The first season of Survival Audition K-pop Star (Korean: 서바이벌 오디션 K팝 스타) premiered on December 4, 2011, airing every Sunday evening at 6:30 pm under the Good Sunday programming block on SBS, until April 29, 2012.
The first winner was Park Ji-min, who chose to sign with JYP Entertainment.
[1] The three judges for this season were Yang Hyun-suk, founder of YG Entertainment and former member of the popular South Korean act Seo Taiji & Boys, Park Jin-young, singer/songwriter and founder of JYP Entertainment, and Korean pop icon BoA, from SM Entertainment.
[2] Singer, Yoon Do-hyun, and entertainer, Boom, hosted the live competition from March 4, 2012 to April 29, 2012 when the winner is crowned.
Contestants from the Top 10 of Season 1 returned for a special Dream Stage - Best of the Best episode on April 14, 2013, competing with contestants of Season 2 for the title of Overall Champion.