“At first, I wasn't going to send in my application, thinking ‘how in the world can I become an idol?’ However, the moment I sent an email for the audition with my photo, video, and application, my life changed forever. I’d like to remind you that one moment of determination can turn your life upside down and lead you to achieve your dream.” SOOBIN of TOMORROW X TOGETHER reminisced the experience of his audition. According to the behind-the-scenes stories, “he shook like a leaf on stage, but he kept his eyes on the camera and did his best to show himself.” That is how Soobin passed the audition and became a superstar on stage. 

BIGHIT MUSIC is now looking for the next superstar in 2021. Men born after 2002 is eligible to participate in the 2021 BIGHIT MUSIC Global Audition which started from October 18. The application categories include vocals, rap, dance, and producing. Meanwhile for the women, the girl group global audition held by BELIFT LAB, one of the HYBE labels, is selecting the contestants who will appear on the upcoming audition program “I-LAND Season 2. HYBE IMC team’s Lee Jeongyun, who is in charge of BIGHIT MUSIC Global Audition’s overall marketing, said that “Anyone who likes to sing all the time or has ever been moved by the artists they’ve seen on TV can apply to the audition.” She said that is exactly the message the catchphrase of this year’s BIGHIT MUSIC Global Audition “PLAY YOUR MUSIC” conveys and recommended just go for it. BIGHIT MUSIC Casting Team Lead Hong Seungwoo, who is in charge of casting and audition evaluations, stated that “BIGHIT MUSIC is looking for individuals with potential, love and passion for music.” He went on to explain the judging criteria, “We do evaluate technical skills in vocals, rap, and dancing, but we place great importance on how much they can grow with the training system.” He also added, “Many applicants give up because of the fears over not being able to make it, or thinking they aren’t talented enough but the applicants themselves can go only so far when it comes to evaluating their own potentials. That is why it is important, if that is their dream, to jump right in and show how much they can grow.”

Love and passion for music is not simply a catchphrase. Once the applicants pass the audition and become trainees, their attitude toward music plays a crucial role in nurturing the qualities they need to debut under BIGHIT MUSIC. TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s YEONJUN, who was titled the “LTB” (which stands for Legendary Trainee of BIGHIT) since he always ranked first in the monthly evaluations during his time as a trainee, talked about the company’s evaluation criteria, “I heard the reason why I won first place was because of my distinctive style. I believe the company puts great emphasis on each person’s uniqueness, aside from their dancing or singing skills.” Shin Seonjeong, HYBE’s T&D manager who is in charge of professionally training artists, explained that “People usually assume being good at singing and dancing is what it takes to become a singer. However, BIGHIT MUSIC thinks highly of those who have their own thoughts about music and those who aspire to work with music”. This is why every BIGHIT MUSIC trainee is required to take a musicality class as soon as they enter into the contract. The musicality class starts with lessons on the backgrounds of musical genres and is updated as needed, such as listening to music and sharing ideas with the producers or giving feedback on the songs the trainees work on to polish their musical abilities. HYBE BIGHIT MUSIC Edu Department’s Jang Hyesoo explains the musicality class is “a process of becoming an autonomous artist who makes good music” and “an area trainees each have to master on their own.” BIGHIT MUSIC Edu Department’s Kim Jiyeon also asserted that “it is hard for an artist to be creative if they just passively follow the curriculum as is.” 

 “BIGHIT MUSIC allows artists to love and enjoy music with ease,” HUENINGKAI of TOMORROW X TOGETHER described what it’s like in BIGHIT MUSIC. He further stated that “I know it could be nerve-racking in many ways once you join the company, but I think the important thing is to just enjoy music. I think that way, you can have a good time here.” TAEHYUN of TOMORROW X TOGETHER recalled his experience of knocking on the doors of the company’s work studios to ask any music related questions he had. He said that “there are many producers in the company, and I was grateful that even the producers I barely knew kindly took their time to answer my questions'' and “one of the best strengths of the company is constant communication with various musicians.” Like TAEHYUN’s example, the musicality class provides trainees under BIGHIT MUSIC with a chance to develop what it takes to become an artist, such as various ways of expressing themselves and their independence. It allows them not only to absorb musical knowledge but to naturally discover and solidify their distinctive music styles.

