In commemoration of the 18th anniversary since the founding of Star News, the media outlet conducted a survey with 18 prominent industry insiders, asking them to select "The 4th-generation K-Pop idol group with the most potential". 

Each survey participant cast 2 votes for female groups and 2 votes for male groups, or 4 in total. Below are the results. 

For female K-Pop idol groups, ADOR x HYBE's NewJeans received 16 votes (88.9%) for first place. Produced by former SM Entertainment creative director Min Hee Jin, NewJeans debuted in July of this year with their 1st self-titled mini album, sweeping music charts with songs like "Attention" and "Hype Boy". 

Industry insiders coined reasons such as "trendy, easy-listening pop" and "a natural charm exuded from a group of teenage girls" as reasons for NewJeans's potential. 

aespa received 9 votes (50%), ranking in second place. The group was launched by SM Entertainment in November of 2020 and has since earned titles such as K-Pop's very own "metaverse girl group" and "the openers of the 4th-generation". 

Industry insiders stated, "The group's unique storytelling through their own, self-produced media makes consumers look forward to the next part," and "The group boasts potential for high-quality production appropriate for a large entertainment powerhouse such as SM Entertainment, as demonstrated during 'Next Level'." 

Additionally, girl group IVE followed closely behind in third place, receiving 8 votes (44.4%). Launched by Starship Entertainment in December of 2021, the girl group obtained immediate success largely in part to the strong fanbase carried over from IZ*ONE members Jang Won Young and Ahn Yu Jin. 

Girl groups like NMIXX, LE SSERAFIM and H1-KEY also received votes from the survey participants. 

Among K-Pop boy groups, HYBE Labels x BeLift Lab boy group ENHYPEN received 17 votes (94.4%), earning first place. 

Composed of the winning members of the Mnet survival program 'I-LAND', ENHYPEN debuted in November of 2020 with their 1st mini album, 'Border : Day One'. The group also became the K-Pop group to sell 1 million copies in first-week album sales in the shortest amount of time since debut with 'Manifesto : Day 1', released in July of this year. 

In second place, YG Entertainment rookie boy group TREASURE earned 9 votes (50%), the largest group ever launched by the agency behind Big Bang, 2NE1, BLACKPINK, etc. 

For both boy groups, industry insiders named reasons such as "a rapidly growing fan base", "entertaining, self-produced content" and "high quality production" as the main reasons for their strong potential. 

Groups including ATBO, Xdinary Heroes, TNX, YOUNITE and BAE173 also received votes from the survey participants.