SPOILER

Virtual idol Kwon Ilang of SKINZ, Jung Sunhye of YOUNG POSSE & more audition for Mnet's 'Show Me The Money 12'

Mnet's 'Show Me The Money 12' has returned to discover the next generation of Korea's hip-hop leaders, holding auditions in regions all across South Korea as well as overseas. 

On the first episode of 'Show Me The Money 12' aired on January 15 KST, the program's 8 producers including Zico and Crush, GRAY and LOCO, Jay Park and Lil Moshpit (Lee Hwi Min of GroovyRoom), and JTONG and Hukky Shibaseki listened to the audition pieces of over 36,000 participants. 

Notably, several young, new faces, including rising K-Pop idol rappers, garnered attention for their energy and passion. Commenting on the changes in the hip-hop scene in recent years and its struggle to maintain appeal with the masses, Jay Park said, "The difference between idol rappers and real rappers? That's old stuff. That's stuff from like 'SMTM6' or 'SMTM7'. That boundary is pretty unclear these days."

Then which K-Pop idols displayed their potential and passed the grueling first round of auditions?

Through a combination of stage presence and daringness, K-Pop idols like Eunhwi of TNX and TAG of One Pact earned the gold necklace. 

On the other hand, marking a noteworthy new endeavor not just on the individual level but for survival programs more broadly, rapper Kwon Ilang of the virtual idol group SKINZ appeared at the audition through a moving projection box. Yet, despite Mnet's efforts to present Kwon Ilang in front of producer Zico "in-person", the idol did not impress with his rap and ultimately did not move onto the next round. 

Finally, a young female rapper with great ambition and enthusiasm, Jung Sunhye, leader of YOUNG POSSE, presented her set in front of Zico. Dissatisfied with her first run, Zico requested another verse. However, uncertain about the second piece as well, Zico asked Sunhye to give him something more. In the end, her third and last try was the decisive blow. Zico remarked regarding his decision to give Sunhye a pass, "I could tell that she practiced. A lot. She has good hardware and performance."

Next week, the first round of auditions continue with the emergence of contestants from other countries like Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, and more. 'Show Me The Money 12' airs every Thursdays at 9:20 PM KST. 

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