(Photo courtesy of ENA)

[Hanteo News = Reporter KIM YEONWOO] Artists who once dreamed of becoming K-POP stars and worked tirelessly to prepare for the stage are now stepping into roles where they will discover the next generation of talent. With accomplished performers bringing their extensive stage experience and musical expertise together as mentors, attention is turning to the future K-POP stars who may emerge under their guidance.

ENA's new global music audition program ‘MYSTIC: Sculpting Tomorrow's Stars’ (hereafter ‘MYSTIC’) has unveiled its lineup of hosts and judges. Scheduled to premiere on November 17, the program will follow 21 aspiring stars from Korea and China as they work toward becoming global artists.

The program will be hosted by KARA's NICOLE, former 2NE1 member SANDARA PARK, and Kep1er's XIAOTING. Representing different generations and bringing diverse performance backgrounds, the three will draw on their experience in the global music industry to guide the show.

NICOLE and SANDARA PARK have received widespread love from fans both in Korea and overseas through their activities with KARA and 2NE1. Having experienced K-POP's expansion into the global market firsthand, the two are expected to share valuable insights and lessons from their careers with the contestants. XIAOTING will also connect with the participants through the experience she has gained as a member of a globally active girl group.

The lineup of "Star Makers", who will evaluate the contestants' abilities and support their growth, is equally impressive. Eight artists have joined the panel: Big Mama's LEE YOUNG HYUN, 2AM's JO KWON, PENTAGON's HUI, WINNER's KANG SEUNG YOON, EXID's SOLJI, former GFRIEND member YUJU, singer ZHANG LIYIN, and Chinese singer-songwriter SUNNY LUCAS.

Drawing on their distinctive musical styles and extensive stage experience, the mentors will assess the contestants' potential and help them develop their abilities.

With artists bringing different strengths to the panel, viewers can expect a wide range of mentoring approaches. LEE YOUNG HYUN and SOLJI are known for their exceptional vocal abilities, while JO KWON has demonstrated outstanding expressiveness on stage. KANG SEUNG YOON and HUI, meanwhile, have continuously explored different musical styles throughout their careers.

What makes the lineup particularly meaningful is that these artists once stood in the contestants' shoes, dreaming of becoming stars themselves.

Having gone through years of training, made their debuts, and established their own places in a highly competitive industry, they are now taking on the role of mentors tasked with discovering the potential of younger performers.

As senior artists who have turned their own dreams into reality, their advice and evaluations are expected to carry particular weight.

‘MYSTIC’ will feature 21 contestants from diverse backgrounds, ranging from active girl group members to office workers and former taekwondo athletes. How these individuals, each bringing different life experiences, grow through the evaluations and guidance of established artists will be one of the program's key highlights.

The show brings together 21 contestants pursuing their dreams of becoming K-POP stars and senior artists who have already achieved that goal.

Will ‘MYSTIC’ discover a new generation of K-POP talent capable of making its mark on the global stage?

Anticipation is growing over the synergy that will emerge when the experience of established stars meets the passion of aspiring performers.

Meanwhile, the global music audition program ‘MYSTIC: Sculpting Tomorrow's Stars’ is scheduled to premiere on ENA on November 17 at 11:20 PM KST.

 yeonwoo38@hanteo.com