SM Entertainment is planning a new reality show, Reply High School, in collaboration with production company Eggiscoming. This will be SM’s trainee group’s, SMTR25, first-ever solo reality series despite the fact they have already made waves as the next generation of K-pop idols.
Replay High School will feature 15 trainees, including members of SMTR25 and some new, unannounced faces, and provide an experience for fans that takes them back to the ’90s, ’00s, and ’10s. With global fans excited about the lineup and concept for SMTR25’s debut, the expectations for Reply High School are already high.
2. SMTR25 Trainees Info & Profiles
2.1 Who Are SMTR25 Trainees in Reply High School?
In January 2025, SM Entertainment revealed the multinational male trainee group SMTR25 during SMTOWN LIVE 2025 in Seoul as part of the company’s 30th anniversary stage. The group has performed at SMTOWN LIVE concerts in Mexico City, Los Angeles, London, and Tokyo, and has generated excitement as SM’s new boy group following RIIZE.
Now, through Reply High School, SMTR25 will be introduced to global fans, along with some unreleased trainees, giving viewers their first detailed glimpse at the potential roster.
2.2 SMTR25 Members Profile (Age, Nationality, Birthday)
The show will feature 15 trainees, divided into three “classrooms” inspired by different decades of K-culture—the ’90s, ’00s, and ’10s.
Here’s a breakdown of all participants:
| Name | Birthday | Age (2025) | Nationality |
| Nicholas | Dec 27, 2004 | 20 | United States |
| Katsho | Jan 20, 2006 | 19 | Japan |
| Justin | Jan 27, 2006 | 19 | Japan |
| Hyunjun | Feb 12, 2006 | 19 | Korea |
| Woorin | Nov 19, 2008 | 16 | Korea |
| Hanbi | Oct 24, 2003 | 21 | Korea |
| Songha | Apr 19, 2004 | 21 | Korea |
| Kachin | Aug 3, 2007 | 18 | Thailand |
| Sadaharu | Sep 14, 2007 | 18 | Japan |
| Tata | Apr 1, 2008 | 17 | Thailand |
| Daniel | Aug 11, 2005 | 20 | Korea |
| Haruta | Mar 5, 2006 | 19 | Japan |
| Hamin | Aug 5, 2006 | 19 | Korea |
| Charlie | May 26, 2007 | 18 | Thailand / United Kingdom |
| Jaewon | Feb 16, 2008 | 17 | Korea |
These trainees, representing diverse nationalities—including Korea, Japan, Thailand, the U.S., and the U.K.—reflect SM’s vision for a truly global K-pop group.
3. Reality Show Details: Reply High School
3.1 Concept
Reply High School is a time-slip growth reality show featuring SM trainees in classrooms adapted from the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. Each “class” will showcase that decade’s culture, clothing, and feelings so that the trainees can experience past eras of K-culture while developing for their own debut.
The show contains nostalgia + trainee growth — providing viewers with a nostalgic look back at Korea’s cultural past while also showing the next generation of SM idols.
3.2 Release Date & Platform
The series is set to be broadcast in the first half of 2026. The precise global streaming platform has not been officially verified, but fans assume it will appear either on TVING (after its post-broadcast) and/or either Netflix, Viki, or YouTube, where SM normally releases its content.
Where to watch Reply High School online?— Again, details of the online platform, viewer options and availability will be made available as we get closer to the air date, but the program is confirmed to be available for international viewing.
3.3 Cast List
A total of 15 participants will join Reply High School, including:
- SMTR25 trainees (already revealed at SMTOWN LIVE 2025)
- Unreleased SM trainees who are being introduced for the first time.
This lineup ensures fans get both familiar faces and brand-new surprises.
3.4 SMTR25 Debut Reality Show
For SMTR25, Reply High School is the first official content. Like previous SM boy groups – the EXO pre-debut teasers, NCT’s SM Rookies and RIIZE launch content – it will help the company to present the members’ charms, talents and team work prior to debuting the next SM global boy group.
4. Production & Collaboration
4.1 SM Entertainment × Eggiscoming Collaboration
Reply High School is a special joint production between SM Entertainment and Eggiscoming, the agency of famed producer Na Young-seok (Na PD), who has a reputation for creating high-quality variety shows with unique narratives. This collaboration is one of the biggest news items in K-entertainment at the moment.
