Is SHINee's Taemin Hosting The New Season Of Road To Kingdom Season 2?

The South Korean singing competition, Road to Kingdom, is gearing up for exciting changes in its upcoming season. Reportedly, the show will be focusing on emerging K-pop boy groups and introduce new rewards for the champions. Season 1 saw The Boyz lifting the winner’s trophy, setting high expectations for the upcoming season scheduled to be released later this year.

While season 1 was hosted by Lee Da-hee and Jang Sung-kyu, producers are eyeing fresh faces to lead season 2 and SHINee’s Taemin is among the top contenders for the host. Interestingly, it’ll be Taemin’s debut as a host, though he has previously acted as a mentor on Idol Rebooting Project—The Unit.

A source close to the production told News1 “Taemin is positively in talks to star as an MC for the new season of ‘Road to Kingdom.” It was later confirmed that the idol was officially set to host the show. Since he entered the music industry with SHINee in 2008, Taemin has been known for his outstanding skills as the group’s main dancer and vocalist. Since 2014, he has built a large fanbase thanks to his impressive performances and singing talent.

Road to Kingdom will be different from its previous season. Originally launched in 2020 as a prequel to the boy group survival show Kingdom, the revamped version will now highlight groups with talent and potential to establish themselves as independent brands. Interestingly, Taemin will not just host the new season but he is also expected to become a mentor for the junior boy groups. The South Korean star might be following the similar footsteps of Girls’ Generation member Taeyeon, who previously mentored participants in Queendom, the female version of Kingdom.

According to the Independent, the new season of Road to Kingdom will feature contestants like CRAVITY, xikers, THE NEW SIX, 8TURN, YOUNITE, ATBO and TEMPEST. ONEUS is also in discussions to join, following their appearance in season 1. Meanwhile, the reality show is expected to premiere in September.

After becoming a member of SHINee in 2008, Taemin launched his solo career in 2014 with his first album, Ace, which broke records in South Korea. His follow-up album, Press It, was also a success. In 2016, Taemin expanded his solo journey in Japan, with his album, Sayonara Hitori.