice. The winning team was determined through final global voting, conducted from January 18 to January 24. Along with the winning team, the top-ranked contestant from each of the two non-winning teams also joined the debut lineup, resulting in a nine-member group. The name of the debut was announced as AHOF, an acronym for All-time Hall Of Famer.^[33]

Contestants

A total of 42 contestants participated in the show, including agency trainees, former and current idols, and independent artists from South Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, Australia, and the Philippines.^[15] Referred to as "players,"^[29] their English names are listed below as presented on the official website.^[43]

Color Key:

Overall ranking

Ranking summary

The rankings were based on various methods. Round 1 was based solely on on-site votes, Round 3 was a combination of both online and on-site votes, while Round 2, the pre-finale ranking, and the final round were all based solely on online public votes.

Color Key:

Round 1

Player rankings are based on votes from a live audience of 300 during the Round 1 performances. Three players from the 2nd place team and six from the 3rd place team receive Yellow Cards. A second Yellow Card in any mission results in elimination, regardless of ranking.

Key:

Round 2

Player rankings are based on votes from the first voting period (Nov 11–17, 2024) before the show aired. As before, three players from the 2nd place team and six from the 3rd receive Yellow Cards. A second Yellow Card in this mission results in immediate elimination, regardless of ranking.

Key:

Round 3

Player rankings are based on votes from the second voting period (Nov 22–Dec 21, 2024) and on-site votes from Round 3 performances. As before, three players from the 2nd place team and six from the 3rd receive Yellow Cards. A second Yellow Card in this mission results in immediate elimination, regardless of ranking.

Key:

Final round

The team with the highest combined score from the final voting period (Jan 18–24, 2025) and the final live voting period (during the episode airing) will claim the prestigious Prism Cup for their team, securing debut for all seven members. On top of the selected team, an additional two members would be added to the debut lineup. The player with the most votes from each of the other teams would also join the debut group. The team would become a nine-member group, aptly named AHOF (All-time Hall of Famer).^[h]

Color Key:

Discography

The theme song "We Ready" was recorded and performed by the contestants. It was released on November 1, 2024, on digital music platforms.

Singles

Reception

Viewership ratings

According to Nielsen Korea, Universe League recorded an average nationwide audience share of 0.5% during its run from November 2024 to January 2025. The program's highest-rated episode reached 0.7%, while the lowest fell to 0.2%. The final episode, which aired in January 24, recorded a rating of 0.5%.^[44] The program drew limited domestic viewership during its run.^[45][46]

Business impact

The program was produced by F&F Entertainment in partnership with Prism Studios and SBS,^[6] as part of the company's strategy to expand into the K-pop industry. According to a company representative, the combined production cost of Universe League and Universe Ticket was approximately ₩20 billion. They stated that high initial costs were expected due to the company's early stage of development, and that profitability would likely follow if the groups gained sufficient popularity. The company projected a shift to a profitable model within a typical three-year investment timeline.^[45]

A market analyst expressed concern about F&F Entertainment's ability to manage the financial demands of idol group production, citing the volatility of the entertainment industry and the dominance of established agencies such as HYBE, SM, YG, and JYP. In this context, the relatively low ratings of University League have raised questions about the company's growth strategy.^[45] However, others in the industry noted that survival program ratings do not necessarily determine the long-term success of the groups they produce. Industry comparisons have been drawn to Zerobaseone and Enhypen, both of which debuted through low-rated programs and later achieved notable commercial success, especially overseas.^[46]

Post-Competition

The final group, AHOF (All-time Hall of Famer) is managed by F&F Entertainment and will promote for at least four years, with discussions permitting an extension to seven years. The group debuted on July 1, 2025, with the extended play (EP) Who We Are.^[47]

