JYP Global Auditions 2026: Search for Next Stray Kids Begins

• With an international eight-city circuit, JYP Entertainment is coming to look for its next successful act
• The audition will be held in two parts, with an online application system and an in-person assessment in the nearest city
• There is no restriction of nationality; however, parental jurisdiction is needed if a candidate is under the age of 14 (for Koreans) and 16 (for international participants)

JYP Entertainment has launched a sweeping new talent acquisition program with “The Heat,” a global audition drive created to pick out the next-gen, multimarket boy band. The drive will run from March 26 through May 31, 2026, and will welcome male candidates born between 2008 and 2016. Repeating the standard industry norm for K-pop, by putting an age bracket, JYP has put a major barometer in the initial screening itself. Notably, there are no nationality restrictions for the applicants, thereby letting JYP cast a wide net across the world to churn out the selective talents.

Which Cities are on the JYP Boy Group Audition Drive?

JYP’s audition will have a two-stage filter, initiated with an obligatory digital submission phase, followed by an in-person assessment for shortlisted candidates. The circuit will cover eight major hubs. JYP will be there at Osaka, Japan, on April 18, followed by a dual-city stop in New York, USA, and Bangkok, Thailand on April 25. The drive will then continue through California, USA, on May 2, Tokyo, Japan, on May 9, Sydney, Australia, on May 16, and Melbourne, Australia, on May 23, before concluding in Seoul, South Korea, on May 31. To maintain logistical flow, the online application window for a city will close three days before the respective audition date, aligned with the city’s local time zones.

What are the Submission Requirements and Rules for 2026 JYP Auditions?

The technical needs for the first digital round are specific, which will require two to six profile images and a mandatory self-introduction video. One can put up to 3 videos at max. It is advised by the company not to use any filters or retouch effects while capturing/filming a photo/video. It is also to be noted that the photos/videos additionally require to be captured in a brightly-lit space, however, the file size should remain 20MB for images and 50MB for videos, capped at 10 minutes. The prospective candidates can also include optional clips showcasing their vocal, rap, or dance proficiency, with an upper-body video for for vocal/rap/acting, and for dance and modeling, a full-body video needs to be uploaded.

Also, parental consent is necessary if a candidate is a minor (under-14 for Koreans, and under-16 for non-Koreans). As for Korean applicants, to minimize the friction points of a global program such as this one, JYP Entertainment will use a domestic mobile authentication application, while offering an email-based verification for international applicants.

One must have to be careful about application submission as it cannot be modified once it has been finally submitted. Therefore, accurate information is necessary prior to the action. Also, after one has entered into the initial round, they can review their application by clicking the “+” icon located at the top left of the JYP AUDITION official website, after which then can select the “My Audition” section. Post an email verification process the JYP audition application can be accessed.

JYP Seeks to Make Another Popular K-pop Act

While this audition program also serves as a promotional event, “The Heat” is actually a recalibrated intake process for JYP’s training system, which produced popular new and legacy acts like 2PM, Stray Kids, NEXZ, and KickFlip. By introducing global auditions, the agency is walking towards a more distributed model of talent acquisition that can anchor its global touring and streaming. However, only successful first-round candidates will be notified of their clearance, with upcoming schedules informed via individual email.