Oh Shin-haeng, a former South Korean local election candidate who garnered attention as the youngest contender for a local council seat in Muan, South Jeolla Province in 2022, is now set to make his debut as a member of the new Japanese idol group KO1KEYZ, following his success on a popular survival competition show.
The 22-year-old Oh Shin-haeng secured his spot in the J-pop idol group KO1KEYZ by finishing fourth in the live finale of the Japanese audition program “Produce 101 Japan Shinsekai” on June 9, earning an impressive 481,415 votes.
He joins Park Si-young, 23, who placed third, making them the two Korean members in the newly formed KO1KEYZ group.
The widely followed “Produce 101 Japan Shinsekai” is the fourth installment of the “Produce 101 Japan” series, which is a successful spin-off of the original South Korean show “Produce 101.” Out of 121 initial trainees, 101 advanced to the intense competition stage, vying for a coveted spot in the final 12-member lineup.
In South Korea’s 2022 local elections, an 18-year-old Oh Shin-haeng famously campaigned for a seat on the Muan County Council, standing out as the youngest candidate in his electoral district.
Beyond his political aspirations, Oh Shin-haeng has a strong background in youth and civic initiatives. He previously served as the youth committee chair of the Jeonnam Coalition for Climate Crisis Carbon Neutrality 2050, spearheaded the Jeonnam Youth Future Challenge Project, and managed an international volunteer program in Uganda.
Notably, his father, Oh Won-ok, also ran in the same 2022 election, drawing considerable attention to their rare father-and-son candidacies. While neither was elected, both did not seek office in this year’s elections on June 3.
junheee
