JYP to seek new boy band through global TV audition show

[Courtesy of JYP Entertainment]

SEOUL -- South Korea's entertainment powerhouse JYP Entertainment has worked with Sony Music, a global music label based in Tokyo, to form a new global boy band. More than 10,000 applicants auditioned for the audition show titled "Nizi Project Season 2" from 11 cities including New York, Los Angeles, and Nagoya. The process of training and screening would be broadcast on Nippon TV, a Japanese TV channel, and streaming platforms.
 
Through the first season of Nizi Project, the two groups created NiziU, a nine-member Japanese girl band, in 2020. The girls who were under control by JYP for training in South Korea are currently showcasing performances mainly in Japan. Since 2021, JYP has auditioned more than 10,000 applicants to form a boy band in various regions including Seoul, Fukuoka, and Sapporo.
 
The audition process would be available on YouTube and Hulu, a United States-based subscription video-on-demand service, starting on July 21. Nizi Project Season 2's second half would be shown on Nippon TV starting in October. The Japanese TV station will show members being trained at a South Korean training camp. The program's first half, which would go on the air starting on July 21, would be available on YouTube and Hulu, a United States-based subscription video-on-demand service.
 
"The boys taking the challenge toward their dreams welcome all of your love and support," JYP head Park Jin-young said in Japanese through the South Korean agency's official YouTube channel.
 
JYP has worked with various global entertainment companies to diversify the market. In July 2022, the agency partnered with Republic Records, an American record label that includes Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande, to create "America2Korea," an English-speaking girl band with K-pop features. Members selected through audition will debut in the U.S. after intensive training in South Korea. The audition process would be disclosed on YouTube on July 13.