Korean Audition Shows Attract Foreign Talent

Contestants from around the world are vying on reality shows in Korea that choose members of new K-pop bands, dancers and even trot singers.Girls from 128 countries applied for SBS’ new audition program “Universe Ticket” selecting members of a new girl group, and 82 girls from 13 countries were chosen to appear on the show, which began airing on Nov. 18. The number reflects Korea’s country code, 82. 

Foreign contestants for SBS’ audition program

A staffer at the broadcaster said, “There are K-pop agencies in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand now as girl groups like Blackpink and TWICE [who have foreign members] have gained global fame.” Koreans still make up the majority of contestants with 47, followed by Japanese with 16 and Chinese with four.Dance competition and trot audition shows have also become globalized.Teenage dancers from 30 countries applied for “Street Dance Girls Fighter 2,” whose first episode aired last Tuesday as a spin-off of cable channel Mnet’s dance competition “Street Woman Fighter.” One foreign contestant is only 13.The judges on the show are Jam Republic, an international dance crew from countries including Australia, New Zealand and the U.S.TV Chosun’s trot audition show “Miss Trot 3,” which is scheduled to air next month, also attracted a lot of people from other countries.The trot revival has even made the pages of the New York Times, and on the previous season a contestant from New York named Maria Leise made it all the way to the semifinals.The producers say they had multiple preliminary auditions, and that there will be a foreign contestant on the show.