Monsta X: From survival to survivors
Monsta X is a boy group formed by Starship Entertainment. The boys made their way to debut through a survival show called No.Mercy, which was aired on Mnet in December 2014. The seven trainees that made it to the end were chosen as the group’s members. They are Wonho, I.M, Minhyuk, Shownu, Jooheon, Kihyun and Hyungwon.
Pre Debut Journey
The seven boys were once the contestants of Mnet’s survival show, No.Mercy. They had to compete with other trainees to be able to achieve their debut. They were given missions throughout the program. On their last mission, the nine remaining trainees were asked to make a 3-by-3 group and performed. That night, two trainees were eliminated and the final seven lineup was determined. I.M was added to the show midway but managed to snatch a spot in the final lineup. You can even watch the full episode of No.Mercy in StarshipTV YouTube account!
Monsta X Official Debut
On May 14, 2015, Starship Entertainment officially debuted the seven trainees as Monsta X. The group released an extended play, titled Trespass. Their title song shared the same name as the EP. It was produced by Rhymer and described as a “strong and edgy track that reflects Monsta X’s unique character”. The music video of the song was released on May 13, 2015. It has now reached over 14 million views on 1theK YouTube account. Even though the group had not been selling well digitally, their physical sales were decent. Through the survival show, the group definitely didn’t appear as total strangers to the audiences. Their unique sound also attracted many fans, which later on, call themselves Monbebe (French: my baby).
Monsta X Debut Stage
Monsta X performed their debut single ‘Tresspass‘ on Mnet’s M! Countdown following the release of their mini-album and music video. The members have been well-trained and well-prepared for their debut stage. The use the concept of a prison in presenting their stage. During the intro, a huge cell door is lifted up, “releasing” the boys into the stage to perform. Their energy is tremendous. Armed with youthful energy, the members deliver a spectacular debut stage. Smiles are plastered on their faces as they certainly look happy to be on the stage, performing for their fans. Check out their first debut stage on May 14, 2015, below:
Monsta X Japanese Debut
After two years debuting in South Korea, Monsta X expanded their wings to the neighboring country of Japan. The group release the Japanese version of their previous songs, ‘Hero‘ and ‘Stuck‘, with the first song as the debut track. On April 14, 2017, the music video ‘Hero‘ was released. The digital single itself was released on May 17, 2017. The day it was released, it sat at No. 2 on Oricon single chart. In fact, when the album was released, it became the first foreign artist’s album that sat on the chart’s Top 3.
