Kakao Entertainment opens auditions for singers, dancers, actors and models

The poster image for Kakao Entertainment's new audition ″Kakao Entertainment Friends Audition″ [KAKAO ENTERTAINMENT]

Kakao Entertainment will hold an online audition for people with talents in singing, acting or any other field of entertainment, to join the army of labels under the company.

Kakao M and Kakao Page merged earlier this month to form Kakao Entertainment, joining the two leaders in entertainment management and the webtoon industry.

Kakao M managed agencies of 150 stars and content production studios, as well as Kakao's online video platform Kakao TV, while Kakao Page ran the company's popular webtoon and web novel app service.

Some famed stars signed to Kakao Entertainment's labels include singer IU, girl group Apink and boy band Monsta X.

The auditions had been dubbed the "Kakao M Friends Audition" in the past, but has been changed to the "Kakao Entertainment Friends Audition." Kakao Friends is the name of Kakao's characters mainly used for Kakao's chat app emojis.

Anyone born between the years 2003 and 2008 can apply regardless of gender or nationality. Submissions can be made in vocal, rap, dance, acting, model and songwriting. The first round of auditions will take place online due to Covid-19.

Applications begin today and run until March 28. More details are available on Kakao Entertainment's official channel on the Kakao Talk chat app and the audition's official accounts on social media.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]