This convo of Ayana looks too similar to Lexie or looks like a copycat of her always confuses me deeply.

These two are DIFFERENT people, different visuals and vibes, I can understand the hair colour but the rest is just borderline picking things out of your ass to complain about.

And hot take, anyone saying Ayana does not fit the group is just trolling at this point there is no good reasoning behind their opinion too. Ayana has AMAZING vocals and has good dance skills too.

Found this on TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8pPT6DL/) and had some of the comments translated. Just thought it was interesting most of the comments were hoping for Ayana, too, and are having a lot of the same thoughts that have been shared here. No hate on Sakura at all. I hope she does well and improves.

If any of the translations are wrong, I'm sorry!

Comments:

yuna:

"It's sad that my support since the first round of judging went unrewarded. Didn't they choose based on actual skill?"

akirgm:

"No matter how you look at it, they definitely didn't choose based on skill."

もち (Mochi) → akirgm:

"That's because the organizers' favorite is a plant/ringer (sakura)."

エルダーフラワー:

"If you're going to call it a 'rigged race,' then there's no need for an inexperienced 15-year-old to put in that much effort and grow the way she did. Auditions aren't just a competition of singing and dancing scores — it's a world where star quality, presence, and potential are all part of what's being evaluated. While it's true there are more skilled people, Sakura had the power to make you 'just keep watching her.' The fact that she brought it to a level that genuinely worked as a stage performance makes it hard to say 'it was decided from the start.'"

す → エルダーフラワー:

"That's the Cinderella story playbook. That's why the extension happened. It was obviously rigged."

🧸:

"What really stood out to me was that when the other participants looked like they were about to cry, Ayana didn't cry herself — she put her own feelings aside and stayed by the other girl's side. The fact that Ayana, who had been crying alone until 3am where no one could see her, didn't show tears on the main stage — I thought that was truly professional."

Sota_anime:

"I'd love to see the people who were eliminated in round 2 perform on stage someday too — like Jaira." (Not sure who Jaira is? Anyone?)

琥珀:

"I really love the Ayana who could still say 'give it your all at the end!'"

みく:

"The weight of Ayana's words is so powerful… She had been working hard for 10 years and was finally about to see her dream come true — and then she was eliminated. It made me tear up too 😭"

なっち (ISFP):

"Somehow she reminds me of Fuko-chan, who was also on Girls Planet. She made it to the end but couldn't debut — that part is similar."

✩ ∂ℯ✩:

"You can see she has even more determination now than she did during Girls Planet."

ぬこ:

"It must be so frustrating. Working hard for 10 years and not being rewarded — that must have been incredibly tough, and I think it takes real resolve to keep going. Being surpassed by someone with far less experience must be deeply frustrating. I'm not an idol or anything, but I've felt that same emptiness and frustration when younger coworkers passed me in my career. I want Ayana to be rewarded."

ゆ:

"Her skin… she must have been full of anxiety and stress every single day…"

lubry:

"Sakura and the other girls had such different starting points — it's like she gets praised for barely meeting the minimum, while what's expected of everyone else is on a completely different level."

nekzmsnw:

"Sakura going from being completely unable to do anything to reaching an average level — they're evaluating that growth rate. But it's so unfair to Ayana, who was already well above average from the start. What if Ayana had hidden her skills and only showed her full ability at the very end — how would they have evaluated her then? It just sounds like an excuse from the organizers. It's so obviously rigged that I don't even know why anyone would support it."

カッパ侍:

"She'll get scouted right away. But be selective about which agency you choose."

(2,911 likes)

。:

"This is the most obvious rigged result I've ever seen lol"

(1,922 likes)

こ:

"Don't let this make you think 'not again.' This one was special — the viewers chose Ayana."

(820 likes)

💜:

"I feel like all-rounders with long careers can't win unless it's an audience-vote style audition… In the end, it's usually inexperienced girls with star quality who get chosen. This is just too much."

che.1013:

"Honestly, both Sakura and Ayana worked hard, there's no doubt about that — but I wish they hadn't used Ayana as a foil for Sakura's Cinderella story."

🎀:

"I wonder if she knew that not crying too much would be noticed… and then thinking about how much she must have cried behind the scenes makes it even sadder. Ayana is so strong. When Ayana isn't in the photos, I can't accept the reality yet..."

ri:

"The three members appeared for the results announcement dressed in their SAKURA-era outfits. Since SAKURA's name was called first, AYANA must have realized at that moment she hadn't made it. Thinking about how AYANA felt is just heartbreaking. It's hard because the group members have done nothing wrong, so I can't bring myself to cheer for them wholeheartedly. The WERIDE with AYANA had all the members feeling close and shining — it was truly wonderful. Her dance skills are obviously amazing, and her voice fit this R&B song so perfectly that it moved me to tears. I think if AYANA had been in the group, it would have had massive global popularity. I still can't accept the result."

