A Korean pop series promising to be “a music experiment like no other” is set to launch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this summer.
Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience is a six-part reality show following five boys from across the U.K. as they are put through the famed K-pop training process for 100 days, with the goal of launching a new boy band on an international stage.
In collaboration with K-pop talent powerhouse SM Entertainment & Kakao Entertainment America, the cameras go behind closed doors at SM Entertainment for the first time to witness the band working with the choreographers, songwriters, and experts in the K-pop business.
The selected participants face intense choreography, vocal, and performance lessons, as well as life-coaching techniques in Seoul. Each week the band’s progress is critiqued by a K-pop expert, Hee Jun Yoon, the creative force behind some of the biggest K-pop bands of the last 20 years.
K-pop has become a global phenomenon in recent years, often dominating the fashion and music worlds, the most recognizable names in Hollywood being BTS and Blackpink. SM Entertainment has launched over 100 groups and solo performers, including world-famous groups NCT, aespa, and RIIZE. They have staged over 2,300 global tours with their talent collectively accumulating over 100 billion YouTube views.
“This unique acquisition will showcase a sense of exactly what it takes to make it in the world of K-pop,” said Kalpna Patel-Knight, head of entertainment at the BBC. “Witnessing the band come together and be put through their paces promises to be a very exciting prospect for audiences.”
Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience is produced by Moon&Back Media, part of the team who developed and produced shows such as Got Talent, The X Factor, and popular bands like One Direction.
ITV Studios is handling international distribution for both the format and the finished program.
