The moment many fans and spectators have waited for is finally a few days away. YG Entertainment concluded "Winner Week" with the formal announcement that WINNER will debut on August 1st of this year. WINNER is the first male group to debut from the YG Family since label mates Big Bang came onto the music scene in 2006.

Although all groups have unique stories about their pre-debut days, the five members of WINNER (Kang Seung-yoon, Song Minho, Kim Jinwoo, Nam Taehyun and Lee Seunghoon) had the ups and downs of their pre-debut experience on public display. After competing against their fellow trainees on the reality TV show Who is Next: Win in 2013, they have waited over nine months for a debut date as a group. It's as if we've been watching YG's pregnancy for the birth of this unique group!

Despite the delays, WINNER has maintained a presence in the Korean entertainment industry throughout the early half of 2014. The guys were featured in Taeyang's video for Ringa Linga and had the opportunity to perform during Big Bang's Japanese tour dates late last year.

Also, taking the same route as many other rookie groups, YG Entertainment created a reality show, WINNER TV, that kept the group's fans excited and eager for more. Fans worldwide are running to social media to show their anticipation for the debut and to kick up a little mud about how long the process has taken. Luckily, there's more excitement than complaining!

It is too early to say whether or not YG Entertainment founder Yang Hyun Suk will take the same route with WINNER that he has with other YG artists when it comes to scheduling for variety show appearances, but the endorsement deals are already rolling in. WINNERS's appeared in promotions for Fanta and joined their 2NE1 noonas as models for Adidas.

Are you excited for the debut of WINNER?