Survival shows are competitions in which trainees demonstrate their various talents and skills and compete against each other for a spot in the debuting group. Trainees are evaluated based on a range of qualities, including their charisma and charm, as well as their abilities in singing, dancing, rapping, and other areas.

Let’s have a look at some of the South Korean girl groups formed through reality survival shows.

1. TWICE

Popular K-pop girl group TWICE is one of the most well-known groups that formed as a result of the survival show. Via Mnet survival program "SIXTEEN," which aired from May 5 to July 7, 2015, the group was created by JYP Entertainment. There were sixteen JYP trainees in total. In addition to the TWICE members, "SIXTEEN" participants also included ITZY's Chaeryeong, fromis_9's Jiwon, and soloists Jeon Somi, Chaeyeon, and Natty.

2. I.O.I

I.O.I (Ideal of Idol), a South Korean girl group, was formed as a result of the first season of the survival reality show "Produce 101." From January 22 to April 1, 2016, Mnet broadcast the CJ E&M-produced show. Out of the 101 trainees who took part in the competition as contestants, only 11 made it to the final lineup. I.O.I. was actively promoted for less than a year before disbanding in 2017.

3. MOMOLAND

Through the girl group survival program "Finding Momoland," which aired on the Mnet channel from July 22 to September 16, 2016, Momoland was created by MLD Entertainment. Seven members were selected from ten participants for the debut of “Momoland.” Daisy and Taeha, two more members, joined the group in 2017. Daisy also participated in the competition. The group disbanded on February 14, 2023.

4. FROMIS_9

Fromis_9 is a K-pop girl group under Pledis Entertainment. The group was formed by CJ E&M through the reality survival show "Idol School." The program premiered on July 13, 2017, and it aired on the Mnet channel until September 29, 2017. There were 41 female trainees who competed in the show. Only nine of those trainees were selected to become members of "fromis_9." The group’s name means “From Idol School.”

5. IZ*ONE

Iz*One was a popular South Korean-Japanese girl group formed by CJ E&M through the Mnet reality survival show "Produce 48." The show aired on the Mnet channel from June 15 to August 31, 2018. There were a total of 96 female trainees who competed. Out of those, only twelve were chosen for the final debut lineup through voting. On April 29, 2021, the group disbanded following the expiration of their exclusive contract.

6. UNI.T

Uni.T, a nine-member K-pop girl group, was formed as a result of the KBS survival show "The Unit." KBS 2TV aired "The Unit," an idol rebooting program, from October 28, 2017, to February 10, 2018. The project produced two groups with nine members each: one with males and one with females. The female unit, known as Uni.T, made its debut on May 18, 2018, and it was only active for less than five months.

7. KEP1ER

Kep1er is a fourth-generation project girl group composed of nine members. The group was formed as a result of the Mnet reality survival show “Girls Planet 999: The Girls Saga,” which was aired from August 6 to October 22, 2021. There were 99 female contestants in total, and only nine were chosen through votes to become members of Kep1er, which made their debut on January 3, 2022.

8. CLASS:y

CLASS:y is a seven-piece rookie K-pop girl group that is the product of the MBC reality survival show "My Teenage Girl." The show ran from November 28, 2021, to February 27, 2022, on the MBC Channel. There were a total of 83 contestants, and only seven of those made it to the debut lineup and later debuted as members of CLASS:y, on May 5, 2022, under the labels M25 and Universal Music Japan.