4.2 Reply High School PD Shin Hyo-jung & Writer Kim Dae-joo
The production will be led by PD Shin Hyo-jung, and writer Kim Dae-joo, the creative team behind many favorite tvN programs.
- Shin Hyo-jung (PD) – Known for directing warm, story-driven variety formats.
- Kim Dae-joo (Writer) – Well-known for mixing humor with emotional storytelling.
They had previously collaborated on successful shows like:
- Nana Inn (or, Nana Guesthouse)
- Nana Tour with SEVENTEEN.
Their experience will allow Reply High School to provide a balance of entertainment and nostalgia along with trainee stories that are genuine and heartfelt, which both local domestic and international audiences can appreciate.
4.3 Na Young-seok Involvement?
Even if Na Young-seok (Na PD) isn’t producing the show directly, his agency team Eggiscoming is leading the collaboration with SM Entertainment. It is fair to say the Reply High School has common creative DNA with all the other successful variety shows produced by Na PD, even though, again, he is not the main PD in charge of the show.
5. K-pop Fans’ Angle & Expectations
5.1 Next SM Boy Group After RIIZE?
Ever since the debut of RIIZE from SM Entertainment in 2023, fans have been waiting to see which group will follow as SM’s next flagship boy group. With the announcement of Reply High School, many speculate that SMTR25 is being set up to be the next-generation boy group in SM Entertainment. The show seems to be a corporate proposition to their debuting and/or debut. This is similar to when SM used pre-debut shows for EXO, NCT, and RIIZE.
5.2 When Will SMTR25 Debut?
Even though SM has not provided an official debut date, K-pop fans think SMTR25 could debut soon after the upcoming dramas Closure: Reply to High School ends around late 2026. The idea that SMTR25 could make their debut soon after, is speculation based on SM’s history of gradually introducing trainees through various pre-debut material before officially introducing them as a group.
This timing also coincides with SM’s tradition of introducing a major group in the K-pop scene every few years (e.g., the debut of NCT in 2016, and the introduction of Aespa in 2020, etc.).
5.3 SM Trainees Survival Show 2026?
Reply High School, unlike typical K-pop survival and competition shows that involve eliminations, is a growth variety program where the majority of the focus is not a fierce sense of competition, but on showing the personalities, developing teamwork, and exhibiting artistic growth of the trainees.
Still, many fans see this show to be like an unofficial debut project, since it creates an opportunity for SM to show the trainees’ skills and charms while insinuating for fans to be able to perceive who might lie within that group, to be, in fact, a future debut group.
6. FAQs (Search-based Add-on Section)
Q1. Who are the 15 SMTR25 trainees in Reply High School?
The lineup features 15 SM male trainees, including Nicholas, Katsho, Justin, and other multinational members. Full details such as age, nationality, and birthdays are revealed through the show and official profiles.
Q2. Where can I watch Reply High School globally?
The show is scheduled to air in the first half of 2026 on a global streaming platform. While the platform has not been officially confirmed, fans expect it could be available on TVING, Netflix, Viki, or YouTube for international viewers.
Q3. Is Na Young-seok producing Reply High School?
No — Na PD is not the main producer. The show is being directed by PD Shin Hyo-jung and written by Kim Dae-joo. However, Na Young-seok’s agency Eggiscoming is collaborating with SM Entertainment, which means the show carries his creative influence.
Q4. When will SMTR25 debut as SM’s next boy group?
While no official debut date has been confirmed, industry speculation suggests that SMTR25 could debut after Reply High School ends, likely in late 2026.
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7. Conclusion
With Reply High School, SM Entertainment is giving fans the first-ever opportunity to meet the truly next-generation boy band SMTR25 after RIIZE. The combination of a school concept filled with nostalgia and fresh trainees being discovered makes this show one of the most-talked-about projects in 2026.
Global fans are already abuzz with speculation about the official lineup, debut date, and where to watch the program worldwide. One thing is for sure: Whether through a variety show or their official debut, SMTR25 will be catapulted as a global front of K-pop, bearing the legacy of SM into the future.
