Survival Show

Synonyms:	audition shaows
See also:	K-pop, reality TV, American Idol, The X Factor
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Survival shows are K-Pop reality TV shows. Participants compete and are progressively eliminated until a number of winners emerge, generally to form a new debuting group.

Types of survival shows

There are three main types of K-Pop survival shows:

1. Internal company shows: Participants are chosen from current trainees at a given K-Pop entertainment company. The winners form a group under a standard contract - typically 7 years. Notable groups formed through internal company survival shows include Monsta X, TWICE, Stray Kids, and ENHYPEN.
2. Project group shows: Participants are chosen from various entertainment companies. They are usually trainees trying to debut or active idols trying make their group gain more notoriety. Successful examples include Wanna One, I.O.I, and Iz*One.
3. Non-debut shows: These shows tend to have a more niche focus such as dancing, rapping, or dancing, which can be illustrated respectively by K-pop Star, Show Me the Money, and Street Woman Fighter. Another example is Girl Spirit which was a singing competition for less famous girl group main vocalists.

Fostering fandom

The groups created from survival shows have a built-in fandom. The viewers have followed the members' struggle and might have been part of their win with voting systems.

Certain survival show participants have been part of several different shows seeking to debut. Wumuti, for instance, has participated in Under Nineteen (2018), Boys Planet (2023), and Build Up (2024). Through their appearances on various survival shows, such participants are able to grow their popularity and fanbase.