The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Young K-pop couple Choi Min-hwan, Yulhee announce divorce

  • 3

    ANALYSISWhy is N. Korea not allowed to launch spy satellites?

  • 5

    Will Seoul's new transportation services improve convenience for commuters?

  • 7

    Late K-pop star Moonbin's memorial space shut down after fans complain

  • 9

    Samsung tightens employee discipline amid chip industry downturn

  • 11

    How a regrettable tattoo led to a South African's musical journey

  • 13

    Hankook Tire mired in sibling feud again

  • 15

    INTERVIEWFemale leadership not just diversity issue, but survival necessity

  • 17

    Korean students rank among top performers among OECD nations in educational performance: report

  • 19

    US says S. Korea not subject of UN sanctions after NK's 'double standard' claim

  • 2

    'Single's Inferno' is back with most interesting season, producer says

  • 4

    Seoul launches regular nighttime self-driving bus service

  • 6

    BTS' V and BLACKPINK's Jennie break up: sources

  • 8

    Korea could disappear from map if it doesn't welcome more immigrants: justice minister

  • 10

    Korean gov't slammed for mishandling victims of sex trafficking

  • 12

    GOING ELECTRICThe complex decision to buy an electric scooter in Korea

  • 14

    Italy withdraws from China's Belt and Road project

  • 16

    Korea indirectly supplied more 155-mm shells for Ukraine than all European countries combined: WP

  • 18

    BTS agency asks fans to refrain from visiting scenes of members' military enlistment

  • 20

    Cars, batteries, instant noodles drive Korea's exports in 2023

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Thu, December 7, 2023 | 03:41
K-pop
Why is Korean entertainment scene flooded with audition programs?
Posted : 2021-05-17 09:08
Updated : 2021-05-19 18:14
Dong Sun-hwa
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
JYP Entertainment's founder-producer Park Jin-young, left, and PSY, the 'Gangnam Style' (2012) star and head of K-pop agency P NATION, will appear as the hosts of SBS's upcoming audition program 'LOUD.' Courtesy of SBS
JYP Entertainment's founder-producer Park Jin-young, left, and PSY, the "Gangnam Style" (2012) star and head of K-pop agency P NATION, will appear as the hosts of SBS's upcoming audition program "LOUD." Courtesy of SBS

By Dong Sun-hwa

The Korean entertainment scene is experiencing a boom in audition programs.

Following the smash success of programs like "Superstar K" (2009-16), "K-Pop Star" (2011-17), "Produce 101" (2016-19) and "Miss Trot" (2019-2021) ― which not only scored impressive viewership ratings but also propelled numerous aspiring singers and lesser-known celebrities to stardom ― more producers are devoting themselves to creating similar shows.

Next month, local broadcaster SBS is set to launch "LOUD" in cooperation with JYP Entertainment founder-producer Park Jin-young and PSY, the "Gangnam Style" (2012) star and head of K-pop agency P NATION. MBC will also air a new audition program in November with producer Han Dong-chul, who was behind the success of "Produce 101." Mnet's "Girls Planet 999" is in the pipeline later this year auditioning aspiring female singers.

There's a reason why viewers love audition programs. They can take part in the nail-biting competition through voting and support their favorite contenders. Many people also believe these programs are impartial, because the contestants have to rely on only their musical talents to compete with each other. On top of that, they are often captivated by the stories of the contenders, most of whom have experienced twists and turns in their lives to pursue music careers.

"Viewers today seem to have grown addicted to these survival shows," pop music critic Seo Jeong Min-gap told The Korea Times. "Many of them may find other music programs, which do not pit contestants against each other, to be quite boring."

As for broadcasters and TV networks, the rationale behind their preference is more obvious ― these shows are lucrative. Since many of them have proven to be successful in terms of viewership, it is easier to attract sponsors. For instance, TV Chosun's trot audition program "Mr. Trot" garnered a whopping 35.7 percent viewership rating last year, an all-time high for a cable channel program in Korea.

JYP Entertainment's founder-producer Park Jin-young, left, and PSY, the 'Gangnam Style' (2012) star and head of K-pop agency P NATION, will appear as the hosts of SBS's upcoming audition program 'LOUD.' Courtesy of SBS
Lim Young-woong, the winner of TV Chosun's trot audition show, "Mr. Trot" (2020), rose to meteoric stardom thanks to the program. Courtesy of New Era Project
Critics also point out that the hit songs from the shows also play vital roles in making profits.

"The songs featured in popular audition shows can grab the public's attention and secure the top positions on music streaming charts for months, as evidenced by the case of VVS (2020), a track unveiled on Mnet's hip-hop competition program Show Me the Money 9," music critic Han Dong-yoon said. "The performance videos can also be profitable if they attract viewers on YouTube. All these factors can allow the broadcasters to make consistent profits."

Casting is easier, too. The production team merely has to post a "wanted ad" to recruit hundreds of contestants instead of calling everyone and juggling their schedules.

Competition shows, however, have also caused a stink. Some productions, such as Mnet's "Produce 101" which gave birth to K-pop acts I.O.I, Wanna One, IZ*ONE and X1, have triggered debate over fairness.

