- Retopia Salon launches an audition drive across 18 cities, including Tokyo, Los Angeles, Toronto, Jakarta, and Sydney.
- The audition is searching for talents for its boy group, with a possible look out for a girl group in the near future.
- The boy group may reportedly debut in 2027, raising questions about whether the former HYBE executive can create another BTS.
Three people who shaped BTS, have now launched a new entertainment venture named Retopia Salon. The agency is set to initiate an 18-city global talent search for a boy group, planned for a 2027 debut, potentially targeting candidates born between 2008 and 2014.
The 18-city talent search includes Tokyo, Los Angeles, Toronto, Jakarta, and Sydney, across vocal, rap, dance, and acting disciplines. Although the immediate focus remains on the 2027 boy group, the executive team is also looking for individuals who could be a perfect fit for a future girl group project.
Ex-HYBE leadership anchors Retopia’s creative and global strategy
Retopia Salon is led by CEO Bang Woo Jung, CCO Kim Serene, and COO Park Jun Soo, three former HYBE executives heading creative, content, and international arms. They bring a significant production pedigree to the venture. Notably, they are credited for BTS member Jin’s variety series Run Jin and the Disney+ project Are You Sure?! featuring Jimin and Jung Kook. With this, the company intends to enter an increasingly cluttered market as key agencies rapidly export the K-pop training model to new areas.
Global audition race intensifies as K-pop majors expand talent pipelines
The founders’ former organization, HYBE, is itself currently executing a huge talent search in India to form a localized girl group. The company’s India arm is accepting applications from March 31 through July 31. That initiative covers over 10 Indian cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Guwahati, and Bengaluru, amongst others, alongside global hubs like London, New York, Singapore, and so on.
The competitive landscape for fresh talent is intensifying further globally. Since Dec 2025, one of the “Big Four” of K-pop, SM Entertainment, conducted a talent search across countries like China, Japan, Thailand, and the U.S. for its 2026 global audition cycle. Additionally, Pledis Entertainment also scouted talent through its "Wonder Teens" program from Jan to Feb 2026. Recently, JYP Entertainment has also initiated its own specialized audition drive for a boy group. As these legacy players and new ventures like Retopia Salon fight for dominance, the industry is now moving toward an internationalized talent drive framework designed to find the next generation of global stars.
