# Dream Academy

The Debut: Dream Academy is a talent competition reality show created as an international collaboration between record labels Hybe and Geffen Records aimed at creating a global girl group. The fan-interactive project involves 20 female candidates from around the world competing in three "missions" to test their artistry. Eliminations occur after each mission, leaving 10 contestants to compete in the finale, during which the final group's members will be decided.
According to Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, the project's intention is to form "an international group based on K-pop methodology." The project was announced on August 28, 2023, premiered later that week on September 1, and finished on November 17, running for a total of 12 weeks. The show concluded with the announcement of the winner's six-member girl group known as Katseye.

## Selection

In order to select the 20 candidates competing for a spot in the group, Hybe and Geffen Records launched global auditions online in November 2021. Over 120,000 submissions were received.

### Voting

After each mission performance release, fans were encouraged to vote via Weverse and by liking their favorite contestants' fancams on YouTube. Fan votes were taken into consideration in addition to commentary from experts.

## Missions
### Mission 1

During Mission 1, the 20 contestants were split into four groups–two performing vocals and another two performing choreography. The six contestants with the most votes would receive immunity and continue to Mission 2.
Vocal Teams:
* Paramore's "Still Into You": Celeste, Lara, Nayoung, Samara, and Sophia
* Robyn's "Dancing On My Own" x Billie Eilish's "Happier Than Ever": Brooklyn, Iliya, Karlee, Lexie, and Manon
Dance Teams:
* Blackpink's "Pink Venom": Adéla, Daniela, Hinari, Megan, and Ua
* NewJeans's "OMG": Emily, Ezrela, Marquise, Mei, and Yoonchae
The results were released on September 15, 2023. At the end of the mission, Adéla and Hinari were eliminated.

### Mission 2

For Mission 2, the girls traveled to the Hybe headquarters in Seoul and received a surprise appearance from Le Sserafim. The 18 contestants were split into four groups, each assigned one of two of Le Sserafim's songs, either "Fearless" or "Antifragile."
* "Fearless" Team A: Brooklyn, Lexie, Marquise, Mei, and Nayoung
* "Fearless" Team B: Celeste, Daniela, Ezrela, Manon, and Ua
* "Antifragile" Team A: Emily, Lara, Sophia, and Yoonchae
* "Antifragile" Team B: Iliya, Karlee, Megan, and Samara
Results were announced on October 8, with Brooklyn, Iliya, Karlee, and Mei eliminated.
On October 21, Dream Academy announced Lexie's decision to withdraw from the competition, citing the desire to work in music production instead.

### Mission 3

Mission 3 entailed group performances that were uploaded on October 28. Centered on artistry, the mission divided the 13 members into three groups to perform three "iconic" songs and an original choreography.
* Demi Lovato's "Confident": Lara, Marquise, Megan, and Yoonchae
* The Pussycat Dolls' "Buttons": Celeste, Daniela, Manon, Nayoung, and Sophia
* Spice Girls' "Wannabe": Emily, Ezrela, Samara, and Ua
The results were released on November 5, with Celeste, Nayoung, and Ua eliminated.

### Live finale

The live finale premiered at 7 PM PST on YouTube on November 17. The remaining 10 contestants performed original songs for the first time. Two songs were performed in teams of five, "Girls Don't Like" and "Dirty Water", as well as a group performance of "All the Same".
Finale Teams:
* "Girls Don't Like": Daniela, Emily, Marquise, Megan, and Yoonchae
* "Dirty Water": Ezrela, Lara, Manon, Samara, and Sophia
Early fan voting occurred on Weverse from November 10–17 and then live voting occurred for the first 30 minutes of the finale. Fan votes, a panel of three Hybe x Geffen executives, and the input of both labels' CEOs were used to decide the winners. The six slots in the final girl group, named "Katseye", went to Sophia, Lara, Yoonchae, Megan, Daniela, and Manon, eliminating the other four contestants: Samara, Emily, Ezrela and Marquise.

## Reception

On August 28, 2023, Billboard released an article announcing the project and which finalists would compete in the competition series. Elle.com wrote an article on Dream Academy and its contestants on August 29, 2023. On November 5, the group appeared in Elle Korea's November issue. Teen Vogue also chatted with the 10 finalists and discussed the upcoming finale in an exclusive interview released on November 13.

### Netflix series

The full process of the international girl group's creation has been documented along the way and has been released as a Netflix series on August 21, 2024. "Pop Star Academy: Katseye" is directed by Nadia Hallgren and explores the contestants' training and development throughout the project. It was produced by Hybe, Interscope Films, and Boardwalk Pictures.

## List of contestants

The Debut: Dream Academy contestants :
| Name | Age | Nationality | Results | Place |
| Sophia Laforteza | 20 | Philippines | Finale | 1st place |
| Lara Raj | 17 | USA | Finale | 2nd place |
| Daniela Avanzini | 19 | USA | Finale | 3rd place |
| Yoonchae Jeung | 15 | South Korea | Finale | 4th place |
| Megan Skiendiel | 17 | USA | Finale | 5th place |
| Manon Bannerman | 21 | Switzerland | Finale | 6th place |
| Samara Siqueira | 17 | Brazil | Finale | 7th place |
| Ezrela Abraham | 20 | Australia | Finale | 8th place |
| Emily Kelavos | 17 | USA | Finale | 9th place |
| Marquise Auramornrat | 17 | Thailand | Finale | 10th place |
| Nayoung Lee | 21 | South Korea | Mission 3 | 11th place |
| Celeste Diaz | 21 | Argentina | Mission 3 | 12th place |
| Ua Shimada | 15 | Japan | Mission 3 | 13th place |
| Lexie Levin | 19 | Sweden | Mission 2 | 14th place (quit) |
| Mei Terada | 17 | Japan | Mission 2 | 15th place |
| Iliya Fedartsova | 21 | Belarus | Mission 2 | 16th place |
| Brooklyn Van Zandt | 17 | USA | Mission 2 | 17th place |
| Karlee Tanaka | 19 | USA | Mission 2 | 18th place |
| Hinari Irie | 14 | Japan | Mission 1 | 19th place |
| Adéla Jergova | 19 | Slovakia | Mission 1 | 20th place |

## Post-show activities

* The top six debuted as Katseye on June 28, 2024.

### Other contestants

* On March 18, 2024, Nayoung Lee was revealed as a contestant on the JTBC survival show Girls On Fire. She placed 1st in the final episode, making her a member of the show's final lineup.
* Mei Terada joined Inkode and debuted as a member of Say My Name on October 16, 2024.
* Several contestants released music independently: Adéla Jergova; mononymously under the name Adéla, Brooklyn Van Zandt, and Iliya Fedartsova; mononymously under the name Iliya.