The debut of the top 5 finalists from JTBC’s audition survival program 'Girls on Fire' has been canceled.

On December 23, Kang Yoon Jung, who placed 4th in 'Girls on Fire,' shared on her social media, "The debut of the five finalists, who were set to debut under a new agency, has been canceled due to circumstances involving the agency. I want to sincerely apologize to and thank everyone who supported and looked forward to our debut."

She continued, "I believe this opens a better path where I can showcase my abilities more effectively. As a soprano and musician, I will strive to engage in remarkable activities. It’s heartbreaking that we can’t show you the chemistry of the five of us, but I hope you will continue to support our individual music careers. It’s been six months since I couldn’t provide a clear answer to your questions, and I’ve felt uneasy about it. Thank you for waiting.”

Yang Irae, who placed 5th, also shared the news on her social media, saying, "Unfortunately, the debut of the Girls on Fire top 5 group, which we all anticipated, has been canceled."

'Girls on Fire' was Korea’s first audition survival program centered on forming a female vocal group. The show concluded in June. The top 5 finalists, Lee Na Young, Hwang Se Young, Lee Soo Young, Kang Yoon Jung, and Yang Irae, had secured their debut. They were slated to receive various prizes, including a total of 200 million KRW (~137,159 USD) in prize money, an album release, a nationwide concert tour, and a global showcase.

Korean netizens commented:

"Why would they hold a survival program if they are not even going to debut?"

"Isn't this a scam then?"

"I feel so bad for these girls. They were scammed basically."

"They were all talented. Hope they can find a good agency they can debut with."

"They should stop doing survival shows."

"They were basically lied to."

"If JTBC doesn't have the money, why do they keep holding survival shows?"

"They were so good at singing. It's so disappointing."

"They are such scammers."

"The girls are the only ones affected negatively in this situation."

"This is so ridiculous. Is the survival show a joke?"

"They just messed with the girls' careers."

"I was looking forward to this group."

"This might be an unpopular opinion. But I think it's better that they let the girls go early. At least they can go their own way to pursue their dreams."

"I agree. At least, they didn't waste time waiting for their debut. I think it's better that their debut was canceled fast."

"Why did they broadcast the show in the first place?"

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