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Japanese-speaking K-pop girl band: JYP's audition program to air in Japan

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By Dong Sun-hwa

JYP Entertainment and Sony Music have joined forces to form a Japanese-speaking K-pop girl band. Courtesy of JYP Entertainment
JYP Entertainment and Sony Music have joined forces to form a Japanese-speaking K-pop girl band. Courtesy of JYP Entertainment
An audition program to launch a Japanese-speaking K-pop girl group will air in Japan in April. Korean music label JYP Entertainment and Japan's Sony Music are the audition's organizers.

"Nizi (Rainbow) Project" ― which aims to cultivate Japanese-speaking singer hopefuls in K-pop style ― will premiere on Nippon Television Network (NTV), JYP said Monday. The project reflects JYP's corporate vision: "globalization (of K-pop) by localization."

The company held auditions in Japan and the U.S. last year, seeking aspiring female singers aged 15-22 with a good command of Japanese. Many thought only Japanese were eligible to apply, but JYP denied this.

"It seems a misunderstanding has arisen because the group is poised to debut in Japan," JYP's spokesperson told The Korea Times, Tuesday. "But Japanese nationality was not a must."

JYP's flagship girl group TWICE. Courtesy of JYP Entertainment
JYP's flagship girl group TWICE. Courtesy of JYP Entertainment

The agency singled out 26 women and trained them in Tokyo for five days.

The upcoming program will feature how they are trained in Korea for another six months, until the final line-up for the band is announced. The group is set to debut in Japan in November.

"Whether the band will debut in other countries will be disclosed as the program goes," the spokesperson said.

JYP, founded in 1997, represents legions of K-pop big names including girl group TWICE and boy band 2PM.


Dong Sun-hwa sunhwadong@koreatimes.co.kr


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