BBC acquires experimental reality series looking for K-pop stars

The series will air on BBC One and iPlayer this summer.

“Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience”.

A Korean pop series that promises to be “a musical experiment like no other” is set to premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this summer.

Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience is a six-part reality show that follows five boys from the UK as they go through the famous K-pop training process for 100 days with the goal of establishing a new boy band on the international stage.

In collaboration with K-pop talent center SM Entertainment and Kakao Entertainment America, cameras will go behind closed doors for the first time at SM Entertainment to see the band at work with choreographers, songwriters and experts in the K-pop business.

The selected participants will receive intensive choreography, singing and acting lessons, as well as life coaching techniques in Seoul. Each week, the band’s progress will be judged by a K-pop expert, Hee Jun Yoon, the creative force behind some of the biggest K-pop bands of the past 20 years.

K-pop has become a global phenomenon in recent years, often dominating the fashion and music worlds. The most famous names in Hollywood are BTS and Blackpink. SM Entertainment has launched over 100 groups and solo artists, including world-famous groups NCT, aespa and RIIZE. They have conducted over 2,300 global tours and their talents have amassed over 100 billion total views on YouTube.

“This unique acquisition will give a feel for what it takes to succeed in the world of K-pop,” said Kalpna Patel-Knight, BBC head of entertainment. “Seeing 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 that produces shows like to have talent, The x factorand popular bands like One Direction.

ITV Studios handles the international distribution of both the format and the finished program.