'The result was a reward': Finalists of 'Girls on Fire' prepare to debut as a girl group

The top five finalists from JTBC’s 'Girls on Fire' are ready to take the K-pop industry by storm with their powerful voices and unique talents. They aim to become a refreshing force in the entertainment scene.

The winners of JTBC survival show ″Girls on Fire″ pose for a photo. From left: Lee Na-young, Lee Soo-young, Yang I-rae, Hwang Se-young and Kang Yun-jeong [JTBC]

The top five finalists from JTBC’s audition show “Girls on Fire,” are set to take the K-pop industry by storm with their powerful voices and unique talents.

“Girls on Fire,” a survival competition show that premiered on April 16, sought to select the most talented of 50 initial contestants to form a K-pop girl group. Now, following the grand finale that aired Tuesday, finalists Lee Na-young, Hwang Se-young, Lee Soo-young, Kang Yun-jeong, and Yang I-rae are ready for their debut — and they aim to become “extraordinary.”

The show, hosted by comedian Jang Do-yeon featured judges including DAY6’s Young K, Apink’s Jung Eun-ji, singer and producer Yoon Jong-shin, dancer Kinky, Dynamic Duo’s Gaeko and singer-songwriter Sunwoo Jung-a.

Less than 24 hours after their victory, the five “girls on fire” met reporters in Mapo District, western Seoul, to discuss their experiences on the show and plans for the future.

Screen captures show the top 5 finalists of JTBC's ″Girls On Fire″ [JTBC]

A meaningful journey The finalists view their top-five finish as a significant achievement.

“The result was a reward for all the challenges I've had up until now,” said Lee Na-young, who took first place. “Girls on Fire” was her fourth audition.

“I have been doing music for about 10 years now, and I really didn’t have anything that I could call success,” said Hwang, the runner-up. “I always felt bad about it. But now, after getting a good result from ‘Girls on Fire,’ I've gained a lot of confidence.”

Hwang is signed to rrr Entertainment, led by former Wonder Girls member Yubin. The founder called Hwang after the finale and called her “the best.”

Lee Na-young, the first-place winner of JTBC's "Girls on Fire" [JTBC]

The show forced many of the finalists to step out of their comfort zones into unfamiliar genres, leading them to discover new aspects of their artistry.

“I was worried and scared to go on a new challenge,” said Kang, who finished fourth and studied in opera — a far cry from the pop vocals the show required. “But as I went up step by step, I learned a lot and realized that my range had expanded so much.”

Rapper Gaeko, in one episode of the program, called Hwang a sagikae — a combination of the words sagi, or fraud, and character — which is used to describe people who are especially good at something. That compliment, Hwang said, made her realize her potential as an artist.

Hwang Se-young, the runner-up of JTBC's "Girls on Fire" [JTBC]

Expected or not expected? Entering the top 5 is no easy task and a dream for some — but not for Lee Na-young, who has experienced numerous auditions before.

“I just went into it with the mindset that I should enter the top 5, considering what I've done so far,” Lee Na-young said.

Yang, however, never expected to become a finalist after seeing the other contestants' abilities.

Yang I-rae, the fifth-place winner of JTBC's "Girls on Fire" [JTBC]

“I got frightened, seeing all the skilled talents,” Yang said. “I questioned myself on why I came here, thinking that I’d soon be sent home.”

Though the team was formed in less than a day, the members are already brainstorming names that will capture each member’s uniqueness. One of them is “Soul Stone,” referring to the Infinity Stone of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That's just an idea, the members emphasized, not an official moniker.

Standing up again after facing so many obstacles takes a lot of courage. Lee Na-young credits her grandparents as “the biggest reason” that she didn't quit and stayed strong during difficult times.

Stills from the grand finale of JTBC's ″Girls On Fire,″ which aired Tuesday [JTBC]

The winners also each had their own plans for how they would use their 200 million won ($143,900) of prize money.

Lee Soo-young, who placed third, plans to buy her mother a new phone. Kang, having discussed the matter with her family, plans to donate her winnings.

Lee Soo-young, who came in third place in JTBC's "Girls on Fire" [JTBC]

The members all want to take some time to rest after the tense competition.

“I need to do some shopping,” Yang said, who came from France to Korea for the audition. Most of the singer's clothes are still in her home country, the singer said — she didn't expect to stay this long.

Building a team The team will kick off a national tour concert starting next month while preparing for its official debut. The members all agreed that building strong teamwork is essential, and they will prioritize taking time to get to know each other better, including sharing their playlists.

Kang Yun-jeong, who came in fourth place in JTBC's "Girls on Fire" [JTBC]

Though the group was formed less than a day ago, its members already have big plans for the future: They hope to play Coachella, one of the United States' biggest music festivals.

Though it's not yet clear what qualities will differentiate their music, the members also hope to bring a refreshing vibe to the entertainment scene with a genre they've dubbed “New K-pop.”

“I hope that our team, as the first generation for ‘New K-pop,’ will become a group that can give out hope and dreams to our listeners,” Yang said.

Kang, for her part, just hopes people will come and listen. “Once you see our group,” she said, “you'll never get out of us.”

The top 5 winners of JTBC's ″Girls on Fire″ pose for a photo. From left: Yang I-rae, Lee Na-young, Lee Soo-young, Hwang Se-young and Kang Yun-jeong [JTBC]

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]