BIGHIT MUSIC, the HYBE label home to BTS, has opened a global audition to scout male talent.
The 2026 BIGHIT MUSIC GLOBAL AUDITION pairs an online application process with in-person auditions in 15 cities across North America, Asia, and Oceania.
It is open to any male born in or after 2008, regardless of nationality or place of residence, the label said on Monday (September 14).
BIGHIT MUSIC has set no restrictions on performance categories and says applicants can pick whichever discipline they want to be judged in.
Online applications will be accepted through the official audition website from September 14 to December 5.
The in-person auditions run from October 3 to December 5 and require no prior registration.
They will be held in Los Angeles, Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Vancouver, Toronto, Tokyo, Osaka, Bangkok, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Jakarta, Taipei, and Seoul.
“We welcome all applicants who are pursuing their dreams. We hope for active participation from people who can show their own individuality and talent across a range of fields,” BIGHIT MUSIC said in a statement translated from Korean.
BIGHIT MUSIC is the label behind BTS, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, and CORTIS.
It is one of the HYBE MUSIC GROUP labels run by HYBE, which was itself called Big Hit Entertainment until 2021.
“We welcome all applicants who are pursuing their dreams. We hope for active participation from people who can show their own individuality and talent across a range of fields.”
BIGHIT MUSIC
CORTIS, a five-piece, debuted in August 2025 – the label’s first new boy group in six years.
The group has passed 5 million cumulative album sales across its first two mini albums, according to HYBE’s Q2 2026 earnings release.
The second of those, GREENGREEN, has sold more than 3 million copies and reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200, HYBE said.
BTS returned in March with its fifth studio album ARIRANG, which ranked No. 1 in US vinyl and CD album sales in the first half of 2026, according to Luminate’s 2026 Midyear Report.
HYBE said albums by its artists accounted for five of the 10 best-selling CD albums in the United States over the same period.
The company posted revenue of KRW 1.45 trillion (approximately USD $967 million) in the second quarter of 2026, in what it said was a record result driven by the BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’.
The BIGHIT MUSIC search lands during a run of talent hunts across the K-pop business, as previously reported by MBW.
HYBE opened a nationwide talent search in India on March 31 to assemble a new girl group, taking applications until July 31 from girls born between 2005 and 2011.
RETOPIA SALON, a company set up by former HYBE executives, announced auditions across 18 cities in April for a boy group it plans to debut in 2027.
SM Entertainment, the company behind aespa, NCT, and RIIZE, has been running a 2026 global audition spanning 21 locations worldwide after its South Korean leg.
HYBE has been exporting the training-and-development model behind BTS into other markets.
KATSEYE, its first Western girl group, was assembled with Universal Music Group’s Geffen Records through the Dream Academy audition, which drew 120,000 applicants.
Through HYBE Latin America, the company has also produced a Latin boy group, SANTOS BRAVOS.
Separately, HYBE opened applications for a 2026 edition of its Next New Creator audition on July 14, a global search for pop producers spanning several of its labels in Korea and Japan.
Applications for that search closed on August 12.
The BIGHIT MUSIC announcement does not say whether the audition is tied to a specific debut.Music Business Worldwide
BIGHIT MUSIC, the South Korean label known for its association with global K-pop phenomenon BTS, has launched a global audition aimed at scouting male talent for potential new acts. The 2026 BIGHIT MUSIC GLOBAL AUDITION combines an online application process with in-person auditions taking place in 15 major cities across North America, Asia, and Oceania. The initiative is open to any male born in or after 2008, allowing participation from individuals regardless of their nationality or place of residence.
The online application window began on September 14 and will remain open until December 5. During this period, potential applicants can submit their materials through the official audition website. In-person auditions are scheduled to occur from October 3 to December 5 in cities such as Los Angeles, Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Vancouver, Toronto, Tokyo, Osaka, Bangkok, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Jakarta, Taipei, and Seoul. Notably, these in-person auditions do not require prior registration, making it accessible for a broader range of participants.
BIGHIT MUSIC has emphasized that there are no restrictions on the performance categories applicants can choose from, allowing individuals to showcase their unique talents across various disciplines. The label has expressed an encouraging message, inviting all aspiring talents to pursue their dreams and actively participate in demonstrating their individuality.
BIGHIT MUSIC has been the force behind successful K-pop groups like BTS and TOMORROW X TOGETHER, as well as the recently debuted boy group CORTIS, which made its debut in August 2025 after a six-year hiatus for BIGHIT MUSIC. CORTIS has seen impressive sales figures, with over 5 million cumulative album sales from their first two mini albums, including their second album, GREENGREEN, which sold more than 3 million copies and reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
In addition to the audition announcement, BIGHIT MUSIC’s parent company, HYBE, reported significant achievements for its artists. BTS returned in March 2026 with their fifth studio album, ARIRANG, which topped the charts in the U.S. for vinyl and CD album sales during the first half of the year. HYBE’s report indicated that albums from its artists accounted for five of the top ten best-selling CD albums in the United States, contributing to the company’s record revenue of KRW 1.45 trillion (approximately USD $967 million) in the second quarter of 2026, largely driven by the success of the BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’.
The timing of the BIGHIT MUSIC global audition aligns with a broader trend within the K-pop industry, which has seen multiple companies launching talent searches. For instance, HYBE recently opened auditions in India for a new girl group, and other companies like SM Entertainment have also initiated global auditions for new acts. BIGHIT MUSIC’s approach reflects its commitment to exporting the training and development model that has been pivotal in BTS’s success into new markets, including the West.
HYBE has also engaged in various projects to expand its reach, including assembling KATSEYE, its first Western girl group, through a collaboration with Universal Music’s Geffen Records. Additionally, the company has initiated a Latin boy group, SANTOS BRAVOS, through HYBE Latin America. Furthermore, the company recently concluded applications for its Next New Creator audition, a global search for pop music producers, demonstrating its multifaceted approach to talent acquisition and development across different genres and markets.
While the announcement does not specify if the audition is linked to a particular debut, it signals BIGHIT MUSIC’s ongoing commitment to discovering and nurturing new talent on a global scale. The label aims to continue its legacy of producing impactful and diverse music, further enriching the K-pop landscape and beyond.
In summary, the 2026 BIGHIT MUSIC GLOBAL AUDITION represents a significant opportunity for aspiring male performers to showcase their talents and potentially join one of the most influential labels in the music industry today. With a focus on individuality, creativity, and global participation, BIGHIT MUSIC seeks to identify the next generation of artists who can contribute to the evolving narrative of K-pop and beyond.
