[U-NEXT, Inc.] Preview footage of Episode 1 of “HIP POP Princess” released! Will the “self-introduction cipher” produce a new famous quote? A serious microphone battle breaks out during their first meeting
U-NEXT Co., Ltd. Press release: October 1, 2025 To Members of the Press “HIP POP Princess” Episode 1 Preview Released! Will the “Self-Introduction Cipher” Lead to the Creation of a New Famous Quote? A serious microphone battle breaks out during their first meeting. Streaming simultaneously and exclusively in Japan and Korea on Thursday, October 16, 2025 on U-NEXT U-NEXT, a video streaming service operated by U-NEXT Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tenshin Tsutsumi), a subsidiary of the USEN & U-NEXT GROUP, has released a sneak peek at the first episode of “Unpretty Rapstar: HIP POP Princess” (hereinafter “HIP POP Princess”), a joint
Japanese-Korean survival audition program on Mnet that will be streamed simultaneously in Japan and Korea and exclusively in Japan. [Episode 1 Pre-release video]https://youtu.be/kw0mp3d9tQ4
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/31998/2444/31998-2444-c91bec6c28542d349b3e253467dfbd39-1600×2250.jpg (C)Mnet “HIP POP Princess” is a new project by Mnet to create a joint Japanese-Korean hip-hop girl group. Participants will be personally involved in all processes, including music, choreography, styling, and video production, to express their individual uniqueness. Through collaboration as well as competition, they will weave a new story of growth. In the preview footage of Episode 1 just released, the Japanese and Korean participants meet for the first time and take on the first mission, the “Self-Introduction Cipher.” As the beat begins to play, the first participant to grab the microphone performs an impromptu rap. As if taking over the legendary phrase that Jessi once said in “Unpretty Rapstar,” “We’re not a team. This is competition,” the participants of “HIP POP Princess” also confidently declared, “We’ll show you how it’s done,” capturing everyone’s attention with their impressive performance. Kwon Do-hee, ranked 9th in Korea, was the first to take the microphone, instantly garnering attention with her relaxed rap and confident performance, showcasing MC So-yeon. Next up was Kim Do-yi, ranked 7th. The moment she took the microphone, she completely transformed from her cute appearance to captivating the audience with her sharp gaze and stormy, high-speed rap. The Japanese participants were no less energetic. While nervous and anxious at the beginning, the Japanese participants transformed the moment they picked up the microphone, dominating the atmosphere. Kokoro, who placed seventh, swept away her previously reserved demeanor and demonstrated a powerful presence with her deep, powerful rap. Reno, who placed sixth, made a striking impression with her fast rap and precise diction, even surrounded by Korean participants. Towards the end of the video, the top contestants, ranked 5th through 2nd, began an even more intense battle for the microphone, raising the tension to a fever pitch. MC Soyeon commented, “The Korean girls had a clean finish, while the Japanese girls’ raw power really stood out,” and spoke of her expectations for the chemistry that the Japanese and Korean contestants would create. Since the preview footage was released, viewers have already been engaged in a heated cheering battle for the “One Pick” participants, with passionate comments such as, “The dopamine rush of the rap battle is incredible.” The constant cheers for the energetic and unique participants are building even more anticipation for the main broadcast. “HIP POP Princess” is a joint Korean hip-hop girl group project where participants with different identities, including hip-hop, K-pop, and J-pop, challenge themselves by transcending language, culture, and generational barriers. The show brings together top producers from various fields, including i-dle’s Soyeon, Gaeko, RIEHATA, and Takanori Iwata (Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS). The show will be available exclusively on U-NEXT from Thursday, October 16th. Be sure to check it out. “Unpretty Rapstar: HIP POP Princess” Streaming start date: Thursday, October 16, 2025 *New episodes released every Thursday Streaming information: U-NEXT / Unlimited viewing (exclusive domestic distribution) / Japanese subtitles (C)Mnet U-NEXT U-NEXT is the video streaming service with the largest number of titles available for unlimited viewing*. Enjoy over 400,000 titles, including movies, dramas, and anime. You can also watch live music and stage performances, as well as the world’s top sports, including soccer, golf, and martial arts, in real time. We also offer over 1.21 million manga and books, providing a genre-bending entertainment experience that seamlessly combines video, books, sports, and live performances in one app. By integrating with Paravi in July 2023, we’ll offer an even more compelling service with a large lineup of dramas and variety shows from TBS and TV Tokyo. U-NEXT Inc. is a group company of U-NEXT HOLDINGS Inc. (Head office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Uno Yasuhide). U-NEXT: https://video.unext.jp U-NEXT SQUARE: https://square.unext.jp *Researched by GEM Partners as of July 2025 Survey of foreign films, Japanese films, foreign dramas, Korean & Asian dramas, domestic dramas, and anime on major domestic
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