Korea and Japan collaborates for audition 'The Idol Band'

연합뉴스 / 2022-12-06 16:53:09

▲This photo, provided by SBS M, FNC Entertainment, and TBS shows the cast of SBS M's 'The Idol Band.' (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, December 6 (Yonhap) -- Korea and Japan come together to look for the next generation idol band.

"The Idol Band: Boy's Battle" is an audition survival program looking for a band held in collaboration of Korea and Japan showing their tense competition and friendship at the same time. This program is planned by Japan's commercial broadcasting company TBS and Korea's FNC Entertainment, and produced by SBS Media Net.

At the press conference of SBS M's "The Idol Band" held online on Tuesday, Kim Chil-sung PD who took in charge of producing said, "There will be this idol band that produces everything by themselves."

He said, "We were worried of the cultural differences in the beginning, but apart from our worries, they are getting along very well," and continued, "The applicants producing ability and skills have developed a lot."

The Japanese co-producer of TBS said. "It is interesting to watch how the applicants run into conflicts and build friendships in the progress of becoming a band."

"The Idol Band" will start a survival with a total of 54 applicants who passed the fierce preliminary round in Korea and Japan. Former Japanese famous idols, applicants from the audition program "Super Band 2," popular YouTubers, child actors, and session drummers loved by famous Korean musicians will be on show to show off their talents.

A total of five teams will be selected as judges and producers to lead the participants, including Korean bands FT Island, CNBLUE, N.Flying, and Japan's leading rock bands KANKAKU PIERO and KEYTALK.

They will select the participants they want to work with, form a team, produce them, and send them to the competition.

Lee Seung-hyub from N.Flying said. "There are circumstances when Japanese and Koreans are grouped in one team and I was concerned whether they could get along and collaborate well together," and continued, "However I was surprised to see how the members could naturally communicate through music with the common ground, the desire of becoming a part of a band."

Naohiro Yokoyama, a member of KANKAKU PIERO said. "Korean participants are very opinionated and Japanese participants think harmony is important," and added, "I think the two cultures improve each other and it will lead to an enjoyable band."

The participants of "The Idol Band" will be divided into group 1 and group 2 after the casting of the producers. The participants of group 1 will prepare for their stage with support and management of the producers, however the participants of group 2 who were failed to be selected will have to group themselves and compete the group 1 members under the same circumstances.

Lee Hong-ki from FT Island said, "I have been giving higher scores to participants who make me look forward to their next stage," and a member of KEYTALK said, "I am paying attention to participants who know their strengths and who knows how to express it." The final winner of the program will work in both countries, Korea and Japan.

The first episode of the program will be aired on November 6 at 9 p.m. on SBS M and SBS FiL.

(This article is translated from Korean to English by Dowon Kim.)

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