A rising star created by stars, ENA's growth-focused music project "The Scout," which captures their development, sets sail with vigor.
On the 28th, at the Cube Convention Center in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, ENA's new entertainment program "The Scout" held a production press conference. Attending were singers Lee Seung-Chul, Kim Jaejoong, Red Velvet's Wendy, DAY6's Young K, and Choo Sung Hoon.
"The Scout" highlights the process of contestants who have already once challenged their dreams, or who have sharpened their skills in their own places, standing on stage again. Because different genres and experiences blend together, the harmony they will create also promises a depth differentiated from existing auditions.
In particular, "The Scout" draws attention as a growth-focused music project in which the top experts in the pop music industry discover raw gems who have not been able to show their talent, suggest new directions, and depict the process of being completed as global stars through a professional and systematic multi-care system.
Beyond simple skill competition, the viewing points of "The Scout" are its "developmental format," in which mentors directly discover and nurture participants' potential; the narratives created by mentors who have established themselves in each field closely working with participants; and a structure that focuses on growth itself, emphasizing the scope of change and potential rather than initial ability. Lee Seung-Chul, who participated in planning and production, explained, "There was a preliminary vote, and more than 320,000 votes were counted. Rankings from first to 16th are in progress. There will be announcements of rankings, and there is a first-round competition in which judges give scores that are reflected. As cumulative scores accumulate, those points are expected to become an entertainment element."
Lee Seung-Chul, who debuted in 1986 and marks his 40th debut anniversary this year, condensed know-how gained from series like "Superstar K" to directly plan and participate in production of "The Scout." Lee Seung-Chul said, "I was not satisfied serving as a judge on many audition programs. With one song, there can be many different expressions, but the system that decides pass or fail was regrettable. Eliminated contestants have to carry the label of elimination and continue their careers, so with the desire to shape raw gems well, I started planning two years ago. What I feel while filming is that it was really good and is going well. The muses are participating earnestly, and I feel the process of raw gems becoming jewels."
Lee Seung-Chul said, "This is a project for solo singers. The judging method is that masters each take charge of four muses and receive votes from the national voting audience during the live broadcast. About eight people are expected to go on a concert tour after the show, and there are plans to produce albums and debut singles. When planning, I thought masters had producing abilities, so they could grow as producers."
Kim Jaejoong, Wendy, Young K and Choo Sung Hoon lead "The Scout" together with Lee Seung-Chul. Since the masters each contact four muses to form teams, it is in effect also a competition among the masters.
Kim Jaejoong said, "I am having many new experiences while filming. I can say without hesitation that it is the most unique among the competition programs I have seen so far. I have never seen anything like it. In general competition programs, if you make a mistake or receive a bad evaluation from the producers or judges, you are eliminated without any chance, but most of the contestants on 'The Scout' have experienced elimination and grow by providing information that comes from deeper opportunities and experiences. I am also learning a lot."
Wendy said, "This is really different from other auditions. If you tune in for the first broadcast next week, you will notice the difference from the first episode. When I was a judge, I watched the stage, gave scores and feedback, but the important point of this program is helping muses move forward with the dream of becoming singers and guiding their direction. Many contestants do not know their direction, so we share things that come from experience while worrying and contacting them, and I am going through this process for the first time, so I think it is a program where we grow together."
Young K said, "I thought it would be good if I could offer advice based on the experience and know-how I gained while debuting and walking this path. The difference is that it is a program that can focus on overall growth rather than selecting and picking someone. If each round's goal was victory and survival, the path would have been different, but what muses need are fundamentals and a direction for growth. I felt it was a program that could be more helpful to the muses, so I am doing my best in my position."
Choo Sung Hoon said, "When I was approached, I wondered, 'Why me?' As a fighter, I didn't think I could help much in a music show, but after starting filming, I felt that the muses needed stamina and mental strength. So I thought that was why I was invited. I didn't expect to be with the masters, but I am filming enjoyably. I hope people watch it with interest."
The muses of "The Scout," who received another chance, boast diverse backgrounds. They include ATBO's Kim Yeon-kyu, who debuted in 2022 as the main vocal of the group ATBO and has already proven solid skills; Yang Tae-seon, who has a history of activity with TRCNG in 2017; and Jo Yoon-chan, who ranked third in the SBS M show "The Idol Band" and was active as a vocalist. Also joining is Choi Ha-ram, who has appeared in musicals such as "A Court of Human" (literal translation of '인간의 법정'), "Murphy," "Midnight: Actor Musician," and "Our Ordinary Days," and who is active as an actor and pianist, drawing expectations.
They also revealed criteria for the muses. Young K said, "If you look at potential, it's the star quality a person has. It's ambiguous to set official criteria or standards, but I think we look at whether I am more attracted to them or curious. Vocally, I look at tone. Overall, I pay a lot of attention to the vibe a person gives off." Kim Jaejoong said, "Although each master selected four muses, we rather felt that we were chosen. The selectors' eyes were similar, so there were overlapping people, and the process of forming those teams was fun," and Lee Seung-Chul laughed, "The plan was warm, but people didn't change. The caustic remarks just came out. I wanted to be a good uncle, but there were heartbreaking moments. Because it's a competitive structure, I was very wary of what other masters might do. That brought out my old habits."
Wendy explained, "I am helping the muses I picked with grit. The selection criteria are all different. Although stages are short, some contestants left a lasting impression from the first impression, so I picked them, and because I need to help a lot from beside them for them to grow, I chose people whose sensibilities match or who create synergy, so these criteria became different." Choo Sung Hoon said, "Since I'm not a singer, it's ambiguous to set standards, but I tend to look at the eyes. I think you can tell from a person's gaze whether they will succeed at anything or not. That's true for fighters too. Even if they're struggling, if their eyes are alive, I think they will succeed at anything, and there are such contestants this time as well."
The fact that all the muses are male also draws attention. Lee Seung-Chul explained, "We have a season plan in mind. Seasons 1 and 2 will be male, season 3 will be bands, and season 4 will be female."
Lastly, Choo Sung Hoon said, "I hope people will watch the muses as they put their lives on the line and work hard." Wendy said, "I feel that 16 raw gems have gathered. I think they will be well polished through 'The Scout' and become perfect jewels by the end of the program. I will help them become jewels." Young K said, "I trained as a trainee for about six years and received various trainings, and 'The Scout' contains things that could not be seen in competitions. It will be fun to watch those processes." Kim Jaejoong said, "Because we spent time together with affection, I hope these contestants do well. Our efforts alone are not enough; they need interest, support and love, so please give them that."
Lee Seung-Chul urged, "This is the story of stars creating rising stars. Please look forward to seeing them grow from raw gems into jewels. Since it could be your story, we prepared a lot. We will show the ultimate in detail. Please give us your interest."
ENA's growth-focused music project "The Scout" will premiere at 8 p.m. on May 8.
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