Fantasy Boys (Korean판타지 보이즈; RRPantaji Boijeu; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean boy band formed through MBC TV's reality competition series of the same name in 2023, and managed by PocketDol Studio and M25. The group consists of eleven members: Soul, Kang Min-seo, Lee Han-bin, Hikari, Ling Qi, Hikaru, Kim Woo-seok, Hong Seong-min, Oh Hyeon-tae, Kim Gyu-rae and Kaedan.[1] They debuted on September 21, 2023, with the extended play (EP) New Tomorrow.

Fantasy Boys
Fantasy Boys in May 2024
Background information
OriginSeoul, South Korea
GenresK-pop
Years active2023–present
Labels
Members
  • Soul
  • Kang Min-seo
  • Lee Han-bin
  • Hikari
  • Ling Qi
  • Hikaru
  • Kim Woo-seok
  • Hong Seong-min
  • Oh Hyeon-tae
  • Kim Gyu-rae
  • Kaedan

History edit

Pre-debut activities edit

Soul (formerly referred to as K-Soul) was a contestant on the competition shows Super Idol in 2015 and We Are Young in 2018.[citation needed]

In 2016, Ling Qi was a member of the pre-debut Chinese boy group X-Time and in 2018 he participated in the survival competition show Idol Producer.[2] He was eliminated in episode 8 and finished 58th overall.[citation needed]

In 2022, Yu Jun-won was a contestant on Hybe Label Japan's survival show &Audition – The Howling, but was eliminated in the final episode and did not make it into the final lineup of the boy group, &Team.[3]

2023–present: Formation through Fantasy Boys and debut edit

 
Fantasy Boys' official logo.

Fantasy Boys was formed through MBC TV's reality competition show Fantasy Boys, which aired from March 30 to June 8, 2023.[4][5] The show brought 55 contestants from around the world, primarily in South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, and the United States, to compete and to debut in a multinational boy group.[6] Out of 55 contestants, only the top twelve would make the final lineup. All members were announced on the finale episode, which was broadcast live on June 8, 2023.[5] On August 14, 2023, it was announced that the group would be debuting in September.[7] On August 23, it was announced that Fantasy Boys will debut as an 11-member group without Yu Jun-won due to disagreement between his parents and the agency.[8] On September 16, Fantasy Boys performed "One Shot" from their debut EP on Show! Music Core.[9] Fantasy Boys released their debut EP New Tomorrow on September 21, 2023.[10] They held a media showcase at Blue Square Mastercard in the same day.[11][12] On the next day, the group made their debut stage on the Music Bank.[13][14]

on November 16, the group promoted the song "Potential", which will be featured on their upcoming second EP of the same name on M Countdown.[15] The EP was released on November 23, along with the music videos for the lead track of the same name and "Get It On".[16][17]

Members edit

  • Soul (苏尔; 소울)
  • Hikari (ヒカリ; 히카리)
  • Kang Min-seo (강민서)
  • Lee Han-bin (이한빈)
  • Ling Qi (凌崎; 링치)
  • Hikaru (ヒカル; 히카루)
  • Kim Woo-seok (김우석)
  • Hong Seong-min (홍성민)
  • Oh Hyeon-tae (오현태)
  • Kim Gyu-rae (김규래)
  • Kaedan (케이단)

Discography edit

Extended plays edit

List of extended plays, with selected details, chart positions, and sales
Title Details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[18]
JPN
[19]
New Tomorrow
Track listing
  1. "New Tomorrow"
  2. "One Shot"
  3. "Shangri-La"
7 16
Potential
  • Released: November 23, 2023
  • Label: Kakao Entertainment
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
Track listing
  1. "Get It On"
  2. "Potential"
  3. "Get It On" (English ver.)
  4. "Potential" (English ver.)
11 50
Make Sunshine
  • Scheduled: May 2, 2024
  • Label: Kakao Entertainment
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
Track listing
  1. "Pitter-Patter-Love" (분명 그녀가 나를 보고 웃잖아)
  2. "Make Sunshine" (몰랐어 첫사랑인지 스쳐가는 감정인 건지)
  3. "Feeling"
  4. "Pitter-Patter-Love" (분명 그녀가 나를 보고 웃잖아; Acoustic ver.)
TBA

Singles edit

List of singles, showing year released, selected chart positions, and name of the album
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
KOR
DL

[24]
"New Tomorrow" 2023 136 New Tomorrow
"Potential" Potential
"Pitter-Patter-Love" (분명 그녀가 나를 보고 웃잖아) 2024 TBA Make Sunshine
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that region.

