JTBC announced the panel of judges for its upcoming idol audition show Peak Time on December 20, 2022.
The judging lineup boasts some of the top second-generation K-pop idols, including SUPER JUNIOR’s Kyuhyun, WINNER’s Song Mino, Jay Park, Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany Young, Highlight’s Lee Gi-kwang and INFINITE’s Kim Sung-kyu.
Apart from the six idols, SM Entertainment's performance director Shim Jae-won and renowned producer Ryan Jhun will also be part of the judges' panel on the show.
According to a producer on the show, the makers have put a lot of thought into selecting the judges for Peak Time. Their statement, as reported by Newsen, said:
“We put a lot of effort into forming the judging panel. And since this is Korea’s first audition show that is being conducted via teams, viewers can look forward to seeing judging that evaluates the overall potential of the team that goes beyond the individuals as evaluated by eight [judges] with different colors.”
The network also released a teaser to fuel excitement for the show, which is expected to be released sometime in the first half of 2023.
JTBC announces mentors and host for Peak Time
Peak Time will be a one-of-a-kind audition show that provides previously debuted boy groups another chance to change their description from "ruined idol" to "worldwide idol group."
Over the course of the show, the idols will be mentored by experts as they prepare for a showcase.
JTBC announced that in addition to being the judges, Jay Park, Tiffany, Gikwang, and Sungkyu will also act as mentors for the participants on the show.
After seeing a few of the groups perform during filming, Jay Park said in a statement to Newsen:
"I don’t know why these gems haven’t been able to see the light until now."
JTBC also announced that singer and actor Lee Seung-gi, who has recently been caught up in controversy, will be the emcee for the programme.
The actor was highly praised for his hosting skills on the two seasons of Sing Again, JTBC's previous hit audition show for singers.
"Can't wait": Peak Time's judging lineup, emcee, and teaser spark excitement among fans
The star studded lineup of judges and Lee Seung-gi's official announcement as the host sent fans into a frenzy. Many said they couldn't wait to watch the show, especially for the interactions between all the judges and the emcee.
The teaser released by JTBC on December 21, 2022 further sparked curiosity among fans, as only the participants' silhouettes and voice overs were revealed.
Many took to Twitter to express their excitement for the show's release and to guess which idol groups will be featured on the show.
Peak Time had opened the slot for contestants to send applications on their website back in June 2022.