K-pop stars including 2NE1’s Sandara Park, EXO's Chen and Bang Ye-dam will join hands to discover global talent through the Korea-Philippines joint audition program “Be the Next : 9 Dreamers,” Artsro Entertainment said Friday.

Co-produced by MLD Entertainment and Artsro Entertainment, the cross-national audition program will pit a total of 74 contestants from across Asia against one another to form a nine-member boy band. The show will be aired on the Philippines’ major broadcaster, TV5, starting Feb. 8.


The two producers will oversee the show’s production, as well as the training and future activities of the winners.

Park will host the audition show and K-pop stars including Chen, Hyebin of now-defunct girl group Momoland, AB6IX member Park Woo-jin and Bang will serve as the mentors for the trainees.

"'Be the Next : 9 Dreamers' will capture the inspiring moments where talented trainees from across Asia struggle to become global idols, guided by professional judges and mentors," said Artsro Entertainment in its press release.

"More details about the show and the participants will be unveiled on the first episode."

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]