Global entertainment company iNKODE is stepping into the production of the next-generation K-pop boy group.
Founded by singer-actor Kim Jaejoong and former Cube Entertainment Vice President Noh Hyuntae, iNKODE Entertainment will hold global auditions titled '2025 iNKODE GLOBAL AUDITION,' starting in Seoul on January 11. These auditions will take place in five cities across Korea (Daejeon, Daegu, Gwangju, Busan, Jeju) and internationally in Japan, China, Thailand, and the United States.
In October, iNKODE successfully debuted its first rookie girl group, SAY MY NAME, which was personally produced by Kim Jaejoong. Their debut has gained attention from foreign media, including coverage by France’s public broadcaster, which documented iNKODE’s trainee development system.
With the goal of debuting its first boy group through the upcoming global auditions, iNKODE aims to discover talents who will shape the future of K-pop.
Jang Yoojin, the former co-producer at Brand New Music who is known for scouting AB6IX members Lee Daehwi and Park Woojin, has been appointed as the head of the new artist development team at iNKODE. This has significantly raised expectations for the new K-pop stars from the company.
Global pre-registration for the auditions began on December 16 at 6 PM via iNKODE Entertainment’s audition email. Anyone born between 2005 and 2015, regardless of gender or nationality, can apply by showcasing their talent in singing, rapping, dancing, or visuals.
Detailed information about the '2025 iNKODE GLOBAL AUDITION' can be found on iNKODE Entertainment’s official website and the trainee development team’s official social media platforms.
Meanwhile, Kim Jaejoong made his debut as a member of TVXQ under SM Entertainment before forming JYJ with Park Yoochun and Kim Junsu. Recently, he has been performing as part of the project group JX with Kim Junsu. At their latest concert, Jaejoong stirred nostalgia by performing songs from his TVXQ days.
-Does the company have a lot of money...? It hasn't been that long since they launched Say My Name and now they're already planning a boy group?
-ㄷㄷ Why are the reactions so bad?
-Shouldn't the company focus on Say My Name first...?ㅠㅠ I'm rooting for Hitomi...ㅠㅠ
-Wait... Their girl group has already debuted?? I didn't know that.
-Focus on developing the girl group Say My Name first before trying to expand...
-Why are they rushing into a boy group when the girl group isn't even established?
-Shouldn't they develop the girl group first...ㅜㅜ
-They should promote Say My Name moreㅠㅠ
-Oh... They're working with someone who scouted Daehwi and Woojin.
-Even if they start recruiting now, it’ll probably be a while before they debut.
-The article doesn't even mention the T of TVXQ... Why is there so much hate?
-The original headline was just about a boy group. The journalist added the TVXQ reference for clicks. There are plenty of other headlines without TVXQ mentionedㅋㅋ People just want a reason to criticize.
-Isn’t it normal to recruit trainees at this point in time, regardless of whether the girl group has taken off yet...?
-They should be putting more effort into the girl group, SAY MY NAME. If they start talking about new projects now, wouldn't that mean the project is going to take resources away from them?
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