• Some contestants returned to their original groups:
  • Kim Joohyoung (11th) returned to NINE.i.
    • He left the group on March 11, 2025.^[48]
  • Royce (38th) returned to Youtove.
• Some contestants left their companies or joined new ones:
  • Jang Kyungho (10th), Koo Hanseo (15th), and Keum Jinho, who left Eighty6, (19th) all joined PI Corporation.
  • Kim Joohyoung (11th) joined ODDWAVE.
  • Kairi (14th) joined independent label ALRIGHT.
  • Kim Gijoong (16th) left PocketDol Studio and joined KH Company.
  • Zen Zen (21st) and Ayumu (25th) both left Bill Entertainment.
    • Zen Zen, alongside Sirin (17th) both joined Nouer Entertainment.
  • Bae Jaeho (28th) left Woollim Entertainment.
  • James (30th) joined Xebis Entertainment.^[49]
  • Yeo Gangdong (33rd) joined Japanese agency imaginate.
  • Kim Hyo-tae (35th) joined FC Entertainment.
  • Jiang Fan (39th) joined WindLink Entertainment.
• Some contestants will debut or debuted in new boy groups or released music as solo artists:
  • Kim Joohyoung (11th) debuted as a member of ODDWAVE's new boy group, Daily:Direction with their first single album First:Delivery with the title track 'ROOMBADOOMBA' on February 23, 2026.^[50]
  • Kairi (14th) was confirmed to be a member of independent label ALRIGHT's new Japanese boy group, TAGRIGHT on December 28, 2025.^[51] They released their first pre-debut digital single FOREVER BLUE on January 7, 2026, and are set to release their debut single on July 15, 2026.
  • Yuito (18th), with other members under SME Japan, debuted as a member of Japanese boy group trio, Bestted with their first single CLIPPING!!! on November 19, 2025.^[52]
  • Anyul (29th), who already debuted as a child soloist prior to the airing of the show, released his first digital single Heart On Fire on April 2, 2025.^[53]
  • James (30th), under the stage name Jamier, debuted as a member of Xebis Entertainment's new Thai co-ed group, Alters with the digital single Giggle Wiggle on December 12, 2025.^[54]
  • Yeo Gangdong (33rd), under the stage name Kandon, is a member of imaginate's new Japanese boy group, FUNxFUN.
  • Kim Hyotae (35th) was confirmed to be a member of FC Entertainment's predebut boy group, ADAP on November 5, 2025. They are slated to debut in 2026.
  • Jiang Fan (39th) debuted as a member of WindLink Entertainment's new Chinese boy group, WINDMAX with their first digital single Best.1 on March 8, 2026, following the pre-release 'Feel The Wind'.^[55]
• Some contestants participated in other survival shows:
  • Eito (23rd),^[56] and Hiroto (34th)^[57] both participated in Lemino's Japanese survival show Produce 101 Japan Shinsekai. They were both eliminated in the fifth episode, after ranking 57th and 76th respecively.
  • Xie Yuxin (24th),^[58] He Junjin (32nd),^[59] and Jiang Fan (39th)^[60] were contestants on Mnet's Korean survival show Boys II Planet. Xie Yuxin and He Junjin were both eliminated in the second episode after ranking 108th and 87th respectively, and Jiang Fan was eliminated in the fifth episode after ranking 63rd.
  • Li Zhiwei (36th) was a contestant on SBS's Korean survival show B:My Boys.^[61] He was eliminated in the tenth episode, after ranking 19th.

Notes

1. ^ Original text:여기 주전과 벤치라는 시스템까지 활용해 모두의 승부욕과 경쟁을 동시에 부추기게 되었습니다.^[3]
2. ^ In episode 3, "Intercept" was translated in Korean as , which roughly translates to "to seize" or "to take away". In news articles, it stage is referred to as ,^[28] which roughly translates to "Intercept Selection" or "Intercept Nomination Ceremony".
3. ^ Indicates contestants who had never placed in the Top 9 in any prior elimination rounds or ranking announcements.
4. ^ Although Steven, Zhang Shuaibo, Park Ju-won, Seo Jeong-woo, Chih En, and Daisuke ranked 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 10th, and 14th, respectively, in public votes, they were placed second through seventh as members of Team Rhythm, the winning team.
5. ^ Although Cha Woong-ki and Park Han ranked 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in public votes, they belonged to losing teams (Team Beat and Team Groove). They then joined the debut lineup because they received the highest number of votes within their respective teams.
6. ^ Li Zhinuo was eliminated during the pre-finale ranking despite ranking ninth as the public voting result only gave five slots at maximum and Team Rhythm, despite being given the maximum slots, had maxed out their slots due to the number of contestants in the team at a higher rank. The remaining slots were selected by the directors, who were unaware of the rankings during the time of selection.
7. ^ Maximum of 400 votes per performance
8. ^ At the finale, Team Rhythm finished first, making them the winning team, and all seven members automatically became part of the debut group. Team Groove and Team Beat placed second and third, respectively. Ranks 1st through 7th were assigned to the seven Rhythm members, while ranks 8th and 9th were reserved for the highest-voted members of the second- and third-placing teams, respectively. Ranks 10th through 15th were occupied by the remaining six members of Team Groove, and ranks 16th through 21st were occupied by the remaining six members of Team Beat.