Filmography edit

Year Name Notes Ref.
2023 Fantasy Boys Reality competition show determining Fantasy Boys' members [5]
Boys Fantasy: Welcome to Fantasy World Debut talk show [25]

Concerts edit

  • Fantasy Boys Fan Concert in Japan (2023)[26]

Awards and nominations edit

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, award category, nominee(s) of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / work Result Ref.
Asia Star Entertainer Awards 2024 Hot Icon Fantasy Boys Won [27]
Hanteo Music Awards 2023 Rookie of the Year – Male Nominated [28]
Seoul Music Awards 2023 Rookie of the Year Nominated [29]

References edit

  1. ^ Jang Ae-ri (June 9, 2023). 소년판타지 최종 12인 확정→'판타지 보이즈'로 데뷔 [Boys Fantasy final 12 confirmed → Debut as 'Fantasy Boys']. Viva100 (in Korean). Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  2. ^ 偶像练习生凌崎成八组亲弟弟 60万网友为其加油 [Idol trainee Ling Qi became eight groups of brothers, 600,000 netizens cheered for him]. music.china.com.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  3. ^ Park Ha-na (March 30, 2023). '하이브 출신' 유준원, '소년판타지' 첫 입학 평가 무대...1등급 성공. News1 (in Korean). Retrieved June 10, 2023 – via Daum.
  4. ^ Ahn Yun-ji (March 17, 2023). '소년판타지', 23일→30일로 첫 방송 날짜 연기 [공식] ['Boys Fantasy', the first broadcast date postponed from the 23rd to the 30th [Official]]. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Kwon Hye-mi (June 8, 2023). [TVis] '소년판타지' 강민서·김규래·문현빈, 탈락 위기? '10~12위' [[TVis] 'Boys Fantasy' Kang Min-seo·Kim Gyu-rae·Moon Hyun-bin, in danger of being eliminated? '10th to 12th place']. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  6. ^ Park Seo-hyun (February 20, 2023). '소년판타지', 프로필 영상→사진 오늘(20일) 공개..한동철 PD 제작 ['Boys Fantasy', profile video → photo released today (20th)..Produced by Han Dong-chul PD]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Retrieved June 10, 2023 – via Naver.
  7. ^ Noh, Han-bin (August 14, 2023). "판타지 보이즈, 9월 정식 데뷔 확정..."기대해도 좋아" [공식]" [Fantasy Boys confirms official debut in September..."You can look forward to it" [Official]] (in Korean). My Daily. Retrieved September 29, 2023 – via Naver.
  8. ^ "판타지 보이즈 측 "계약 불발 유준원, 2번의 무단이탈과 계약서 수정 요구" [전문]". Daum (in Korean). August 23, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  9. ^ https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/009/0005187499
  10. ^ https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/382/0001076966
  11. ^ https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/629/0000240152
  12. ^ https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/609/0000774663
  13. ^ https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/609/0000775278
  14. ^ https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/312/0000629959
  15. ^ https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/144/0000925985
  16. ^ https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/112/0003666282
  17. ^ https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/421/0007194923
  18. ^ Peak chart positions on the Circle Album Chart:
  19. ^ Peak chart positions on the Oricon Albums Chart:
  20. ^ Cumulative Korean sales for New Tomorrow:
  21. ^ Cumulative Japanese sales for New Tomorrow:
  22. ^ Cumulative Korean sales for Potential:
  23. ^ オリコン週間 アルバムランキング 2024年02月26日~2024年03月03日 [Oricon Weekly Album Ranking February 26, 2024 – March 3, 2024] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on March 6, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  24. ^ Peak chart positions on the Circle Download Chart:
  25. ^ Yoo Jung-min (June 16, 2023). "데뷔 1주일"...'소년판타지' 판타지 보이즈, 토크쇼 팬심 '정조준' ["One week since debut"... 'Boys Fantasy' Fantasy Boys, talk show fan heart 'Jung Aim']. MBC News (in Korean). Retrieved July 26, 2023 – via Naver.
  26. ^ Kim, Jin-seok (July 24, 2023). "판타지 보이즈, 日 도쿄 팬 콘서트 25일 SBS M 방송" [Fantasy Boys, Japan Tokyo fan concert broadcast on SBS M on the 25th]. JTBC News (in Korean). Retrieved July 27, 2023 – via Naver.
  27. ^ Lee, Ha-na (April 10, 2024). "대상 주인은 스트레이 키즈, TXT 4관왕→트레저·더보이즈 3관왕(종합][ASEA 2024]" [Grand Prize winner is Stray Kids, TXT 4 wins → Treasure and The Boyz 3 wins (Overall)[ASEA 2024]]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 11, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  28. ^ Lee, Tae-soo (February 18, 2024). 한터뮤직어워즈 대상에 NCT 드림·세븐틴 등 [Hanteo Music Awards Grand Prize Winners: NCT Dream, Seventeen, etc.] (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 – via Naver.
  29. ^ Jeong, Ha-eun (January 3, 2024). 역사상 첫 해외 개최, 대상은 엔시티 드림 “2년 연속 수상 영광…시즈니 덕분”[제33회 서울가요대상] [Held overseas for the first time in history, the grand prize was awarded by NCT Dream "Honored to be awarded for the second year in a row...Thanks to Czennies" [The 33rd Seoul Music Awards]] (in Korean). Sports Seoul. Archived from the original on January 3, 2024. Retrieved January 3, 2024 – via Naver.

External links edit