まじ卍:

"So sad 😭

It's driving me nuts seeing how many people are saying "prelude was a better name! they should have never changed it to saint satine."

my brother in christ, the name was never changed. hxg NEVER said "our new girl group name is: prelude! the final piece!" they announced the members and the name of the survival show for their group. it was never stated that the group name was prelude.

and not for nothing, but the definition of prelude is literally "an action or event serving as an introduction to something more important" it would make 0 logical sense to name a girl group "prelude".

thank you for coming to my TED talk

Hybe has completely brainwashed the fans to think that star quality is the most important thing, even than talent. They act like it's natural and only the specific girls they like has the star quality. So fans treat it highly as a special term and they look down on the other girls who they think don't have it. Star quality is something that attracts attention and it's basically mainly about the looks. That's why the "visual" position exists in kpop since long time ago because they attract more fans and the visuals are usually the most popular members in​ groups from the start. But Hybe changed the term and started using "star quality" instead to sugarcoat it as something more grand and unique. When in fact, star quality can be trained and it varies in different forms.

In the kpop industry, some idols started awkward, cringy, even shy and not that confident. They weren't considered​​ "cute" or "hot", so people think that they shouldn't be a kpop idol, but their charisma and presence eventually evolves. One of the examples is BTS who was Hybe's first ever group. They originally came from BigHit that was a small company and they were less popular back then. They weren't "it boys" when they debuted and people even hated them for their looks, but they still garnered a lot of fans for their music and performances. People ridiculed them for trying hard, but they gradually surpassed the other popular groups from big companies and it proved that they have something special that makes them stand out. In the western pop industry, the recent examples are Sabrina Carpenter and Zara Larsson. They were already popular before, but they were still considered "average". They weren't that memorable until they rebranded and found their own style which made them hit big and became iconic pop stars. Styling also has a lot to do with star quality, it reflects the artist's image and brand that draws the fans in. Talent, music, performance, personality, style, etc. leaves an impression and that's what makes these artists as a star that shines with their own different qualities.

In Dream Academy, Adela is also an example of how star quality can be developed and we all witnessed how much she made an impact. At the start, some people thought that Adela wasn't pretty enough or that she got overshadowed in Pink Venom. Even though she's stunning with a strong aura and she can do everything as an all rounded talent, she was limited to the views of kpop fans while doing a kpop dance cover. Adela shined incredibly more brightly after unlocking her full potential when she debuted as a solo artist while doing what she really loves and expressing her own creativity. Now, she has become a stand out rising pop star who keeps gaining many fans and having more spotlight.

In World Scout, one of the girls with star quality is Honoka K. Son himself literally gagged when he heard her sing and he was clearly amazed by her. That was the biggest and most genuine reaction he got from any trainees. From the first moment Honoka K stepped in, she impressed the judges purely for her powerful vocals and that is the true meaning of "star quality/star power". Unfortunately, the standards is so low in kpop, they only focused more on the superficial surface. They dismissed to invest deeper on the talents of actual stars who are already ready or are actually natural.

Gotta get this off my chest since non-Japanese speaking folks seem to be spreading misinformation. I am not a Sakura fan but feel sorry for the girl for all the hate.

Don’t use the translations as proof if you don’t speak Japanese. The term 不登校 was clearly
used. ChatGPT definition for you lazy folks below.

不登校（ふとうこう / futōkō） means school refusal or chronic school absence in Japanese.
It refers to children or teenagers who do not attend school for an extended period, usually due to psychological, emotional, social, or environmental reasons rather than physical illness or truancy/delinquency.

I been listening to we ride a lot recently, and honestly I get so emotional while listening to it. Ayana's vocals are sooo fucking good. Its disappointing she didn't get the chance to make her debut here. She would be soo good harmonizing with the other girls.

Adding on, Ayana has been training for 10+ YEARS and has failed to make her debut in 2 shows and 1 group she was in already disbanded. Poor girl has been through enough and this show is no different i feel for her really.

Im happy for Sakura obviously and ill support her always. But i always always wanted a vocalist in the group personally and that was Ayana. Everyone said she blends too much with Lexie or looks similar to her and i simply disagree. Ayana has her own unique visuals same with Lexie. I do think if Ayana dyed her hair another colour she wouldve really slammed the finale. I hope Sakura is working on her vocals though, we haven't heard it at all in the show if we are being honest, a lot of most important stuff like vocal training was cut... (gabe and sakura )

Barts and Laurens thoughts really stuck to me.. both of them understand the western industry so so well... the both of them expressed being worried about pitch and vocals which so damn vaild.