JYP Entertainment's founder-producer Park Jin-young, left, and PSY, the 'Gangnam Style' (2012) star and head of K-pop agency P NATION, will appear as the hosts of SBS's upcoming audition program 'LOUD.' Courtesy of SBS
Project boy band X1 was formed in the fourth season of Mnet's "Produce 101." Courtesy of Swing Entertainment

In March, the Seoul Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that put "Produce 101" director Ahn Joon-young behind bars for two years. He was accused of manipulating voting results in favor of certain contestants and receiving bribes from the K-pop management companies that fielded the contestants. Recently, prosecutors also sought a year-and-a-half jail term for the executive producers of Mnet's other survival show "Idol School," over vote manipulation. All these incidents have dealt a critical blow to the credibility of audition programs.

In addition, an increasing number of viewers appear to have grown weary of the cliche-ridden format.

"It can be challenging for broadcasters to defy the current trend and make something completely fresh," critic Seo said. "It is hard to think outside the box and also quite risky. But a growing number of producers are attempting to make their works look distinctive."

In fact, TV Chosun's "Miss Trot" and JTBC's "Sing Again" are often cited as examples of creative deviations. "Miss Trot" brought the spotlight on trot ― a Korean music genre which was often thought of as old-fashioned and for the older generation ― and successfully created a buzz among people of all generations. "Sing Again" differentiated itself by featuring as contenders "forgotten" singers who have been mostly off the public's radar.

Critics predict that the number of audition programs will continue to rise at least for a while. In fact, numerous industry insiders these days are aiming to make good use of these shows to target the global music market. SM Entertainment, home to prominent K-pop acts like EXO and NCT, announced recently it would launch a new audition program with U.S. production company MGM this year to single out the members for NCT-Hollywood, a new sub-unit of NCT, in the U.S. Meanwhile, Entertainment behemoth CJ ENM is also slated to produce an audition show to form a new boy band based in Latin America.

JYP Entertainment's founder-producer Park Jin-young, left, and PSY, the 'Gangnam Style' (2012) star and head of K-pop agency P NATION, will appear as the hosts of SBS's upcoming audition program 'LOUD.' Courtesy of SBS
K-pop boy band NCT / Courtesy of SM Entertainment

"With K-pop's global ascent, more people around the world are dreaming of becoming K-pop stars," Han noted. "Given that foreign members can help a K-pop group build a stronger global fan base, more programs for non-Korean singer hopefuls are likely to be created in the future."

But these competition shows need improvements, too.

"The contestants should be treated better," Seo pointed out. "These musicians need enough compensation and should not be just exploited as a tool to boost viewership."

Han echoed this sentiment, saying, "The broadcasters should not edit their programs in ways that distort truths to focus the limelight on certain contestants and thus seek to raise TV ratings."

Both agreed that the broadcasters need to strive to create a new format other than auditions, although this can be a tough job.

"Broadcasters should not merely jump on the bandwagon," Han said.

Seo elaborated, "They have to be experimental in some ways even if this does not guarantee handsome profits. On top of that, I think audition programs should provide more details about music ― if they tell the viewers the history of certain genres and explain the messages behind the songs, this would make the programs more appealing."


Emailsunhwadong@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
LG group
Top 10 Stories
1Korea could disappear from map if it doesn't welcome more immigrants: justice ministerKorea could disappear from map if it doesn't welcome more immigrants: justice minister
2YG Entertainment's stock price soars over renewed contract with BLACKPINK YG Entertainment's stock price soars over renewed contract with BLACKPINK
3[INTERVIEW] Korea has great opportunity to lead green transition INTERVIEWKorea has great opportunity to lead green transition
4Yoon expected to replace foreign minister soonYoon expected to replace foreign minister soon
5KAI boosts partnerships with Egypt at defense fair KAI boosts partnerships with Egypt at defense fair
6Genesis BBQ fosters Vietnam as Southeast Asia hub Genesis BBQ fosters Vietnam as Southeast Asia hub
7Rising Thai politician seeks to tackle growing challenges between Seoul, BangkokRising Thai politician seeks to tackle growing challenges between Seoul, Bangkok
8Real estate project financing poses biggest risk to Korean economy in 2024: S&P, NICE Real estate project financing poses biggest risk to Korean economy in 2024: S&P, NICE
9[INTERVIEW] Namseoul University leads adoption of innovative IB education programs INTERVIEWNamseoul University leads adoption of innovative IB education programs
10Is career diplomat suitable to lead SMEs ministry? Is career diplomat suitable to lead SMEs ministry?
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Late K-pop star Moonbin's memorial space shut down after fans complain Late K-pop star Moonbin's memorial space shut down after fans complain
2Uncertainty lingers despite BLACKPINK's contract renewalUncertainty lingers despite BLACKPINK's contract renewal
3[INTERVIEW] Song Kang discusses evolving role in 'Sweet Home' season 2 INTERVIEWSong Kang discusses evolving role in 'Sweet Home' season 2
4Young K-pop couple Choi Min-hwan, Yulhee announce divorce Young K-pop couple Choi Min-hwan, Yulhee announce divorce
5'Single's Inferno' is back with most interesting season, producer says 'Single's Inferno' is back with most interesting season, producer says
DARKROOM
  • It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

    It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

  • 2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

    2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

  • Appreciation of autumn colors

    Appreciation of autumn colors

  • Our children deserve better

    Our children deserve better

  • Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

    Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel: 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844
Date of registration: 2020.02.05
Masthead: The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group