iKON, which won the “daesang” (grand prize) for the song “Love Scenario,” is in the final stages of negotiation to join “Kingdom,” a competition between K-pop boy bands.
Korean media reported that iKON, if finally confirmed to appear on the show, will be competing against Stray Kids, ATEEZ and The Boyz.
“Kingdom,” which will reportedly start airing on April 1, is a follow-up program to last year’s “Road to Kingdom” competition, which had boy bands The Boyz, ONF, Pentagon, Golden Child, Verivery, TOO and Oneus as contestants. The Boyz won the contest and earned the right to join “Kingdom.”
TVXQ’s Yunho and Changmin have been announced to host “Kingdom.” The standard criteria for “Kingdom” is that a group should have ranked No. 1 on TV music shows, reports stated.
iKON’s appearance on “Kingdom” was a result of the recent reconciliation between Mnet and YG Entertainment, the boy band’s agency, according to Korean media. The two parties had been at odds for more than four years due to conflicts.
The reconciliation was evidenced by YG Entertainment’s rookie boy band Treasure performing on Mnet’s TV music show “M Countdown” last Jan. 14. This came more than four years after BLACKPINK appeared on the show in November 2016.
iKON debuted in the music industry in 2015. They won the daesang for “Love Scenario” at the 2018 Melon Music Awards and 2019 Golden Disc Awards. iKON’s leader B.I left the group in June 2019 and the boy band regrouped with six members.
Meanwhile, iKON’s Bobby will release his second solo album “Lucky Man” on Jan. 25.