JL Gaspar

In this Philippine name, the family name is Gaspar.
JL Gaspar
Born
Jay Lawrence Gaspar

(2004-04-21) April 21, 2004
Muntinlupa, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
Occupations
  • Performer
  • Singer
  • Dancer
Known forPLUUS
Universe League
Musical career
Genres
Years active2023–present
Labels
Member of
Korean name
Hangul
제이엘

Jay Lawrence Gaspar (born April 21, 2004) is a Filipino singer, dancer, and performer. He is the youngest member of the Filipino boy band PLUUS, which debuted on March 31, 2023. In 2025, he became one of the winners of the South Korean reality competition show Universe League and was announced as a member of the upcoming global K-pop boy group AHOF.

Life and career

Early life

Jay Lawrence Gaspar[1] was born on April 21, 2004 and raised in Muntinlupa, Philippines.[2] He has three siblings and completed his secondary education at Muntinlupa National High School.[1] Prior to his debut, he was involved in a local dance group, where he gained experience in various dance styles.[2]

2021–2023: Career beginnings and PLUUS

Main article: Pluus

Gaspar began training under SBTalent Camp in 2019 and was introduced publicly as the thirteenth trainee on September 26, 2021.[3][4] While training under SBTalent Camp, he was mentored by SBTown CEO Geong Seong Han and trainer Adie Hong, both recognized for their involvement in the development of the P-pop group SB19.[5] After four years of training,[2] he was announced on February 8, 2023, as a member of SBTown's first boy group, Pluus.[6] He is the youngest member of the group and has been nicknamed the "Nation's Giant Center".[2] The group officially debuted on March 31, with their first extended play, PLUUS +.Y.M.[3][5]

2024–present: Universe League and AHOF

Main article: Universe League

In September 2024, during the Pluus In-Motion fan meeting, Gaspar announced that he had successfully auditioned for a K-pop survival program, though the specific show was not disclosed at the time. On October 14, 2024, he was revealed as a contestant on Universe League, a reality competition program produced by SBS, through a concept trailer released on the show's official YouTube channel.[7] The following day, profiles for all 42 contestants were published, including Gaspar.[2] In the early stages of the show, participants were selected by mentors representing three teams: Team Beat, Team Groove, and Team Rhythm. Gaspar was the only contestant drafted by mentors from all three teams and ultimately joined Team Rhythm.[8] As the competition progressed, he consistently received strong support in global voting.[a] On January 24, 2025, Team Rhythm was named the winning team in the finale, which granted its members the opportunity to debut. As a result, Gaspar was confirmed as a member of the boy group AHOF, which will be managed by F&F Entertainment.[1][11][12]

On June 6, Universal Records Philippines released "Alon", which Gaspar recorded in 2024 before auditioning for Universe League.[13][14]

Discography

See also: Pluus § Discography

Singles

Title Year Album Ref.
"Alon" 2025 Non-album single [13]

Filmography

For JL's works with Pluus, see Pluus § Filmography.

Video Appearances

Year Title Artist Role Ref.
2024 "DayDream" Darlene Vibares Himself [15]
2024 "We Ready" Universe League Performer [16]

Television

Year Title Role Note(s) Ref.
2024-2025 Universe League Contestant Finished in first place [11]

Notes

  1. ^ Gaspar received approximately 38,000 votes in the first global voting round, placing second overall.[2][9] He ranked first in the following global voting rounds, with 462,150 votes in the second, 1,099,728 in the third,[10] and 3,168,841 in the final round.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c Hicap, Jonathan (2025-02-02). "JL Gaspar congratulated for winning in Korea's 'Universe League' TV show". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2025-05-22. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Martinez, Gavin (2024-12-26). "Meet JL Gaspar, the P-pop idol in 'Universe League'". Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2025-05-22. Retrieved 2025-04-19.
  3. ^ a b Bautista, Rafael (2023-04-03). "How PLUUS Is Pushing The Boundaries For Rookie P-pop Groups". Nylon Manila. Archived from the original on 2025-05-22. Retrieved 2025-04-19.
  4. ^ SBTalent Camp (2021-09-26). "Official Trainee Profile J13". Archived from the original on 2025-06-06. Retrieved 2025-04-20 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  5. ^ a b Olaguera, Chriselle (2023-04-04). "Meet PLUUS, SBTown's latest P-pop boy group". PEP.ph. Archived from the original on 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  6. ^ SBTalent Camp (2023-02-08). "Debut". Archived from the original on 2025-06-06. Retrieved 2025-06-07 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  7. ^ Mallorca, Hannah (2024-10-17). "PLUUS' JL to join Korean survival show 'Universe League'". Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2025-02-16. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  8. ^ Son, Jin-ah (2024-11-23). “팝콘 없어?”…첫방 ‘유니버스 리그’ SM·하이브 싸움 속 42인 첫 등장[종합] ["No popcorn?"... First episode of Universe League features 42 contestants amid SM-HYBE rivalry [Summary]] (in Korean). MK Sports. Archived from the original on 2025-06-07. Retrieved 2025-06-08 – via Naver News.
  9. ^ Geum, Bit-na (2024-12-21). 차웅기 ‘유니버스 리그’ 1위→탈락자 최초 발생...더 흥미진진 해지다 (종합) [MK★TV픽] [Cha Woong-ki ranks 1st on Universe League → first elimination occurs... the show becomes even more intense (Summary)] (in Korean). MK Sports. Archived from the original on 2025-06-07. Retrieved 2025-06-08 – via NAver News.
  10. ^ Park, So-jin (2025-01-18). ‘유니버스 리그’ 제이엘, 팬 투표 1위…파이널 진출 성공 [JL ranks first in fan voting on Universe League... advances to the final round] (in Korean). MBC. Archived from the original on 2025-06-07. Retrieved 2025-06-08 – via Naver News.
  11. ^ a b c Saenz, Rome (2025-01-27). "JL Gaspar Of PLUUS Joins Global K-Pop Group AHOF". Billboard Philippines. Billboard. Archived from the original on 2025-05-17. Retrieved 2025-04-19.
  12. ^ Reyes, J (2025-01-24). "P-pop idol JL Gaspar wins in 'Universe League,' to debut in global boy group AHOF". Rappler. Archived from the original on 2025-02-18. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  13. ^ a b Songco, Pauline (2025-06-06). "'Alon' before debut". Daily Tribune. Archived from the original on 2025-06-06. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  14. ^ Junaini, Hidzir (2025-06-06). "JL Gaspar bids farewell to P-pop group PLUUS with heartfelt 'Alon' ahead of K-pop debut—listen". Bandwagon Asia. Archived from the original on 2025-06-06. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  15. ^ "DayDream (MV Ver. 2)". YouTube. February 14, 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  16. ^ "WE Ready – Universe League Performance Video". YouTube. March 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
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