A Debut Story for the History Books!
Hey everyone! I have some seriously cool K-Pop news for you today that mixes a bit of history with a whole lot of talent and perseverance. A trainee named Yi Chen just debuted, and his backstory is giving everyone goosebumps! He’s a member of the brand new boy group MODYSSEY, which was just formed through the Mnet Plus survival show ‘Planet C: Home Race’. But what makes his story so special is his family connection to a Korean national hero.
Who Was An Jung-geun?
Okay, so for my American friends who might not know, An Jung-geun is a HUGE figure in Korean history. Think of him like a revolutionary hero. He was an independence activist who fought for Korea’s freedom during the Japanese colonial period. He’s most famous for assassinating Itō Hirobumi, a top Japanese official, back in 1909. Because of this, An Jung-geun is seen as a symbol of justice and resistance here in Korea. Yi Chen has revealed that his great-great-grandfather was Ahn Myung-geun, who was An Jung-geun’s cousin and also fought alongside him for Korea’s independence. That’s some serious legacy to carry!
The Long Road to Debut
This isn’t one of those overnight success stories. Yi Chen’s journey to becoming an idol has been a real marathon. He’s competed on a whopping FIVE survival shows to get here! His journey started back in 2019 with China’s ‘Youth With You’, and he later appeared on other shows like JTBC’s ‘Project 7’ and Mnet’s popular ‘Boys II Planet’. Can you imagine the dedication it takes to go through that intense process five times? He never gave up, and he finally secured his spot in the final lineup of MODYSSEY through ‘Planet C: Home Race,’ a show that gave former ‘Boys II Planet’ contestants another shot at their dream.
Introducing MODYSSEY!
So, after all that hard work, Yi Chen is now officially a member of MODYSSEY! They are a seven-member group formed on December 27th. The name is a mix of ‘M’ (for Music, Move, Momentum) and ‘Odyssey,’ which totally fits their story of a long journey to achieve their dream. The group includes Yi Chen and six other talented members: Sun Heng Yu, Fan Zhe Yi, Li Zihao, Zhao Guang Xu, Xue Su Ren, and Ngan Chau Yuet. They’re expected to promote globally, and with a story like this, I have a feeling a lot of people will be cheering for them. Congrats to Yi Chen on his long-awaited debut!
