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'The Idol Band': SF9 Rowoon and ex-IZ*ONE Nako to MC, fans love the 'height difference'

'The Idol Band: Boy's Battle' is the next Korean survival show for bands with the winning team debuting under FNC, home to SF9, N.Flying and CNBlue

While K-pop dominates the South Korean music industry, more and more entertainment niches are gaining popularity. We first had Mnet acknowledging dancers with the successful ‘Street Woman Fighter’ which happened to be the first all-female dance crew survival show. We then had ‘Great Seoul Invasion’ which is Mnet’s survival show for bands. It has some star-studded participants like ONEWE, Surl and South Club along with famous mentors like former IZ*ONE leader Eunbi, Jaehwan and N.Flying. And now we are getting another band program with ‘The Idol Band’ being hosted by SF9’s Rowoon and Yabuki Nako.

On July 28, it was announced that SBS was planning the next survival show for Korean bands. While we do have some popular bands like DAY6, ONEWE, Xdinary Heroes and N.Flying they are not as mainstream as idol groups in South Korea. ‘The Idol Band: Boy’s Battle’ will be co-produced by the K-pop label FNC Entertainment which is home to several bands and groups like F.T. Island, CNBlue, N.Flying and SF9 whose group member Rowoon will be MC. ‘The Idol Band’ is a survival show that hopes to create an idol band with its winners. 

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Rowoon and Nako as ‘The Idol Band’ MCs

‘The Idol Band’ is already in full swing as they are recruiting participants and holding auditions till August 26. Male musicians born between 1995 and 2009 living in South Korea and Japan can participate. With it being a multinational program, SBS has also roped in J-pop idol Yabuki Nako of HKT48 and was part of the former K-pop group IZ*ONE. ‘The Idol Band’ is also bringing in experienced producers to select the participants and mentor them. The missions will include forming groups and competing against each other. The show will air in South Korea and Japan on SBS and TBS channels.

The winning band will debut under FNC Entertainment. Well, K-pop fans are excited for the show as well, as the MCs are none other than K-pop idols Rowoon of SF9 and Nako. While her former leader Eunbi is a mentor on the band show ‘Great Seoul Invasion’, Nako will be hosting ‘The Idol Band’. This is both her and Rowoon’s first gig hosting a survival show.

IZ*ONE fans are further overjoyed since it has been a while since Nako promoted in South Korea, having gone to Japan after her K-pop group disbanded in 2021. We last got a mini-reunion with her and member Hitomi when they were roped in as models for Japanese cosmetics. But it is Rowoon and Nako’s height difference that has everyone amused. While Nako is 150 cm, the SF9 star is one of the tallest K-pop idols standing tall at 190.5 cm.

‘Both their neck gonna hurt’

Knetizens joked, “When the camera will pan on Rowoon's upper body, Nako will disappearㅋㅋㅋ.” Another said, “Oh Nakoㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ But the moment I saw this, I thought about their height difference.” One fan added, “The height difference is going to be so cute.” Another wrote, “Both their neck gonna hurts so bad looking at each other.” One fan asked, “Will they even be able to be filmed in the same frame?” Another fan commented, “10 heads shorter than her cohost i can’t miss this MDBDIDJSJS welcome back nako.” One made a meme, “Rowoon and nako in one frame.” Another tweeted, “Who in the f**k took the shortest and tallest idol and put em together.”