SM Entertainment to launch US-based K-pop group through new TV series

SM Entertainment has partnered with production company MGM Worldwide Television Group for a new K-pop competition TV series.

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According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, the companies are have linked up to develop a show that look for young talents to form a brand-new US-based K-pop boyband. The show will scout for “America’s most talented emerging artists” and feature participants between the ages of 13 to 25.

The new K-pop group, called NCT-Hollywood, will be the newest addition to the currently 23-member supergroup NCT. The supergroup is comprised of several sub-units, including the Seoul-based NCT 127, the China-based WayV, a fixed seven-member group NCT Dream and rotational unit NCT U.

Successful contestants will fly to Seoul, South Korea to attend “K-pop bootcamp” at SM Entertainment. In each episode, contestants will compete in dance, vocal and style tests where they will be judged and mentored by SM founder Lee Soo-Man and NCT members.

“I look forward to making an unconventional audition show that all music fans around the world can enjoy,” Lee said in a statement. “I hope the audience enjoys watching the journey of new stars being born in Hollywood, that will be promoted as NCT-Hollywood in the global market in the future.”

“This series is exactly the type of innovative programming that MGM is committed to creating on a global scale,” added MGM Television chairman Mark Burnett. “K-pop is more than a genre of music; it’s a cultural phenomenon and we’re so excited to partner with the incredible Soo-Man Lee and the team at SM to bring K-pop to the U.S.”

SM Entertainment’s upcoming TV competition is the second such reality series to be announced in recent days. Earlier this week, HBO Max and CJ ENM revealed that they were currently in the development stages of an as-yet-untitled K-pop talent series based in Latin America.

The post SM Entertainment to launch US-based K-pop group through new TV series appeared first on NME.