Netflix is getting into the K-pop audition business. The streaming platform announced on October 21 that it will produce “We Go High,” a new girl group competition series built around students from South Korea’s arts high schools — and opened applications the same day.
The show will bring together talented students representing arts high schools across the country as they compete for school honor and a chance to debut in a new girl group. Eligible applicants are first- and second-year students at high schools with arts or broadcasting-related programs, plus students set to enroll in such schools in the 2027 academic year. Contestants will face off as rivals while collaborating as peers, with the final lineup chosen by a global audience, according to Zapzee.
Veteran variety producers
Park Jin-kyung and Lee Jae-seok of Monstera House will produce and direct the series. Both formerly of MBC, they are known for variety shows with distinctive formats — including Netflix’s Zombieverse (2023–24) and the survival show The Influencer (2024), per the Korea JoongAng Daily — signaling a format built on personality and character rather than a straight competition.
Thinking past the finale
Netflix is also planning beyond the final episode. The company signed a memorandum of understanding with SM C&C to support the group formed through the competition after its debut, collaborating on the group’s development, activities and global expansion. A premiere date and the final group size have not been disclosed — but with the world’s biggest streamer now manufacturing idols, the K-pop audition wars just gained their most powerful new player.
The format sets “We Go High” apart from earlier idol audition shows. Rather than individual trainees competing alone, students will represent their schools — facing rival schools head-on while also collaborating with fellow participants. The school-versus-school structure, combined with a final lineup chosen directly by a global audience, is designed to capture both competitive drama and the camaraderie of young artists growing together.
For Netflix, the move continues a deepening K-content push that has already made Korean dramas and films central to its global strategy. Details on the premiere date, episode count and final group size are still under wraps, with applications and updates posted through Netflix Korea’s official social media channels. If the applicant pool matches the ambition, expect a premiere window announcement before year’s end.
