They’re looking for the next boy band to “entertain the world.” K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment and London-based production company Moon&Back Media are launching a talent search to create a UK boyband that will also be the subject of a television show.
The TV series will follow the evolution of the rising boy band over six months, starting in London in early 2024. The series’ executive team features James McKinlay (X Factor, America’s Got Talent), David Hall (Deal or No Deal, The Chase, The Greatest Dancer) and music industry executive Ben Karter.
The unique partnership between the South Korean and British companies is being hailed as one of the first of its kind. SM Entertainment has played a pivotal role in catapulting the careers of numerous global pop groups, including NCT, aespa, SuperM, Red Velvet, RIIZE, and more.
“This collaboration signifies our first footprint in Europe. Our expansion blueprint will continue to span across North and South America, Europe, and other pivotal markets, leveraging SM Entertainment’s vast artist roster and extensive networks for unprecedented synergies ahead,” said Kakao Entertainment America CEO Joseph Chang (Jang Yoon-jung), according to Music Business Worldwide.
The collaboration comes as the South Korean entertainment agency continues to expand into global markets and build upon the success of its artists. In August 2023, it opened an integrated North American division with Kakao Entertainment to promote SM’s girl groups IVE
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Meanwhile, English production company Moon&Back Media was founded by BAFTA-winning producer Nigel Hall (The X Factor, Got Talent and One Direction), British media executive Dawn Airey (C4, C5, ITV, Sky, Getty Images) and talent manager Russ Lindsay (Ant & Dec, Simon Cowell). The company recently secured an investment from Endeavor-backed Asylum Entertainment Group in September 2023.
“Take one of the world’s best entertainment producers and combine it with the world’s best K-pop producer and watch the magic unfold. This is a global first, creating a British boy band and exposing them to the wonders and rigours of the premier K-pop process with SM Entertainment,” added Dawn Airey, co-founder, Moon&Back. “This alchemy will create compelling television and a boy band that will entertain the world.”
The unnamed series is currently under pre-production and will be shot in both the UK and South Korea.
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