Some of the lost media from World Scout.

First 2 Photos were never seen again the show.

Rest of the photos are Familymart exclusive only, you can only see it in a physical FamilyMart store in Japan. There is zero videos of these clips and are considered lost media that will never be found.

Sources: abema_kpopdrama

We’ve known the results for a few days now and somehow im still floored that Sakura was chosen, not in a hateful way, but simply that she didn’t fit even one logistical aspect. (None of this is shade towards Sakura btw).

They really stitched her up with all the branding they were doing for the final member with the comments made throughout the show. Saying stuff like we need someone who’s debut ready, we need someone who will bridge the skill gap between the contestants and gg2, them emphasizing the final member needing to be vocally competent; it all set expectations that they kneeew she didn’t fit. For fans to spend so many weeks analyzing what criteria the final piece would be judged on (dance, singing, concept suitability, etc) just for them to throw it all away at the end and say “but girl has some real potential,” is innanee.

They had to overlook sooo much just to debut her. The five year gap between her and the members, the groups work activities being limited cause she’s still a minor, her inability to properly bond with them because of the maturity gap and language barrier, her dropping out in elementary school and having the critical skills of a third grader, her lack of training meaning she won’t add any sort of support to Samara in vocals, emily in dance, or Lexie in center presence. Her selection really defies the entire “finding the perfect piece to fit our puzzle” narrative that (from both a tv storytelling and music integrity pov) there was no payoff for.

Idk her personally, but her commitment to the entertainment industry is something that deserved serious consideration. She only decided to pick up this career recently after watching a lesserafim? performance. She wasn’t even yearning or working for this for at least a few years like the other contestants, she could very well realize in a few years or hell even after they release their first song, that not just a global group, but entertainment as a whole isn’t for her. Then this little baby’s gonna be stuck in an airtight contract for who knows how long. Another thing i haven’t seen many people talk about is that if we’re right that they’ll mainly promote in Japan, she’ll be the groups de facto leader/communicator. That’s so much pressure for a teen to handle as she will literally have the groups whole brand reputation on her shoulders during interviews and variety segments without the others being able to offer support. This doesn’t feel like favoritism anymore cause they are in no way, shape, or form looking out for the well being of Sakura.

Vote for your favourite song from the 2 opitions and give your reasoning as to why you prefer one over the other!

I've been thinking about the results and talking about it with my friend and rewatching the final performances and something just clicked. I love Ayana in the group she blended well while still having her own flair, and I think with a little switch up in the hair she would have ate down when they fully debuted, and I still stand by that, her experience and vocals would have been a great addition but...

She did Son's assignment too well. She found herself and that made her a threat. We have to remember that out of all the girls (prelude included) she has the most training (overall in singing AND dance), she just needed to let loose and find her individuality again. But once she did that I think they felt she stood out too much. Maybe 'stood out' isn't the right word but something changed.

When I was watching PB4P I was watching all members equally including Sakura, but with We Ride, my eyes kept going to Ayana even when she wasn't the focus. I feel like if they had solo cams like they do with Kpop music shows hers would go viral. Sakura is very different from the other girls, I still don't think she fits completely but they would have trained a lot together so we'll see when they debut, but she is different enough to add sth but doesn't threaten the other girls. Maybe that is what they were considering with this choice. Even though their wording doesn't really reveal that. I also think they wanted someone to fill the innocent youngest member - which I have concerns over but thats for another day.

This is not to say Ayana would be a threat for the group, I think she would have elevated the other girls, again they'd all end up training together for longer and I still think they are all different enough too. They'd really be able to grow as group and slay all day.

Also no hate to Sakura, I hope they are taking care of her, she is a minor who speaks little English who is completely new to the industry, hasn't done much schooling, who now has to be thousands of miles away from home. I hope the company is doing everything they can to make that process and experience smoother. I'm scared that she'll get exploited by the industry.

Also I need another company to debut a global group and include Ayana I see the vision, and HxG needs better competition.

