AnYul After "Universe League": Did He Make The Right Move Debuting Solo Before AHOF?

One of the recent artists to make a solo debut in the K-Pop industry is AnYul, best known for competing in SBS’s “Universe League.” This TV survival show formed a new idol boy group called All-Time Hall Of Famer (AHOF).

What's interesting about AnYul’s debut is that it happened before AHOF officially entered the K-Pop world. This is an unusual move for a survival show participant who was unable to be included in the final debut lineup of the project group. This raises the question whether he or his company made the right decision. Let's examine it further.

A Brief Introduction to Who Former "Universe League" Contestant AnYul Is

AnYul is a K-Pop solo artist who made his debut under No. 1 ENM on April 2. However, his exclusive contract with the company ended on April 30.

He is popularly known for being a contestant in SBS’s “Universe League,” which aired from November 2024 to January 2025. Aged 15, he was one of the youngest participants at that time. “Universe League” is the male version of “Universe Ticket,” which featured female trainees and created the rookie girl group UNIS.

AnYul Official Instagram

Before “Universe League,” AnYul competed in other survival shows at a young age. He appeared in “Voice King,” “Kookmin Singer,” and “Burning Trotman.” Since the semi-finals of “Voice King” in 2021, people adored him for appearing like the little version of the famous trot singer Lim YoungWoong. He has since been known as a trot singer.

Considering his long history of competing in singing programs, it's no wonder he joined the SBS survival show.

Journey of AnYul in the SBS Survival Show “Universe League”

Before we examine AnYul’s solo debut, let's look back on his journey on “Universe League.”

In the first episode, contestants were on Stage P (Pick). The 42 trainees were divided into seven groups, and each performed a song. Mentors from Team Rhythm, Team Groove, and Team Beat had to choose one participant from each team to be a part of their “Starting Players.”

At that time, AnYul was part of a group full of teen contestants of the “Universe League.” They performed THE BOYZ’s ‘Thrill Ride.’ He was selected as Team Beat's second pick after their first choice, Park JuWon, joined another team (Team Rhythm).

During the stage R (Represent), AnYul participated in the Starting Team’s performance of tripleS’s ‘Boys Never Die.’ Unfortunately, Team Beat placed last among the three groups (including Team Rhythm and Team Groove) after combining the votes from onsite viewers for the starting and bench players.

Stage I (Intercept) came next. AnYul was part of Team Beat's starting lineup for the performance of "Mamma Mia (Who We Are).” Despite a spirited performance, they lost to Team Groove’s bench team. Hence, they were unable to officially release the song, which their mentor EL CAPITXN produced for them.

During Stage S (Seven), AnYul was featured in the Team Beat starting lineup’s performances of ‘My, My, My’ and ‘ON&ON.’ Despite the team's efforts, they placed last in this round after combining onsite and online votes. This led to AnYul receiving a Yellow Card. Subsequently, he was traded to Team Groove, where he joined their bench lineup.

The final stage, M (Move), saw AnYul getting eliminated. Only 21 trainees were chosen to compete in the last round, with each team having seven players. Unfortunately, AnYul wasn't selected by the mentors. In the end, he ranked 29th after merging the votes of onsite and online fans.

AnYul Makes Solo Debut Following “Universe League”

On March 27, No. 1 ENM announced that AnYul will release a debut single album to mark his new beginning as a solo singer. At the same time, the company revealed a teaser image showing the singer wearing a blue T-shirt and glasses.

AnYul said through his agency, “I would like to thank the fans for their support and love. I’ve worked hard to perform better since ‘Universe League,’ and I want to showcase my newfound charm with this album.”

No. 1 ENM Official Website

His album “Heart on Fire” officially came out on April 2, along with the title track of the same name. As of writing, the music video for his song has reached 1.9 million views.

AnYul debuting as a K-Pop artist before the project group created through the survival show he participated in is an unusual move. We often see eliminated contestants going back to training, returning to their home countries, or focusing on their studies.

If eliminated participants do debut, they are commonly part of an idol group or will debut as a soloist after a long time. A few notable examples include former “SIXTEEN” contestant Natty and former “Girls Planet 999” contestant Shana. Natty began her solo singing career five years after TWICE’s debut, while Shana debuted as a member of LAPILLUS.

Meanwhile, former “Universe Ticket” competitors Kim ChaeWon, Vanesya, Kwon YeJin, and Aya Natsumi were all announced as a members of rookie or upcoming idol groups. Unlike them, it seems like No. 1 ENM has a different plan for AnYul.

Strategic Advantages of AnYul’s Solo Debut After “Universe League”

Now, let's touch on our main topic: Is AnYul debuting before AHOF a brilliant move? Let's first examine the advantages.