References

1. ^ "Episode.01" (in Korean). No. 1. Universe League. Episode 1. November 29, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
2. ^ Ahn, Byung-gil (January 25, 2025). "ko:'아홉' 9인조 글로벌 보이그룹 떴다 (유니버서 리그)" ['AHOF' 9-member global boy group is out (Universe League)] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Archived January 24, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
3. ^ Park, So-jin (November 21, 2025). "ko:D-1 '유니버스 리그', 글로벌 K팝 스타 탄생 예고" [D-1 Universe League, Heralding the Birth of a Global K-Pop Star] (in Korean). Archived May 16, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
4. ^ Kim, Ji-hye (August 15, 2024). "ko:'유니버스 리그', 첫 번째 감독 이창섭 발탁..11월 중 첫방" [Universe League, Lee Chang-sub selected as first director..First broadcast in November] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived August 17, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 17, 2024. – via Naver
5. ^ Lee, Seul-gi (January 18, 2024). "ko:8인 걸그룹 데뷔 확정, 유니버스 티켓 시즌2 '유니버스 리그' 바로 온다[결정적장면]" [8-member girl group debut confirmed, Universe Ticket Season 2 'Universe League' coming right away[Crucial Scene]] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived May 18, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 18, 2024. – via Naver
6. ^ Kang, Na-yul (April 15, 2024). "ko:'유니버스 티켓' 시즌 2 주인공은 소년들..'유니버스 리그' 모집 시작" ['Universe Ticket' Season 2 main characters are boys.. Universe League recruitment begins] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived May 18, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 18, 2024. – via Naver News
7. ^ Kang, Seo-jung (January 22, 2024). "ko:'유니버스 티켓' 시즌2 예고..男 아이돌 그룹 '유니버스 리그' 연말 방송" ['Universe Ticket' Season 2 preview..Male idol group 'Universe League' broadcast at the end of the year] (in Korean). OSEN. Archived May 18, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 18, 2024. – via Naver
8. ^ "ko:[담담한 만남] 최재우 F&F엔터 대표, 남들이 안 가는 새로운 길 열다" (in Korean). Sports World. Archived August 6, 2024 at the Wayback Machine.
9. ^ ko:SBS 글로벌 보이그룹 오디션 [유니버스 리그] 지금 바로 지원하세요! with 효연 (in Korean). Seoul Broadcasting System. June 19, 2024. Archived May 22, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 17, 2025. – via YouTube.
10. ^ ko:SBS 글로벌 보이그룹 오디션 [유니버스 리그] 지금 바로 지원하세요! with 김세정 (in Korean). Seoul Broadcasting System. June 19, 2024. Archived June 21, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 17, 2025. – via YouTube.
11. ^ ko:SBS 글로벌 보이그룹 오디션 [유니버스 리그] 지금 바로 지원하세요! with 원어스(ONEUS) (in Korean). Seoul Broadcasting System. June 14, 2024. Archived May 22, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 17, 2025. – via YouTube.
12. ^ ko:SBS 글로벌 보이그룹 오디션 [유니버스 리그] 지금 바로 지원하세요! with 온앤오프(ONF) (in Korean). Seoul Broadcasting System. June 19, 2024. Archived May 22, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 17, 2025. – via YouTube.
13. ^ ko:SBS 글로벌 보이그룹 오디션 [유니버스 리그] 지금 바로 지원하세요! with STAYC (in Korean). Seoul Broadcasting System. June 14, 2024. Archived May 22, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 17, 2025. – via YouTube.
14. ^ ko:SBS 글로벌 보이그룹 오디션 [유니버스 리그] 지금 바로 지원하세요! with 샤오쥔(WayV)&나나(UNIS) (in Korean). Seoul Broadcasting System. June 19, 2024. Archived May 22, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 17, 2025. – via YouTube.
