REPUBLIC BRINGS THE K-POP MODEL TO U.S.

JYP Entertainment, Republic Records and Federal Films are bringing the K-pop-idol-training model to a first-of-its-kind-in-North America competition series, A2K.

JYP Entertainment Chairman J.Y. Park and Republic Records Chief Executive Monte Lipman will oversee the competition, which will produce a girl group that will record for the two labels.

Lipman praised Park as “an icon and pioneer of K-pop,” stating, “Applying JYP’s values and curation with American artists will give us the opportunity to create an international supergroup for today’s marketplace.”

In-person auditions will be held in Atlanta (9/10), Chicago (9/14), New York City (9/17-18), Dallas (9/20) and Los Angeles (9/23-25). Select artists will be sent to bootcamp in L.A. Semifinalists will then head to JYP Entertainment headquarters in South Korea, where they will undergo intensive training from K-pop’s top executives, choreographers and producers.

Park said he based his company on an American model: Motown Records. “I was so inspired by how they developed their artists. We just took it to another level, making it into a system, one where we find raw talents and give them a perfect training system, where they learn all the things that are required for them to grow into a true artist/performer/leader. And 25 years later, to go back into the market where I got the idea from is truly unbelievable."