I’ll be your idol: Youngest Korean local election candidate wins spot in J-pop group instead (VIDEO)

SEOUL, June 17 — Oh Shin‑haeng, who made headlines four years ago as the youngest person ever to run in a Korean local election, is preparing for a completely different stage: a debut as a J‑pop idol.

According to the Hankook Ilbo, Oh secured fourth place in the Japanese audition program Produce 101 Japan Shinsekai on June 9, earning him a spot in the show’s final debut lineup and paving the way for his launch as a member of the upcoming boy group KO1KEYZ.

Oh first entered the public eye in 2022 when a revision to the Public Official Election Act lowered the minimum candidate age from 25 to 18. Then 18, he ran as an independent for a Muan County Council seat in South Jeolla Province, becoming the youngest candidate in Korean electoral history. He finished last with 990 votes, or 5.88 percent, in a district swept by the Democratic Party of Korea.

Japanese entertainment media have since taken interest in Oh’s unusual background, spotlighting his shift from politics to pop culture.

His father, Oh Won‑ok, told Yonhap News Agency that he hopes his son “does his best in the life he has chosen” and grows into someone who “looks out for those around him.”

Oh is expected to make his official debut in Japan later this year.

Curious? Check out his official fancam below: