Ahead of the premiere of I-Land on June 26, here’s what we know about the show so far.

It’s a big-budget affair

Big Hit and CJ &EM formed the joint venture Belift Lab to embark on the large-scale global idol project. It’s reportedly been in the works for three years, with a total budget of 20 billion won (US$16.2 million) invested in the production. A massive dedicated complex has been built specially for the show in South Korea.

The partnership is said to combine Big Hit’s expertise in the global K-pop scene with CJ’s content production capabilities – the firm has produced an extensive portfolio of shows such as Superstar K, Show Me The Money, as well as the highly successful (albeit controversial) franchise Produce 101.

“The main business field for [Belift Lab] is entertainment and media content based on intellectual property rights,” said the chief of Belift Lab, Kim Tae-ho.

“We will come up with results that live up to the market expectation, as this project is led by the top local content and entertainment firms.”

Global hunt for budding K-pop stars

Starting in March 2019, the first round of auditions were held in Seoul before moving to the United States, Japan, Taiwan and other major centres in search of potential male trainees born between 1997 and 2008. Categories included rapping, dancing, singing, acting and modelling.

No further details have been revealed about the hopefuls taking part in I-Land, but it’s safe to say that fans can expect to see a diverse mix of talent on the show.

How does it work?

To be aired on South Korean music TV channel Mnet, I-Land is an observational reality series that chronicles the training process of K-pop hopefuls as they work towards their global debut.

Unlike the Produce 101 series – which was embroiled in a vote-rigging controversy – it doesn’t have a voting system, which means viewers will not have any influence over the final line-up of the group.

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Still, the survival elements are unmissable. In a mysterious teaser, actor Min Nam-goong (the host and “storyteller” of the show) can be seen narrating the “story” in a cinematic setting: “This is an unprecedented unknown space, and a living structure … It is controlled only by the system.

“The most evolved survival game unfolds right here … The whole world will watch the entire process … Now is the time to prove yourself.”

Instead of employing audience participation, the show is likely to follow the traditional format of enlisting a panel of judges to evaluate the hopefuls’ performance as they progress through the programme.

Who else is involved?

Veteran singer Rain and rapper-producer Zico have been confirmed as mentors on the show.

Heading the show will be Big Hit founder and CEO Bang Si-hyuk, the man behind the meteoric success of BTS.

The K-pop mastermind will be taking on the role of general producer, and will play an integral role in the production and development of the group.

“We will help participants with infinite potential to develop skills as artists. As the general producer, I have high expectations on how they will grow,” Bang has said.

Anticipation is high among fans. One user summed it up perfectly: “This looks like a teaser for world domination.” Another wrote: “Wow, this reminds me of a Hunger Games type of survival show.”

Will Big Hit and CJ’s new flagship act have what it takes to become the next big K-pop phenomenon? We’ll just have to watch and find out.