BIGBANG's Taeyang to appear as main producer on 'I-LAND2'

The promotional poster for the new audition program, "I-LAND2 : N/a" / Courtesy of CJ ENM

Taeyang of K-pop boy group BIGBANG is set to appear as the main producer of cable channel Mnet's upcoming girl group audition show, "I-LAND2: N/a."

"I-LAND2: N/a," is a sequel to the channel's 2020 program, "I-LAND" that gave birth to boy band Enhypen. The new show will feature 24 contestants who passed Mnet's global audition held in 13 cities across the globe. They will vie against one another to join a new girl group, which WAKEONE Entertainment will manage.

"I want to convey and teach the identity, skills and personality that singers can possess," Taeyang said in a teaser released on YouTube on Monday. After debuting as part of the iconic K-pop act BIGBANG in 2006, the 35-year-old has successfully positioned himself as an all-rounder excelling in singing, dancing and album producing.

Taeyang will join forces with the show's 'master producer' Teddy Park — who wrote a string of K-pop hits including "Shut Down" (2023) by girl group BLACKPINK — to dig out hidden talent. Park is also the founder of The Black Label, an associate company of BLACKPINK's record label, YG Entertainment.

The music producers for the program are 24 and VVN from The Black Label. The former was behind the success of BLACKPINK's "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" (2018) and its member Jennie's solo track, "Solo" (2018), while the latter rose to prominence for her contribution to BLACKPINK's "Ready For Love" (2022) and its member Jisoo's solo release, "Flower" (2023).

Monika, the leader of dance crew PROWDMON, will assume the role of a performance director along with Leejung, who is taking the helm of the crew YGX. Both of them were the participants of Mnet's popular dance competition show, "Street Woman Fighter" (2021).

"I-LAND2: N/a" is scheduled to premiere on April 18.