HYBE to select its first Latin American band on competition show starting next month

A reality series titled “Santos Bravos,” which aims to launch a new male idol group in Mexico, will be released in August on social media, HYBE’s Latin American subsidiary said on July 10.

The series features 16 contestants from various countries including Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Peru, Spain and the United States. Selected from hundreds of applicants, the participants will join a customized training camp focused on musicality, emotional expression and stage performance. Only five will be chosen as the final members to debut as the group Santos Bravos.

The project marks the first application of HYBE’s K-pop artist development and training system in Latin America.

“Designed by Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, the system emphasizes intensive training, emotional support, narrative development and community engagement to cultivate global artists,” according to HYBE.

“‘Santos Bravos’ is a project of authenticity, emotion and connection,” Bang said.

Kenny Ortega, the director and choreographer known for Disney’s “High School Musical” (2006) and “Descendants” (2015), will serve as the project’s creative director. Hitmaker Johnny Goldstein, who has worked with Shakira, BTS’s J-Hope and K-pop boy band Enhypen, will be the lead music producer.

Vocal training will be led by RAab Stevenson, a vocal coach who has worked with Justin Timberlake, Rihanna and SZA. Jaime Escallon, known for producing “The X Factor” (2004-) and “Survivor” (2000-) will oversee the project as executive producer.

Meanwhile, the Latin American subsidiary is currently running another large-scale audition program, “Pase A La Fama,” in partnership with Telemundo, a Spanish-language network under NBC Universal. The show ranked No. 1 in its time slot among Spanish-language broadcasts, with an average of 200,000 viewers in the 18-to-49 demographic and a total of 688,000 viewers, according to Nielsen ratings.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]