HYBE and Geffen Records Launch Girl Group Audition Shows on YouTube and Netflix as K-Pop Business Model Is Exported

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief HYBE Corp., the K-Pop powerhouse behind BTS, and the U.S.’s Geffen Records are to bring their global girl group audition efforts to Netflix as a docuseries that will launch next year. The two music companies announced the 2024 series and a companion-piece online show that kicks off on Thursday as their “The Debut: Dream Academy” moves up a gear. Having begun the selection process in November 2021 and screened some 120,000 submissions from young women hopefuls from around the world, they have now narrowed the field to just 20 candidates.

They hail from Thailand, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, the U.S., Sweden, Japan, Belarus, Switzerland, Slovakia, the Philippines and Korea. Next, fans can follow the contestants as they embark on the final stages of the audition program. The content will begin to premiere on Sept.

1st at 8a.m. U.S. PDT on YouTube (global), and on Japanese broadcast channel Abema, and run for 12 weeks.

At the end of the audition program, in November, the channels will become live in order to carry the announcement of the selected group members and the name of the group. The three-year process of creating the group will also be the subject of the untitled Netflix documentary series, directed by Nadia Hallgren (Netflix’s Emmy-nominated “Becoming”.) The series aims to be a compelling portrayal of the journey to global stardom, including insight into the training and development program from HYBE and Geffen Records. Production is by HYBE, Interscope Films and Boardwalk Pictures.

The assembled final group will also be integrated into the HYBE’s fandom platform, Weverse. “The one-of-a-kind joint venture marks the first time a major U.S. record label and a K-pop entertainment