Eight weeks long, K-Pop fans all over the world have been on the edge of their seats, riding a rollercoaster of emotions. Now it's over: Yesterday the finale of the survival show Queendom Puzzle aired, in which seven contestants were declared winners. These seven will soon debut as “EL7Z UP”!
- Here we introduce you to the 7 winners!
If you missed the show, you should keep reading: We'll give you a short overview of the show and introduce you to the new girl group that might soon take the charts by storm!
Queendom Puzzle is considered the successor to Queendom, a Mnet show of which two seasons have already aired in recent years. In Queendom, well-known girl groups like Mamamoo or Oh My Girl competed against each other to determine the true number 1. Queendom Puzzle is very different from its predecessors!
In this show, solo artists and members of girl groups came together to form a new project group. A total of 28 contestants introduced themselves in the first episode, which aired on June 13. They included members of Weeekly, Purple Kiss, WJSN, Rocket Punch, Cherry Bullet, H1-Key, Laboum, Lightsum, Weki Meki, woo!ah! and tripleS. There were also solo artists such as Chaeyeon (formerly IZ*ONE) or JooE (formerly Momoland).
Over a total of 10 episodes, the participants performed covers and original songs in constantly new group combinations.
For six episodes, viewers had time to get to know the different singers a little better. From the very start, they could vote for their favorites in the Mnet app. Contestants were eliminated for the first time only in episode seven. At the beginning of the show, two participants had left voluntarily: Chaeyeon (formerly IZ*ONE) and Haein (Laboum). Since then, there were only 26 contestants left. In episode 7, 5 were eliminated, and in the semi-final (episode 9) seven more.
In the finale on August 15, only 14 contestants were left.
They performed two brand-new songs called “Billionaire” and “Last Piece” in two groups to convince the fans of their talent one last time. Then the voting was closed. And before the host Taeyeon (Girls’ Generation) announced the winners, there were two more nostalgic performances. All contestants, both the finalists and those already eliminated, performed the very first songs of the show together once more: “Snap” and “Charismatic”.
Then the moment had finally come: The 14 finalists stood in a row on the stage, hoping that their name would be called. Taeyeon didn't keep them waiting too long and announced the seven winners in quick succession! They will soon debut under the name “EL7Z UP”. In the show, it was promised that EL7Z UP will not only release an album but also hold a world tour and perform at the MAMA Awards 2023.
These are the seven members of EL7Z UP:
1. Hwiseo (H1-Key)
Hwiseo only debuted in July 2022 as a new member of the young girl group H1-Key. Although she hasn't been on stage for long, she captivated fans from the very beginning with her powerful voice and even took 1st place in the end!
2. Nana (woo!ah!)
Nana became known as the leader of the girl group woo!ah!, which debuted in 2020. In Queendom Puzzle, Nana showed that she can both sing and dance and quickly won the hearts of the viewers. She was one of the favorites from the start and in the end secured a spot in EL7Z Up.
3. Yuki (Purple Kiss)
Yuki debuted in 2021 in the girl group Purple Kiss, which is known for hits like “Zombie” or “Sweet Juice”. She attracted attention in the very first round with her strong rapping and her passionate performance. Fans voted Yuki into the Top7 several times and didn't let her down in the finale either!
4. Kei (Lovelyz)
Kei was the oldest contestant in Queendom Puzzle at 28 and is the member with the most experience in EL7Z UP. She debuted in November 2014 in the girl group Lovelyz and has since also started a solo career and appeared in musicals. She is best known for her extraordinary voice and sang her way into the viewers' hearts in Queendom Puzzle as well.
5. Yeoreum (WJSN)
Yeoreum was already in Queendom for the second time, because in 2022 she competed in Queendom 2 with her group WJSN. WJSN won the show, but Yeoreum took on the challenge again this year anyway. She showed that she can conquer the stage on her own and impressed with various talents. She is a true all-rounder and can dance as well as sing and rap.
6. Yeonhee (Rocket Punch)
The girl group Rocket Punch sent three members into the race: Suyun, Juri and Yeonhee. All three reached the finale, but only Yeonhee finally made it into the Top7. She enchanted fans all over the world with her smile and her cheerful personality.
7. Yeeun
In 2015, Yeeun debuted as a member of CLC, but this year she took a new step and started her solo career with the single album “The Beginning”. She is a charismatic rapper who convinced fans all over the world with her talent in Queendom Puzzle that she belongs in the Top7.
EL7Z UP has everything a girl group needs: Strong voices, energetic rappers and talented dancers. We're already looking forward to seeing these seven talents on stage again very soon!
Sources: Queendom Puzzle, Youtube
