Universal Music Group is making its biggest play yet into the K-pop world. Mnet just announced a major partnership with UMG’s Republic Collective for its upcoming girl group survival show Girls Planet 2027, covering everything from production to the group’s full debut push in the US and global markets.
This isn’t a small collab — it’s a full-on strategic alliance. The show premieres next year and has already pulled in over 36,000 applications worldwide since May, with 30% coming from the Americas. Mnet is even holding in-person auditions at KCON LA in August. Production teased “new synergies” from participants across cultures, which sounds like code for creating a truly global girl group ready for Western stages.
The Bigger Picture
This move comes hot on the heels of Warner Music Group signing several Korean acts and building serious K-pop infrastructure. Now Universal is stepping up with Republic Collective — one of their key imprints — signaling that the majors see K-pop not just as a trend, but as a core growth engine.
Mnet’s “Planet” franchise has a proven track record: Kep1er (Girls Planet 999), ZeroBaseOne (Boys Planet), and Alpha Drive One (Boys II Planet). Girls Planet 2027 is positioned to be the next big export, but this time with major-label firepower behind the US rollout.
K-pop’s soft power is undeniable, and Western labels want in on the formula — the intense training, fan engagement, and multi-talented idols that dominate charts and social media. By partnering early in the audition-to-debut pipeline, Universal gets influence on the group’s sound, image, and international strategy from day one.
Expect more of these East-West joint ventures. The K-pop machine keeps evolving, and the big players in the US are no longer content to just distribute — they want to help build the next generation of global stars.
Stay tuned for Girls Planet 2027. With that level of interest already, it’s shaping up to be another game-changer.
