YG launches 2026 global audition to find the next BLACKPINK or BABYMONSTER

'A second BLACKPINK or BABYMONSTER' sought as YG stages large-scale global audition

YG Entertainment will hold a large-scale global audition for the first time in about two years, as major K-pop agencies intensify their search for the next generation of stars. YG Entertainment (hereafter YG), which has led the K-pop market with a distinctive musical identity, is using the audition to launch its next phase of talent scouting.

Tour across Asia, the Americas and Oceania as the '2026 YG GLOBAL AUDITION' begins

YG said on 22 July that it would hold the '2026 YG GLOBAL AUDITION' from July to December, covering the second half of the year. The event follows the '2026 YG Special Audition', which concluded earlier this year, and will bring YG face to face with applicants from overseas in a large-scale global project.

The audition opened on 19 July in Beijing and will embark on an extensive tour of key cities around the world.

• China and Japan (ongoing): Chengdu, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tokyo and Osaka

• October: United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong

• November: Thailand, Canada

• December: Australia, New Zealand

Acting and special-skills categories added… applicants born 2008–2015 eligible

The most notable change is an expansion of the application fields. Anyone born between 2008 and 2015 may apply regardless of nationality or gender. In addition to the existing core evaluation areas—singing, rap, dance and visual appeal—the audition will for the first time include 'acting' and 'individual special-skills' categories. The expanded categories underline YG's strategy of developing all-round global entertainers, rather than performers confined to idol groups alone.

Cradle of global pop stars YG raises expectations for its next discoveries

Applications will be handled flexibly with pre-registration and on-site registration tailored to each host city. Specific venues and detailed schedules will be announced sequentially via the YG audition official website and YG's social media channels, and applicants can pre-register easily by scanning the QR code on the official poster.

YG is a K-pop powerhouse that has produced numerous world stars, including BigBang and 2NE1, as well as Winner, iKON, BLACKPINK, TREASURE and, more recently, BABYMONSTER, which has successfully established itself in the global music market. As BLACKPINK's global phenomenon and BABYMONSTER's successful debut have shown, music fans and the wider K-pop industry are closely watching which next-generation stars this global audition will uncover.