SBS survival show Universe Ticket is getting more intense as the final battle draws nearer. The show premiered last November 18, 2023 with 82 hopefuls from all over the world aiming to be at the top. The competition follows contestants in battles and challenges to prove their skills and potential by climbing up PRISM levels. Each letter of the word “prism” corresponds to a specific level, with P being the highest level and M being the lowest level where competitors may be up for elimination. The first eight Universe Ticket contestants to reach the P level will debut in a K-pop girl group together with a two-and-a-half-year contract under F&F Entertainment.
After nine episodes of grueling challenges, it’s now or never for contestants who have to give their all to win the nail-biting competition. 24 challengers remain with the chance to debut as idols, and three of these finalists are from Southeast Asia. Let’s get to know these three finalists, as well as previous contestants from Southeast Asia below.
Philippines
The youngest Filipino contestant born in 2009, Elisia Parmisano made a splash early on in the competition with her stable vocal ability, dance moves and visuals. Her 1-on-1 Battle from episode 1 became the most viewed battle clip on the show’s Youtube channel. With a huge fanbase and incredible talent, Elisia got the PRISM ticket at the end of Episode 9 making her the first official member of the debuting group.
With her unique look and amazing vocals, Filipina beauty queen Gehlee Dangca is a few steps closer to her idol dreams as she ranked #2 and reached R Level during the last promotion episode.
Filipino-Korean Jin Hyeonju continues to show off her charm and leadership skills as she continues her journey towards prism. Currently, Hyeonju is ranked 10 and Level I after the last promotion. Before joining the survival show, she was an active member of the K-pop girl group Cignature as its lead vocalist and dancer, and the group Good Day as its lead dancer and vocals. Hyeonju also previously joined another Kpop survival show, The Unit, where she ranked 24th out of 62 contestants.
Hailing from Pampanga, Aya Natsumi Bolinao or Aya participated in Universe Ticket representing her homeland – the Philippines. With her charm and stage presence, she was able to captivate the hearts of Universe Tickets fans and viewers. Aya was eliminated during the sixth episode of Universe Ticket.
Vietnam
A former contestant of The Voice Kids Vietnam, Vũ Linh Đan joined Universe Ticket to achieve her K-pop idol dream. She was known for her unique voice which earned approval from fans all around the world. However, she was eliminated from the show during the second round due to low vote turn-out and ranked 30 during the eliminations.
Indonesia
Vanesya Vixel Agustine was one of the well-loved contestants with her ranking first during the fan voting in the early episodes of Universe Ticket. With her low rank from the Level Test and Station 1 Ranking, she was eliminated during the show’s sixth episode. Currently, Vanesya is active in Indonesia with a series of guest appearances and show features.
Myanmar
Another fan favorite during the early episodes of Universe Ticket, Nan Akari Shwe or Riel was consistently among the contenders with high fan votes. Riel is best known for her rapping skills. It was revealed during the sixth episode that she was eliminated.
Thailand
Nattha Phapirom joined Universe Ticket with stage name, “May.” May is known for her charming personality and her love for music. She was eliminated during the early episodes. May or Evie, is set to debut with Big Ocean ENM’s upcoming girl group iii this 2024.
Sixteen-year-old Natchayathorn, also known as Mint, joined Universe Ticket with a solid fanbase and fan votes. Her vocal and dance skills were also applauded online by netizens. However, due to personal reasons, Natchayathorn left the show after Episode 4.
With her incredible dance skills, Thitirat Ngamchicharoen or Oukikk pursued her idol dream through the survival show. However, she was eliminated during the second round because of low fan votes.
Malaysia
Malaysia’s representative Alyssa Zain is best known for her chill yet powerful aura on stage. While many fans were rooting for her, Alyssa voluntarily dropped the show on Episode 4 due to personal reasons.
With Elisia securing her PRISM Ticket, two participants with Southeast Asian roots are continuing their journey to PRISM – Gehlee and Hyeonju. The final episode will be broadcasted live via SBS TV on January 17. Let’s show them our support and let’s continue to root for SEA participants who were eliminated.
Who do you think will make it to the top eight? SEAtizens, who are your biases in Universe Ticket? Comment down below!