Heads up, K‑pop news junkies—HYBE and Geffen Records are back in teamwork mode, and this time they’re launching a brand-new audition project that’s ambitious enough to make your jaw drop.
Dubbed “World Scout: The Final Piece,” this mega-scheme kicks off a massive audition tour across Japan, running now through September 22, 2025. It’s a golden (or platinum?) opportunity for women or non-binary folks aged 15 to 24—because hey, inclusion matters—to audition whether they slay vocals, rap, dance, or even compose and produce.
So, what’s the Catch‑22—er, catch? Winners won’t just get a pat on the back; they’ll go straight into a K‑pop–style training program tailor-made by HYBE and Geffen Records for the U.S. market, scheduled for October to December. After that crash course in idol goodness, a few select trainees will be scouted for a spot in a brand-new girl group slated to debut next year.
And because we can’t resist turning everything in K‑pop into prime entertainment—drumroll—the whole audition and development process will be filmed and streamed as a reality show on the Japanese platform Abema in spring 2026. Theatrics and training. It’s basically a drama with sweatbands.
Hot take: This isn’t HYBE and Geffen’s first rodeo. Back in 2023, they launched Katseye through the “Dream Academy” project, and the group has been making waves with tracks like “Touch,” “Gnarly,” and “Gabriela”. So it’s safe to say they’re treating this audition seriously—as in, “let’s make another K‑pop storm.”
In short: If you’re between 15 and 24, slay in at least one creative discipline, and are down to train like a star, World Scout is calling your name. Launching a global girl group isn’t easy, but if anyone can do it—HYBE × Geffen might just pull it off again.
Ready to join the adventure? Start brushing up on your dance routines… and your dramatic close‑up faces.
