In 2025, the 'Asia KPOP Star Audition' (AKSA), a global audition program to discover and foster KPOP talent from around the world, will be held in cooperation with TikTok, ESTV, TVK, and the Myeongdong Merchants Association. The project aims to expand KPOP globally and will be held in five countries: Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and the United States.

Through this audition, we aim to encourage user participation through K-pop related content and expand the global user base. The event organizers, GBS M and The Loud, plan to discover talents suitable for the K-pop industry and systematically nurture them to provide various support so that they can grow as artists. This includes programs such as training, web management, short-form drama production, K-concerts, and advertising agencies.

AKSA's business objective is to promote sustainable growth of the K-pop industry through the globalization of K-pop and the discovery of new talent. In addition, it focuses on strengthening communication with K-pop fans, supporting the formation of a global community, and providing a venue for diverse cultural exchanges.

Here's how the audition works: AKSA targets vocalists, dancers, models, and creators, and in Korea, it also includes actors. The application period for the Korean K-Audition will be from April 2 to April 30, 2025, and participants must upload one self-introduction video and two performance videos to TikTok.

After that, from May 12th to 20th, an online audition will be held via a TikTok LIVE multi-guest live broadcast. Finally, from May 26th to 31st, the main open audition will be held on a stage provided by the Myeongdong Merchants Association in Myeongdong, the most popular tourist destination in Korea for foreign tourists. Meanwhile, the Myeongdong Merchants Association, as a key partner in this project, will actively support Myeongdong to establish itself as a center representing K-pop and Korean Wave culture. In particular, as the main open audition is held in Myeongdong, K-pop fans and tourists from all over the world are expected to visit Myeongdong, and through this, they plan to actively participate and contribute to the revitalization of the local commercial district and the expansion of cultural exchange.

The preliminary round will be conducted based on the TikTok short-form videos and live audition interviews submitted by the participants, and 500 people will be selected through the functions and systems of TikTok LIVE. The final round will be conducted through auditions held offline in each local country. In the final audition, 20 people from each country will visit Korea and be selected through a competition. Representatives of K-pop agencies and famous artists will participate as judges, adding high reliability.

All audition processes will be broadcasted live exclusively through the TikTok platform, and participants will be asked to create and share content in both live and shorts formats. Live broadcasts will be conducted from the preliminary round to the final round, and each participant will be required to upload three shorts videos.

In particular, AKSA signed an agreement with ESTV, the world's No. 1 game broadcaster, and TVK, the largest cable broadcaster in the U.S., to broadcast K-Audition broadcasts. This is expected to increase the global viewership of K-Pop auditions and allow for greater communication with fans.

AKSA's operating plan includes active promotion and marketing using various platforms such as local broadcasting stations, TikTok, and SNS, and operates applications, schedule announcements, and web management through TheRowd. In addition, it plans to strengthen the program's credibility and influence through collaboration with K-pop agencies, music-related companies, and the media. Selected participants will be systematically provided with K-pop-related education and training to support their growth as artists.