Director Shin Seonjeong says that “It has been testified that trainees eventually improve their technical skills, but to grow into artists, they need to be equipped with broader perspectives and experiences.” The “culture development” program in BIGHIT MUSIC’s training system is what backs up director Shin’s remarks. YEONJUN shared his thoughts that “I remember having easy access to music culture across the board in BIGHIT MUSIC” and he added, “As I learned new musical genres, I got to like a more diverse spectrum of music, and in turn became a hip-hop lover.” The “culture development” program allowed the trainees to watch many different performances or concerts prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. Trainees under different labels participate in “Showdowns” where they put together a performance on their own and engage in a friendly competition. Also, BIGHIT MUSIC not only has enabled its trainees and artists to embrace a wide musical spectrum but also allow them to broaden their horizons by giving them a chance to study abroad before the pandemic. 
 

The efforts to broaden the trainees’ perspectives go beyond the scope of music. Every year, BIGHIT MUSIC updates its training program to adapt to the ever-changing times and generation and offers various courses on multiculturalism, gender sensitivity, climate change, and so on. This is, according to Kim, the result of the company's endeavors to provide a tailored training program for the trainees from different backgrounds, nationalities, and generations. Shin said that “Considering the influence and responsibilities the trainees could have after their debut, they need their own perspective of looking at social issues or problems. I know there is no correct answer to these problems, but our goal is to help our trainees shape their own opinions, at least by posing questions about these issues. In short, BIGHIT MUSIC does more than just teach its trainees musical skills. It is safe to say that the company takes charge of providing their trainees with holistic education to help them grow into a responsible member of society. That undertaking is based on the belief that trainees can grow into true artists when they embrace various views toward the society, going beyond polishing their skills to become professionals with passion for music. 

BIGHIT MUSIC attaches the honorific titles “gun” and “yang” to the names of their  trainees. According to Jang, this is because the company wants to communicate with the trainees so that they can understand one another and grow together, instead of unilaterally giving orders. Like Jang said, the trainees are respected as artists and individual human beings, and at the same time, are given responsibilities over their actions. The trainees are in charge of setting up their own schedules  that are made up of different lesson schedules, and take days off when they want within the rules. According to Kim, this is “the system that allows the trainees to figure out which area they need to work on and invest their time in autonomously and to be their own boss and take on the task ahead of them. HUENINGKAI pointed out that the process of electing the leader of TOMORROW X TOGETHER was impressive. “Each of us took turns taking on the role of leader once a week, and afterwards the votes by the members and the company were combined, ultimately electing Soobin as the official leader of the group. I thought this process was clever and saw that the company really understood the importance of a leader.”

"In fact, the trainee period can never be all that rosy.” TAEHYUN spoke candidly of the difficulties trainees face. Back then, TAEHYUN woke up at 6 AM every single day to go to school, went through numerous practices and lessons almost around the clock for his debut. "Let's say I was given an hour, I was at a crossroads every moment, where I had to decide whether to dance, sing, do something else, or catch up on sleep.” Despite all the support the company provides, trainees still face countless challenges during the process leading up to realizing their dream of debuting. The burden of having a dream is not light at all, but the company can carry that burden together. SOOBIN recalled, “When I was a trainee, I couldn't help but think I wasn't good enough and was debating if I should quit. Every time that happened, the New Artist Development Team staff kept encouraging, comforting, and reassuring me. That's how I got through those tough times." BeomGYU of TOMORROW X TOGETHER described that "BIGHIT MUSIC doesn’t spare any investments when it comes to fostering their trainees.” “The company recommended the choreographies that suit me and helped me figure out a way to bring out my individuality. That allowed me, as a trainee, to think about what kind of person I wanted to become after debuting in advance.” The efforts of the company of helping their artists discover their identities and individualities while achieving mutual growth have been made in a slow but steady manner. This is probably why YEONJUN said about the company: "I think the company genuinely respects us and works hard not just simply for the sake of making profit but for our lives and dreams.” 

BEOMGYU advised those who will apply for this upcoming BIGHIT MUSIC Global Audition as follows: "It's something that might change the course of your life, so I hope you think it through before jumping in. I hope people apply for the audition because they want to sing and dance for a living, not simply because of how cool and nice it looks on TV. Like he said, the audition is an opportunity that is absolutely up for grabs, as well as a turning point that could change a person’s life. On that note, TAEHYUN offers words of support to the applicants as follows. "Every challenge is an experience, and you learn from failure. So if your dream is to become a singer, be sure to jump in and apply for the audition. Even if your efforts don’t always bear fruit right away, it doesn't mean you're not good enough, so keep on going. Those who share the same dream and those who have passion for performing and their dreams eventually run into each other again somewhere someday.