15. ^ Lee, Seung-hun (October 16, 2024). "ko:'유니버스 리그' 소년 42人 프로필 공개..전·현직 아이돌→배우 총출동" ['Universe League' 42 Boys Profiles Revealed..Former and Current Idols→Actors All Out] (in Korean). Star News. Archived October 31, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 16, 2024. – via Naver
16. ^ ko:[Feel it! K-POP] 42명 소년들의 드림 매치 SBS '유니버스 리그(UNIVERSE LEAGUE)' 제작발표회 Full Ver. (SUB) [[Feel it! K-POP] 42 Boys' Dream Match Full Version of the SBS 'Universe League' Production Press Conference (SUB)] (in Korean). SBS HANBAM. November 19, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2025. – via YouTube.
17. ^ Lee, Hae-jeong (November 19, 2024). "ko:'유니버스 리그' 이환진 PD "스포츠 결합한 오디션, 철저한 검증 거쳐"" [Universe League PD Lee Hwan-jin: "An audition combined with sports, thoroughly vetted"] (in Korean). Newsen. Newsen Media. Archived May 18, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
18. ^ Yoo, Su-kyeong (November 20, 2024). "ko:"나도 풋풋했는데"... MC 박재범이 본 '유니버스 리그'" (in Korean). Hankook Ilbo. Archived May 16, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
19. ^ Park, Ah-reum (August 8, 2024). "ko:박재범 '유니버스 리그' 단독 MC 됐다 "11월 첫 방송"[공식]" [Jay Park Becomes Solo MC for Universe League "First Broadcast in November" [Official]] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived August 8, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 8, 2024. – via Naver
20. ^ Kim, Myeong-mi (August 20, 2024). "ko:갓세븐 유겸 '유니버스 리그' 합류...글로벌 보이그룹 탄생 돕는다[공식]" [GOT7's Yugyeom joins 'Universe League'... Helping to create a global boy group [Official]]. Newsen. Archived August 20, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 20, 2024. – via Naver
21. ^ Lee, Changgyu (August 22, 2024). "ko:WayV 텐·양양, '유니버스 리그' 팀 리듬 감독 합류...초호화 프로듀서진 완성" (in Korean). Xports News. Archived August 22, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 22, 2024. – via Naver
22. ^ Ahn, Byung-gil (October 17, 2024). "ko:엘 캐피탄 '유니버스 리그' 뜬다...유겸과 팀 비트 감독 변신" [El Capitxn joins Universe League... Teams up with Yugyeom as Team Beat director] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Archived October 31, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 18, 2024. – via Naver
23. ^ Ten (team director) (November 22, 2024). "Episode. 01" (in Korean). No. 1. Universe League. Episode 1. Seoul Broadcasting System
24. ^ Saenz, Rome (2025-01-27). "JL Gaspar of PLUUS joins global K-pop group AHOF". Billboard Philippines. Archived 2025-02-07 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
25. ^ Park, So-jin (January 16, 2025). "ko:'유니버스 리그' 펀치넬로 뜬다⋯팀 비트 선수들에 날카로운 조언" (in Korean). Maeil Business Newspaper. Archived May 16, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
26. ^ Kim, Seon-woo (January 21, 2025). "ko:최종회 앞둔 '유니버스 리그', 뜨거운 화제성" [Universe League draws intense buzz ahead of final episode] (in Korean). JTBC. Archived May 21, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 22, 2025. – via Naver News
27. ^ Jeong, Han-byeol (November 30, 2024). "ko:'유니버스 리그' 이창섭 "팀 그루브에 13년 노하우 전수할 것"" [Universe League Lee Chang-sub: "I will pass on 13 years of experience to Team Groove] (in Korean). Hankook Ilbo. Archived May 18, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
28. ^ "ko:유명 男아이돌, SBS 촬영 도중 심각한 불화 "너무 황당해...나였음 피했을 것" ('유니버스리그')" (in Korean). Ten Asia. December 13, 2024. Archived May 21, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
29. ^ Lee, Ho-young (November 22, 2024). "ko:"하이브 vs SM 싸움났다"...박 터지는 '유니버스 리그'" ["Hybe vs SM Clash"... Intense battles on Universe League] (in Korean). MBC News. Archived November 22, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
