‘Universe Ticket’ Kim Se Jung gives stinging judgment to contestants “It may not be enough, but completion is essential”.

Kim Se-jeong, the unicorn (Universe Icon) of ‘Universe Ticket,’ has caught attention with her sharp critique.

On the afternoon of the 18th, the first episode of the SBS audition program ‘Universe Ticket’ was broadcasted, showcasing the first meeting of 82 girls from all over the world aspiring to be K-pop singers.

In the broadcast that day, the first ranking announcement was held before the real battle. The ranking was determined by pre-voting through profile line releases in July. Trot Fairy Lim Seo-won ranked 9th, while Hwang Si-eun, who was the talk of the town in the teaser video, ranked 5th. Among them, Rie from Myanmar took the 1st place.

As the first battle was a 1-on-1 nomination match, the contestants in the upper ranks chose opponents they could beat from the lower ranks, raising the heat of the audition program from the beginning.

18th place contestant Kotoko, known as the ‘insider,’ lifted the mood with her cute charm from the start. Loved by the participants, Kotoko chose Nayeon’s “Pop” and exuded a cheerful energy. Hyoyeon mentioned, “I can see why she is popular among the contestants. She has a charm that radiates just by her existence. It’s something I was envious of when I was a trainee.”

Participants with a lot of experience in their home countries also appeared. Nana, who is the visual of the Japanese girl group Freekill and ranked 19th, expressed her confidence, saying, “My goal is to be the center of ‘Universe Ticket’.” Watching Nana perform Sunmi’s “Gashina,” Kim Se-jeong evaluated, “Dare I say, she has the sense of a center.”

31st place Bang Yoon-han perfectly performed the song and rap of ITZY’s “Sneakers,” earning recognition for her skills from the unicorns. ITZY’s Yeji expressed satisfaction, saying, “She knows the point of this song,” and Yoon-han praised, “I’m proud that we share the same name.”

Lim Seo-won, who was recognized as a contestant through ‘Miss Trot’ and was called ‘Little Jang Won-young,’ was considered a threat by everyone. Lim Seo-won chose BoA’s “Atlantis Princess,” and not only sang but also danced perfectly, proving once again that she is the strongest live performer. Hyoyeon expressed, “I want to cast her,” revealing her high expectations for Lim Seo-won’s future.

On the other hand, the stages of Kwon Chae-won, a former member of the girl group DIA, and Jeon Ji-eun of Busters, who were the talk of the town, received harsh criticism from the unicorns. Although they had idol experience and confidently took the stage, they showed unstable pitch and dance skills.

Unicorn Kim Se-jeong said, “Even if you’re lacking on stage, your skills shouldn’t show. I believe an idol is someone who creates a perfect stage with blood, sweat, and tears,” and “No matter how lacking, you need to complete it. Both of you need to practice a lot,” leaving a sharp critique.

Meanwhile, ‘Universe Ticket’ is a large-scale global audition born with significance to the number 82, which is the national number of South Korea. Not only is it broadcasted on SBS and Japan’s AbemaTV, as well as local TVs in Singapore and Malaysia, but it is also streamed via OTT in Southeast Asia, including Taiwan.

Photo=Provided by SBS ‘Universe Ticket’

Reporter Jo Jung-won jjw1@hanryutimes.com