STARSHIP Entertainment is officially giving six familiar survival show trainees a long awaited debut, this time as part of its new boy group AEN. The seven member Korean and Japanese team is set to arrive with their first EP A NEW ERA OF NOW on August 5, 2026 at 6 p.m. KST.
For anyone who followed the survival show Debut’s Plan, the Starship AEN debut feels like a second chapter. Six of the members once competed for a spot in STARSHIP’s first project group IDID, and are now returning in a Korea Japan joint group produced with Japanese company AMUSE, backed by performance films for songs like Clockwise and Focus On Me.
Starship’s AEN Debut: Name, Concept, and EP Details
AEN is a seven member boy group under STARSHIP Entertainment and AMUSE, based in Seoul with a clear plan to be active in both South Korea and Japan. Their debut EP is titled A NEW ERA OF NOW, which is also the phrase behind their group name.
The name AEN abbreviates “A New Era of Now,” hinting at a concept built around a new generation that creates and redefines the present moment. In Japanese, AEN is described as meaning “eternity,” tying their identity to steady growth instead of a quick trend cycle.
On June 1, 2026, STARSHIP opened AEN’s official social media accounts and confirmed the seven member lineup. The company also revealed that AEN is a formal joint project with AMUSE, with activities planned on both sides of the Korea Japan border.
After that, the debut schedule rolled out quickly. AEN’s greeting showcase in Tokyo took place on June 27, followed by a debut scheduler poster on June 26, a cinematic trailer for A NEW ERA OF NOW on June 28, and a tracklist reveal on June 29.
The tracklist announcement confirmed that every song on A NEW ERA OF NOW will appear in both Korean and Japanese versions. Performance films for Clockwise on July 1 and Focus On Me on July 9 gave fans an early look at AEN’s choreography, teamwork, and visual direction ahead of the August 5 debut.
From Debut’s Plan to AEN: The Survival Show Connection
To understand why AEN already feels familiar, it helps to go back to Debut’s Plan, also known as part of the “NewKids on the STARSHIP” project. The show premiered on March 14, 2025 with 21 trainees competing to transform from “imperfect” rookies into “perfect” idols through seven themed missions.
Judging combined scores from the agency’s Board with global fan votes in the final stages, and the original purpose was to form boy group IDID. That group eventually debuted on September 15, 2025 with the mini album I did it, becoming STARSHIP’s first boy group to come out of the NewKids project.
Six future AEN members, then known as Jin Bo Min, Kim Ji Yong, Jang Kyu Hyun, Miyata Haru, Lee Jun Seo, and Suzuki Kaira, were among those 21 trainees. They did not end up in IDID’s final lineup, but the show already introduced their vocals, dancing, and stage presence to viewers.
Debut’s Plan was also packed with high profile mentors, including MONSTA X members, WJSN’s Yeonjung, CRAVITY members, and IVE’s Gaeul and Liz. That coaching, plus the intense mission structure, set up a narrative where trainees who did not make IDID still felt too developed to disappear, which is exactly where AEN comes in.
AEN Members: Debut’s Plan Alumni and a New Japanese Rookie
AEN brings those six familiar faces back together with one completely new member, creating a lineup that feels both known and mysterious. The group includes four Korean members and three Japanese members, a balance that fits their bilingual concept and joint management.
- Bomin – Korean, former Debut’s Plan contestant
- Jiyong – Korean, former Debut’s Plan contestant
- Kyuhyun – Korean, former Debut’s Plan contestant
- Haru – Japanese, former Debut’s Plan contestant
- Junseo – Korean, former Debut’s Plan contestant
- Kaira – Japanese, maknae, former Debut’s Plan contestant
- Haruto – Japanese, new member who did not appear on Debut’s Plan
For fans of the survival show, Bomin, Jiyong, Kyuhyun, Haru, Junseo, and Kaira represent a clear “second chance” storyline. They trained in front of cameras, were evaluated by the Board and viewers, and then spent another year preparing for a debut that matches their experience level.
Haruto is the wild card. As the only member who did not compete on Debut’s Plan, he arrives without that reality show backstory but anchors AEN’s Japanese side alongside Haru and Kaira.
Performance films for Clockwise and Focus On Me hint at how the seven fit together. The videos lean heavily on synchronized formations and close up shots that let each member stand out, which is important for rookies introducing themselves to audiences in two languages at the same time.
In STARSHIP’s boy group lineup, AEN follow CRAVITY and IDID as the next generation, but with the most explicit Korea Japan focus yet. For US K pop fans, the key dates to watch are the August 5 release of A NEW ERA OF NOW, the official music video and performance stages likely to follow, and the way AEN balance activities between Korean music shows and Japanese promotions once their “new era” officially begins.