[INTERVIEW] For HYBE's 'Dream Academy' finalists, stardom is one stage away

Ten contestants remain in “The Debut: Dream Academy”, HYBE's girl group audition show. Finalists say their diverse backgrounds will help them stand out in the K-pop scene..

The final 10 contestants of HYBE's global girl group audition program ″The Debut: Dream Academy″ [HYBE X GEFFEN RECORDS]

The diverse nature of HYBE’s global girl group audition program “The Debut: Dream Academy” is what makes its performers stand out from members of other K-pop girl groups, according to the show's final 10 contestants.

“I think our group is so diverse, and that is one of our strongest points and what makes us so unique,” contestant Marquise Auramornrat from Thailand said during an online group interview with Korean media held Friday.

“[‘Dream Academy’] is something new and something that hasn’t been done, and that’s what I wanted to be a part of,” she added.

The 10 finalists come from five different countries, and only one has Korean nationality.

“The Debut: Dream Academy” is a global audition program produced by HYBE and Geffen Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, that aims to select the members of HYBE's upcoming girl group. 20 participants were selected to compete out of more than 120,000 applicants from around the world. The first episode aired on YouTube, Weverse, and Japanese streaming service Abema on Sept. 1.

Scenes from HYBE's global girl group audition program ″The Debut: Dream Academy″ [HYBE]

Two months, three missions and more than 80 videos later, the 20 contestants have been reduced to 10 final contestants: Daniela Avanzini, Emily Kelavos, Lara Raj and Megan Skiendiel from the United States; Ezrela Abraham from Australia; Sophia Laforteza from the Philippines; Manon Bannerman from Switzerland; and Jeung Yoonchae, the youngest and the sole Korean finalist.

“I don’t think there were difficulties caused by our diverse backgrounds,” Yoonchae said. “On the contrary, because we were all from different countries, we had a lot of fun telling each other our culture, learning different languages and giving out food recommendations.”

“Everybody was so open to learning and understanding [of cultural differences] and even just how people approach things differently,” Sophia said.

“Even though we are from all around the world, we have that special bond and that special connection [that we formed throughout our journey] and that alone makes us so unique,” Emily said.

The 10 final contestants of HYBE's global girl group audition program ″The Debut: Dream Academy″ [HYBE X GEFFEN RECORDS]

The K-pop training system, which contestants had to follow, worked well for the trainees too.

“This specific K-pop training system has worked well on me personally,” Ezrela said. “There was this person that I imagined myself to be at the start of the program, and I always thought I wasn’t her just yet. And as the [program] nears to an end I have finally become that person that I always imagined to be.”

“The essential part of ["Dream Academy"] is bringing K-pop and its training systems and trying to incorporate to the western side, and since we are all from different parts of the world, we can also incorporate our own cultures into it,” Megan said.

One of the unique opportunities that the trainees had in “Dream Academy” was a trip to Korea, which included a meet and greet session with their fans.

“I remember when we first saw [the event] in our schedule, I was jumping and screaming with the girls out of excitement because we were so excited to be able to meet the fans in person […] and perform in front of a large audience for the first time,” Sophia said.

“[Performing in front of an audience] was so overwhelming with love, and when I was performing, I felt like butterflies in my stomach the entire time out of excitement,” Megan said.

“To hold a fan meet and greet for the first time already made me so glad, but to have it in Korea made me even happier,” Yoonchae said. “It was very meaningful to be dancing in front of the people that support us."

Sophia, Megan and Yoonchae all agreed that they very much wanted to go back to Korea in the near future to truly enjoy the country. They hope to visit tourist destinations, eat Korean dishes and even go to a convenience store.

“I would love to take them to all the gourmet restaurants and the cool tourist destinations,” Yoonchae added.

Scenes from HYBE's global girl group audition program ″The Debut: Dream Academy″ [HYBE]

The trainees also had the opportunity to meet Le Sserafim and the founder of HYBE, Bang Si-hyuk.

“To stand [together with Chaewon], who went through everything that we’ve been through, like in survival shows, and to see where she is right now with her members, was so inspiring, as it gave us a lot of hope […] They are the living proof that you can do what you love,” Sophia said.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes. When I first saw them, I thought they were virtual humans; it was an uplifting experience and an inspiration,” Yoonchae said.

Scenes from HYBE's global girl group audition program ″The Debut: Dream Academy″ [HYBE]

The only stage left for the 10 final contestants is the live finale stage, which will air on Nov. 18. But instead of being nervous, the competitors were more than excited to showcase themselves in the final round.

“I am confident that I can show you a really happy performance. I have confidence that everyone here has worked hard,” Ezrela said, adding that the one word that can describe her feelings about the upcoming live stage is "confident."

“It’s pure excitement,” Manon said. “The finale is going to be amazing, and I cannot wait for it.”

To find out more about "The Debut: Dream Academy," visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]