PD who discovered #LimYoungWoong to launch audition program 'Under 15' for a girl group "younger than #NewJeans" (between the ages of 3 and 15)

PD who discovered Lim Young Woong to launch audition program 'Under 15' for a girl group "younger than NewJeans"

The producer who discovered Lim Young Woong is set to launch an audition program for a global girl group.Following her success with TV Chosun&rsqu…

www.allkpop.com

The producer who discovered Lim Young Woong is set to launch an audition program for a global girl group.

Following her success with TV Chosun’s ‘Mr. Trot’ and ‘Miss Trot,’ as well as MBN’s ‘The King of Singers’ and ‘Korean-Japanese Singers Competition,’ PD Seo Hye Jin is taking on a new challenge: producing a global girl group audition program. The program, called ‘Under 15,’ aims to air in the second half of this year.

In an interview, PD Seo said, “We have completed the domestic auditions and are preparing for the second round in Southeast Asia. Starting in Thailand, we plan to visit Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The program’s outline will be revealed by the end of August after completing all the locations.”

‘Under 15’ is a K-audition program targeting youths between the ages of 3 and 15 from over 70 countries worldwide. "Much younger than the average debut age of NewJeans at 16.4 years old," PD Seo explained. The goal is to form a "5th generation vocal prodigy girl group that will perform globally," regardless of race, nationality, or genre. (I wonder how when they barely learned how to talk let alone sing, but I digress).

The challenge, PD Seo claims, lies in differentiation. While agencies like HYBE and JYP have created multinational girl groups through global auditions, CreA Studio’s primary goal is nurturing vocal talent.

He also (unfortunately) says:

PD Seo continued, “Recent viewer voting trends show a clear tendency to vote for younger singers. I believe this reflects the current K-pop trend, so we prepared accordingly.”

Why are viewers focusing on teenage singers? PD Seo analyzed, “During the ‘Korean-Japanese Singers Competition,’ the pure singing of teenage contestants received high popularity. Viewers’ tastes have changed. The pure emotions of teenagers seem to captivate the audience.” She added, “As society becomes more complex and hearts grow harsher, people might be seeking purity.”

While CreA Studio will produce the girl group auditions, it has no plans to expand into management.

However, netizens are expressing their skepticism about this goal of casting female trainees under fifteen. Many criticize the age range of "three to fifteen" as "too young," arguing that young age is "not the real reason why people like NewJeans."