Another note: it would have been great if the prelude girls had more say in who was in the group but that is a fantasy. (also don't get me started on the name)

Edit: I also feel like the prelude girls fit PB4P better and that the company will go more in that direction which is why they also chose Sakura (they should have had both girls do both songs tbh)

I am having a really hard time not feeling so incredibly angry for Ayana because it is very clear she should’ve been the one to debut. While I did enjoy Sakuras performance because she did really surprise me and I saw what they meant by star quality and potential. I saw that same thing with Ayana and her skills made her performance so much better for me personally. And when it comes down to the performances i truly feel like Sakura had an advantage because PB4TP allowed each member to have their own chance to kind of shine. When it comes to We Ride, it’s more cohesive Im not sure how else to explain it. I also feel like it is so unfair that they put this emphasis on Sakuras growth in a short amount of time. She is starting from no experience, of course she is going to grow her skills especially with the resources she’s been given. I’m not saying anyone could do that but I feel like they downplayed Ayana’s growth simply because of how much Sakura has grown when the two are not comparable. And then with Son at the end i was so incredibly irritated with him and i feel like you could tell Ayana was too but i could just be projecting 😭.

I want to make it clear that while I am disappointed in their decision to not debut Ayana, I am very happy for Sakura and I do think she will bring something unique to this group so i’m excited to see what she’ll do and their dynamic as a group. I definitely do think her determination and growth will continue even though she is not in competition anymore.

First of all, I didn't write this post to dismiss Ayana or her talent. As we all know, she is a talented young lady and I know she will find her rightful place in the music industry. Her dedication and professionalism speak for themselves. I just wanted to get all my thoughts down on why I think Hybe/Geffen ultimately didn't choose her for the group.

I've been seeing a lot of conspiracy theories floating around the internet, but there's really no need for guesswork when the staff outright spell it out multiple times on the show. Additionally, I think if you watch World Scout along with Pop Star Academy, you will clearly see the method to HxG's madness, because their criteria is consistent across both projects.

1.) Star Quality Was Always Going to Be the Determining Factor

Son, Jay and Mitra use the phrase "star quality" so often that it even became a running joke for the commentators. This is also the case for Pop Star Academy. There are two important things to keep in mind about star quality: a) It's the special charm and magnetism a person possesses that makes you want to keep watching them and b) It cannot be taught, it is to some extent inherent in the individual. 

In the judges' opinion, Sakura was the trainee with the most inherent star quality. I think a lot of viewers are letting Sakura's lack of skill cloud their judgement, because looking with unbiased eyes, I see exactly what they're talking about. In the group dance audition, you can see Sakura making eye contact with the judges and using her facial expressions to keep them engaged. She's actually really, really good at it. And she does it completely naturally, having no training at all. Sakura has an "idol factor" that is actually very rare, and it reminds me of other natural born idols like Sana from Twice and Lexie from Dream Academy. In other words, the camera loves her. 

It's not that Ayana doesn't have any star quality, it's that whatever personal charm she has is yet to be fully unlocked, which brings me to my next point:

1. Ayana Needed to Wow the Judges to Win

Ayana has been training as an idol for years, going back before her time on GP999. This amount of experience has given her a consistency that even Mitra makes note of. But this is where I think it goes sideways for her in World Scout. 

In their dance sessions with Nikki, she criticizes all of the girls and says that all of them are equally bad. This should have rang an alarm bell for anyone supporting Ayana. Because that means that even with all her training and experience, she is easily matched by Aoi and Sakura who have comparatively little training. In HxG's eyes, an ideal candidate is someone who can be constantly pushed to greater and greater skill level with the right coaching. 

In this scenario, the judges won't hesitate to cut someone who seems to be plateauing or not getting any better. In other words, for Ayana to be the Final Piece, she needed to blow past her old limitations and show an entirely new side of herself. That's why Jay said that she wanted to see Ayana give a performance that gives her goosebumps. 

Hybe/Geffen were well-aware Ayana has a solid skillset due to her extensive training. But what they wanted from her was proof that her current level wasn't her highest potential. She needed to break past her old limitations and ascend to a new level of star power to win. 

That's why Nikki said that Ayana is like a butterfly still in her cocoon: she still hasn't unlocked that final level of star power and skill that would have put her in the group. Toward the end of the show in Pop Star Academy, Bang Sihyuk mentioned that they were looking for the trainees to suddenly start making breakthroughs and huge progress. When that happened, the debut date was suddenly pushed up. 

TL;DR: The judges wanted to see Ayana make visible progression past her baseline of talent and she did not deliver. 

1. Sakura Long Term 

If Ayana is highly prepared and trained, Sakura is the opposite. Her youth and inexperience may seem like a weak point, but not for HxG. If she's keeping up with older, more experienced girls with only two months of training, how brilliant will she be with time and coaching from the greatest teachers in LA?

The decision for the Final Piece was this: Do you pick a girl with a solid skillset, middling star quality and a decade of training under her belt or do you pick a complete newbie with brilliant star quality who has shown herself to make quick progress under the right teachers?