30. ^ Son, Jin-ah (November 30, 2024). "ko:"MVP는 박주원·차웅기·서정우"...'유니버스 리그' 팀 리듬, 1R 전반전 勝[종합]" [MVPs are Park Ju-won, Cha Woong-ki, and Seo Jeong-woo... Universe League Team Rhythm wins 1R first half [Summary]] (in Korean). MK Sports. Archived May 20, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
31. ^ Kim, Ji-won (December 14, 2024). "ko:[종합] 유명 男 아이돌 불화설 터졌다..."만나고 싶지 않아, 고등학생인 줄 아는 듯"('유니버스 리그')" [[Summary] Rumors of conflict emerge between popular male idols... "I don't want to see him, he acts like a high schooler" (Universe League)] (in Korean). Ten Asia. Archived May 21, 2025 at the Wayback Machine.
32. ^ Hwang, Hye-jin (January 19, 2025). "ko:'유니버스 리그' 제이엘, 나홀로 100만표 주인공? 전체 1위 등극" [Universe League JL receives 1 million votes alone? Rises to overall 1st place] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived May 21, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
33. ^ Lee, Ho-yeong (January 25, 2025). "ko:차웅기부터 제이엘까지 9인, '유니버스리그' 아홉(AHOF)으로 도약 [종합]" [From Cha Woong-ki to JL, 9 members advance as University League debut group AHOF [Summary]] (in Korean). Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation. Archived May 21, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 21, 2025. – via Naver News
34. ^ Park, So-jin (November 30, 2024). "ko:'유니버스 리그', 치열한 리그전 1라운드...차웅기vs박지훈 갈등 터졌다" [Universe League – Intense Round 1 of the League Tournament... Conflict Erupts Between Cha Woong-gi and Park Ji-hoon] (in Korean). Maeil Business Newspaper. Archived May 18, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
35. ^ "ko:'첫방' 유니버스 리그, 글로벌 보이그룹 향한 여정 시작" [Universe League premieres, begins journey toward forming a global boy group] (in Korean). MK Billiard. November 23, 2024. Archived May 18, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
36. ^ Kim, Chae-yeon (December 5, 2024). "ko:'유니버스 리그' 권희준, 공식 울보됐다.."정말 힘들어"" [Universe League Kwon Hee-jun becomes the official crybaby.. "It's really tough"] (in Korean). OSEN. Archived May 20, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
37. ^ Park, So-young (December 7, 2024). "ko:중국 멤버가 중국 했다?.."이럴 거면 中 보내주든가" 파트 불만(유니버스 리그)[종합]" (in Korean). OSEN. Archived December 10, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
38. ^ Lee, Min-ji (December 21, 2024). "ko:장경호, TO1 한솥밥 차웅기 향한 속내 "피하는 느낌" (유니버스 리그)" [Jang Kyung-ho reveals feelings toward TO1's Cha Woong-ki: "Feels like he's avoiding me" (Universe League)] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived May 21, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
39. ^ Kang, Yeon-woo (November 11, 2024). "ko:'유니버스 리그', 본격 데뷔 전쟁 시작...1차 글로벌 팬 투표 오픈" [Universe League kicks off full-scale debut battle... First global fan voting opens] (in Korean). Maeil Ilbo. Archived May 21, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
40. ^ Geum, Bit-na (January 11, 2025). "ko:차웅기, 부상 투혼...화상 입고 응급실行→무대 완벽 소화 ('유니버스 리그')" [Cha Woong-ki pushes through injury... Suffers burns, Visits ER → Delivers flawless performance (Universe League)] (in Korean). MK Sports. Archived May 21, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
41. ^ Hwang, So-young (January 17, 2025). "ko:서정우·박한·제이엘 '유니버스리그' 트레이드 결과에 눈물" [Seo Jeong-woo, Park Han, and JL in tears over Universe League trade results] (in Korean). JTBC. Archived May 21, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
