Filipina trainee Elisia Parmisano secures K-pop debut in 'Universe Ticket'
Another Filipina is set to make waves in the K-pop scene!
Elisia Parmisano became the first idol trainee to secure a K-pop debut on the South Korean survival show Universe Ticket for its new girl group.
On Thursday, Jan. 11, the 14-year-old protege earned a PRISM ticket after attaining the “P” ranking, the highest ranking on the show. She also garnered 553,483.4 points from fan votes.
Elisia is the first member in the lineup of the new girl group, which will debut under the entertainment company F&F.
Pinoy celebrities including Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez and actress Marian Rivera extended their congratulatory messages to Elisia.
“This little girl is all grown up now and making a name for herself in the K-pop world. Congratulations Elisia we are very proud of you,” Regine wrote, sharing a carousel post of her and Elisia in her younger years.
“OMG MIRACLE all your hard work and sacrifice is paying off,” celebrity doctor Vicki Belo commented.
“Congratulations sa’yo! Ipagpatuloy mo ang mga pangarap na ‘yan at alam kong marami ka pang magagawa at mararating, kaya naman God bless you more. We are so proud of you!” said Marian in a video greeting posted on her Instagram story.
Other Filipina contestants who are still vying for a spot in the eight-member group are Gehlee Dangca, who is currently on rank “R,” and Filipino-Korean Jin Hyeon-ju or Belle, who is currently ranked 10th.
Another Filipina trainee, Aya Natsumi, was eliminated in the sixth episode.
The panel of judges and mentors includes singer and actress Kim Se-jeong, Hyoyeon of Girls' Generation, singer Younha, record producer Adora, Rian of La Chica, as well as Yeji and Chaeryeong of ITZY.
Around 82 contestants are competing for a K-pop debut on the show. They are categorized into five levels depending on their performance in each episode: P, R, I, S, and M. The candidates came from different countries, including South Korea, Japan, China, the Philippines, Italy, Mongolia, Australia, and Canada, among others.
Prior to Elisia, 20-year-old Sophia Laforteza also made headlines in 2023 after becoming the first member of K-pop girl group KATSEYE under HYBE Labels and Geffen Records.