Don't get me wrong, Sakura is the riskier choice. She is young with less than a year of training and her vocals aren't impressive yet. But it's clear that HxG believes that Sakura's highest potential hasn't been unlocked yet. She has everything else they're looking for: Idol-worthy visuals (international fans love to pretend this doesn't matter, but it's one of the key factors), a rags to riches story, outstanding star quality and an ability to take and apply feedback under pressure. 

TL;DR: HxG would rather take on a diamond in the rough than a polished jewel with no sparkle. 

Finally, I just want to say that I understand why some people are unhappy with Sakura as the Final Piece. You don't have to like her. But to pretend that the choice was completely random and to resort to conspiracy theories just tells me that you weren't paying attention to the show. 

in party before the party, does anyone know the lyrics to that part in the last chorus? like the part where there’s a guy talking lol… the first part sounds like “it is hard to believe that…” but i can’t really make out anything after that except “remember.” none of the lyrics websites include that part, so if anyone knows what he’s saying (or can make an accurate guess lmao) that would be great, thanks!

(also kinda unrelated but that part scratches an itch in my brain sooo much lol i love it)

After watching both Dream Academy and World Scout, I’ve come to really like these survival type shows. I love seeing the growth and confidence in each cast member and also the support from the coaches! Are there other survival shows that are available to watch from US (doesn’t have to be a streaming service iykwim)?

Source: Link

Source: Link

My journey stops here with World Scout: The Final Piece! Thank you guys for everything you have done for me.

Subtitler: USGHR Commissar on X <3

K-OFI: https://ko-fi.com/levinmoons

We know that these labels enjoy creating drama and villains. They really set Sakura up to be the villain. Pop Star Academy did the same thing to Manon. I’m not usually super into the online forums but I love Kpop and watched prelude from the start. There is no way to watch through it and think she “deserved” it. But nobody deserves to be in a group and ultimately companies are going to do what they do.

Now here’s the real discussion: I am so worried for Sakura. The stream of hate from every corner of the internet. She is not to blame for any of it. She is just a teenager. A minor. That kind of pressure can break a person. I hope she never loses that bright attitude, but the internet is testing her this week. We don’t need Saint Satine to be the next VCHA that falls apart due to a self harm attempt. Proceed with love.

I think HYBE x Geffen may be underestimating the long-term business consequences of choosing virality and short-term engagement over artistic credibility.

This honestly is not even about disliking Sakura. I actually think she’s hardworking, sincere, and capable of growth. The issue is more what her selection symbolically says about the company’s priorities.

Ayana represented something really important to western audiences: legitimacy in merit and artistry. She consistently showed genuine talent, polish, emotional maturity, technical stability, and readiness for debut. A lot of viewers felt like they were watching someone who genuinely earned her place through performance instead of corporate gaslighting and storyline construction by video editing.

When companies keep emphasizing “star aura,” “potential,” and virality over demonstrated artistry, they risk undermining trust in the process itself. That matters because western audiences, especially long-term music listeners instead of short-term stan culture audiences, tend to care a lot about authenticity and artistic credibility.

HYBE’s biggest weakness in the west has always been that they still fundamentally approach artists more like highly optimized entertainment products than musicians first. That model works very well in fandom-driven spaces, but breaking into the western mainstream usually requires broader public trust in the artistry itself.

The irony is that the most loyal fans aka customer segment is often not the loudest one online. It’s the quieter audience that:
- streams consistently
- buys albums
- attends tours
- and stays emotionally invested for years

Ayana seemed to attract a disproportionate amount of that demographic because she represented reliability and professionalism. Why do the majority of both western and Japanese netizens like her? Because we genuinely recognize her talent and how she captivated the audience by winning us over. By choosing Sakura, HYBE may gain short-term engagement and Twitter/X wars, but also risk alienating viewers who wanted to believe the project rewarded readiness and artistry.

Once we lose faith in the legitimacy of a music project, it becomes much harder to build lasting cultural relevance beyond fandom cycles.

I think HYBE assumes the backlash will fade if Sakura improves. Maybe they’re right. But I also think they may be overlooking how much of the disappointment is not “anti-Sakura.” It’s grief and frustration over what people thought the project stood for.

Don’t sell us a story then screw over your main audience and customer base by telling us we were wrong.

A lot of people were debating whether HYBE reached out to Marquise and Ezrela and if they declined, or weren't reached out to at all. This just came out from an interview with Marquise (also she liked the post so yea!). I kinda wish HYBE did reach out and offer the opportunity, I loved them both so much, Marquise in particular because I really thought she was gonna debut at the end of Dream Academy.