The competition is heating up in The Debut: Dream Academy. On Sunday, November 5, the top 10 finalists were unveiled. The latest eliminations occurred after the third mission, which focused on showcasing the girls’ artistry through various concepts. One group did Demi Lovato’s “Confident,” another tackled The Pussycat Dolls’ “Buttons,” and a third took on the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe.”
Mission 3 Result Announcement: Reveal of the 10 Finalists
In the end, Celeste (Argentina), Nayoung (South Korea), and Ua (Japan), were eliminated. The 10 contestants who advanced to the live finale are Daniela (USA), Emily (USA), Ezrela (Australia), Lara (USA), Manon (Switzerland), Marquise (Thailand), Megan (USA), Samara (Brazil), Sophia (Philippines), and Yoonchae (South Korea).
Sophia from the Philippines secured the No. 1 spot, with Lara from the USA at No. 2. Sophia clinched first place for the second straight time. She was part of the “Buttons” group alongside Celeste, Daniela, Manon, and Nayoung. Meanwhile, Lara, who started off at No. 5 in the first mission, showed consistent improvement and secured second place in the third mission.
The Debut: Dream Academy – Mission 3 Epilogue
‘The Debut’ found tremendous talent
Lara and Sophia earned “tickets” to perform on the live finale, with their results determined entirely by fan votes. The live finale will take place in Los Angeles, California on Nov. 17. HYBE’s YouTube channel, Japan’s OTT platform ABEMA, and fan community platform Weverse will air it.
The Debut: Dream Academy is the agency’s first audition program produced in partnership with a U.S. company. HYBE and Geffen Records (HxG), a joint venture between the K-pop powerhouse and the Universal Music Group (UMG) subsidiary, are hosting the project. They will reveal the name of the group and its final members after the finale.
“I’ve wanted to form an international group based on K-pop methodology for a while,” HYBE Labels Chairman Bang Si-Hyuk said at a press conference for The Debut: Dream Academy. “To do this, I believed we needed a capable partner. When I met Interscope Geffen A&M Records Chairman and CEO John Janick, from the first moment, we instantly felt we had a connection. I’m proud of the rich history we’ve made and the tremendous talent we’ve found. I’m proud of the opportunities we have created within the K-pop universe.” – K-Pop News Writer
Featured Image: ‘The Debut: Dream Academy’ is heating up ahead of the live finale on November 17. Source: YouTube/@HYBELABELS.