42. ^ Son, Bong-seok (January 22, 2025). "ko:193개국→1489만표 '유니버스 리그', 온라인 화제성 甲" [From 193 countries → 14.89 million votes: Universe League tops online buzz] (in Korean). Sports Kyeong-hyang. Archived May 21, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 21, 2025. – via Naver News
43. ^ "ko:프로필" [Profile]. SBS. Archived January 30, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
44. ^ "ko:유니버스 리그 시청률" [Universe League ratings] (in Korean). Nielsen Korea. Archived May 15, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 25, 2025. – via Daum
45. ^ Shin, Hyeon-su (April 20, 2025). "ko:F&F, 미래의 밥으로 점찍은 K엔터 사실상 '실패'" (in Korean). Deal Site Kyeongchae TV. Archived April 20, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
46. ^ Kim, Ji-won (April 2, 2025). "ko:서바이벌 출신 보이그룹 줄데뷔...제2의 제로베이스원 나올까 [TEN피플]" [Boy groups from survival shows debut in succession... Will a second ZEROBASE emerge? [Ten People]] (in Korean). Ten Asia. Archived May 23, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 23, 2025. – via Naver News
47. ^ Kim, Ji-won. "ko:'7월 1일 데뷔' 아홉(AHOF), 예열 돌입" [AHOF, set to debut on July 1, begins warm-up promotions] (in Korean). Ten Asia. Archived June 17, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 17, 2025. – via Naver News
48. ^ "j00oo0o_, nine.i_official". Instagram. March 11, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
49. ^ xebis_ent (July 1, 2025). "JAMES]". Instagram. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
50. ^ hjang, AKP staff (January 24, 2026). "DAILY:DIRECTION". allkpop. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
51. ^ kai_02tym, tagright_official (December 28, 2025). "TAGRIGHT, #今井魁里". Instagram. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
52. ^ bestted_official (November 4, 2025). "[💿], "Bestted"として初の, Digital Releaseが決定🔥, 『𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆!!!』, 🗓2025.11.19 WED". Instagram. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
53. ^ "an_yul_2, no1enm.official". Instagram. March 26, 2025. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
54. ^ xebis_ent (December 12, 2025). "Alters]". Youtube. Archived January 6, 2026 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
55. ^ windmax_official (February 10, 2026). "WindMax姜将帆". Instagram. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
56. ^ produce101japan_official (January 31, 2026). "𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗘𝗞𝗔𝗜 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙𝗜𝗟𝗘 🌎 ⡱ ＿＿＿＿＿＿ 金田 栄都 KANEDA EITO / K . EITO". Instagram. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
57. ^ produce101japan_official (January 31, 2026). "𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗘𝗞𝗔𝗜 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙𝗜𝗟𝗘 🌎 ⡱ ＿＿＿＿＿＿ 瑞慶覧 太都 ZUKERAN HIROTO / HIROTO". Instagram. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
58. ^ boys2planet_c_official (June 12, 2025). "시에위신 XIE YU XIN I C그룹". Instagram. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
59. ^ boys2planet_c_official (June 12, 2025). "허준진 HE JUN JIN I C그룹". Instagram. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
60. ^ boys2planet_c_official (June 12, 2025). "지앙판 JIANG FAN I C그룹". Instagram. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
61. ^ bemyboyz_official (May 3, 2025). "Who is your boy? <B:MY BOYZ> B:GINNER #LIZHIWEI". Instagram. Retrieved May 3, 2025.

External links

• (in Korean)