The PD who discovered Lim Young Woong is set to launch a new audition program called ‘Under 15,’ aimed at creating a girl group younger than the popular group NewJeans. This highly anticipated show will seek out talented young girls under the age of 15, offering them a platform to showcase their abilities and potentially become the next big stars in the K-pop industry.
PD Who Discovered Lim Young Woong Unveils ‘Under 15’: Audition Program for Next-Gen Girl Group
The producer who discovered Lim Young Woong is launching a new audition program for a global girl group. PD Seo Hye Jin, known for her success with shows like ‘Mr. Trot’ and ‘Miss Trot,’ is now taking on the challenge of creating a girl group through her new program, ‘Under 15,’ which is set to air in the second half of this year.
PD Seo shared, “We have finished the domestic auditions and are now preparing for the second round in Southeast Asia. Starting in Thailand, we plan to visit Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The program’s outline will be revealed by the end of August after we complete all the locations.”
PD who discovered #LimYoungWoong to launch audition program ‘Under 15’ for a girl group “younger than #NewJeans” https://t.co/WDwDinhbuV
— allkpop (@allkpop) June 9, 2024
‘Under 15’ is a K-audition program targeting youths aged 3 to 15 from over 70 countries worldwide, aiming to form a girl group much younger than the average debut age of NewJeans. PD Seo explained that the goal is to create a “5th generation vocal prodigy girl group that will perform globally,” focusing on pure vocal talent regardless of race, nationality, or genre.
Unlike traditional auditions where agencies select singers based on their preferences, ‘Under 15’ seeks to gather vocal prodigies from a diverse pool of talent. PD Seo noted that recent trends show viewers prefer younger singers, reflecting the current K-pop trend.
She added, “During the ‘Korean-Japanese Singers Competition,’ teenage contestants’ pure singing was highly popular. As society becomes more complex, people might be seeking purity in music.”
While CreA Studio will produce the auditions, it has no plans to manage the girl group. However, there is skepticism about casting trainees under fifteen, with many arguing that the age range of “three to fifteen” is too young and not the main reason for the popularity of groups like NewJeans.
PD Seo emphasized that CreA Studio’s focus is on nurturing vocal talent, differentiating itself from other agencies that create multinational girl groups through global auditions.
