&Audition – The Howling

&Audition – The Howling – is a Japanese and South Korean reality competition program that follows the formation and debut of the first boy group under HYBE Labels Japan.
In the live finale on September 3, 2022, the nine members of &TEAM were revealed. They debuted on December 7, 2022.

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Program synopsis

&Audition – The Howling – A 60-minute, uncut version of the show where 15 trainees move forward together towards their dreams; a documentary-style program where various performances and stories unfold as they aim for debut.

Hulu Japan, Hybe Labels YouTube : every Saturday at 1:30PM JST starting on July 9, 2022

&Audition – The Howling – Final Round

Hybe Labels YouTube, Hulu Japan : 4PM JST live broadcast from Tokyo on September 3, 2022 ; two-hour special
Nippon TV : 4-5PM JST; one-hour special

&Audition – Live – A shorter 30-minute version of the show, serving as support to the main broadcast, where MCs and an audience watch together with viewers.

Nippon TV : 12:59AM every Thursday starting on July 14, 2022

Background

On January 1, 2021, it was announced that Big Hit Japan would launch the "Big Hit Japan Global Debut Project" to search for artists to debut as a group in Japan and become active worldwide. Former I-Land contestants K, Nicholas, EJ and Taki were to take part as confirmed members of the group, joined by additional trainees determined through an audition program called "&Audition".
On March 19, Big Hit Entertainment re-branded and re-structured into HYBE Corporation, whereby Hybe Labels Japan would now be involved in the program and group's debut. On the same day, an official Twitter account under the name "&AUDITION Boys" was launched for the four confirmed group members. On April 26, 2021, K and EJ made a cameo in the music video for Enhypen's "Drunk-Dazed". On November 4, Hybe Labels Japan shared that the "&Audition" program would begin airing in 2022.
On January 18, 2022, Hybe Labels Japan announced the opening of YouTube channel "&Audition Boys", and various videos and vlogs were uploaded. On March 9, the program was revealed to be titled &Audition – The Howling, and broadcast would start in July 2022 as the first phase of the Global Debut Project. On May 30, the program's official website and social media accounts were opened, as well as the details of its broadcast date. On June 4, themed profile photos of the 15 participating trainees were revealed. The signal song for the program, "The Final Countdown", and its music video were released on June 28.

Producers

Special Advisor

Bang Si-hyuk

Mentors

Pdogg
Son Sung-deuk

Performance Director

Sakura Inoue

Producer and Sound Director

Soma Genda

Special Producers

Ryosuke Imai
Scooter Braun
Zico

Producer information from the official &Audition website.

Special guests

Contestants

Color key:

	Final members of &TEAM
	Eliminated in the final episode

Profile

A total of 15 trainees participated in the show—four confirmed members, who were previously contestants on the South Korean boy group survival reality show I-Land, and 11 new trainees.

	Name	Japanese	Nationality	Prefecture / City	Date of birth	Age	Before &Audition
Debut Trainees	K	ケイ	Japan	Tokyo	21 October 1997	24	Former marathon athlete and I-Land contestant; trained at EXPG Tokyo
Debut Trainees	Nicholas	ニコラス	Taiwan	Taipei	9 July 2002	19	B-boy and former I-Land contestant
Debut Trainees	EJ	ウィジュ	South Korea	Goyang	7 September 2002	19	Former Big Hit Music trainee, fencing athlete and I-Land contestant
Debut Trainees	Taki	タキ	Japan	Kanagawa	4 May 2005	17	Background in locking, former I-Land contestant
Trainees	Fuma	フウマ	Japan	Shizuoka	29 June 1998	23	Dancer, backup dancer, former n.cH trainee until 2019, Produce 101 Japan season 2 contestant
Trainees	Hayate	ハヤテ	Japan	Hyogo	25 January 2001	21	Appeared on JTBC's Stage K in 2019; ModelPress Mr High School Boy contestant in 2017
Trainees	Junwon	ジュンウォン	South Korea	Jeonju	21 April 2003	19	Former Big Hit Music, iMe Korea and Biscuit Entertainment trainee
Trainees	Yuma	ユウマ	Japan	Hyogo	7 February 2004	18	Former Johnny's trainee under Kansai Johnny's Jr from 2012; former Avex trainee
Trainees	Gaku	ガク	Japan	Nagano	25 April 2004	18	Dance and dance battle background
Trainees	Jo	ジョウ	Japan	Kanagawa	8 July 2004	17	Junon Superboy Contest 2020 finalist, dropped out before finals presumably to become a trainee; basketball player
Trainees	Hikaru	ヒカル	Japan	Gunma	28 March 2005	17	Ballet background; 2020 Japan Seifuku School Uniform Award winner
Trainees	Harua	ハルア	Japan	Nagano	1 May 2005	17	Formerly signed to Stardust Promotion new talent division
Trainees	Maki	マキ	Japan / Germany	Tokyo	17 February 2006	16	Musical theatre background; previously part of a musical theatre company
Trainees	Minhyung	ミニョン	South Korea	Seoul	27 January 2007	15	Former Big Hit Music trainee
Trainees	Yejun	イェジュン	South Korea	Seoul	28 April 2007	15	Former Big Hit Music trainee, child actor; appeared in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo and Arthdal Chronicles

Note: Profile information from the official &Audition website, and ages based on the international age system and date of release.

Concept

Each round has a mission involving both an interim check and a performance. The trainees will be judged on vocal ability, performance and a special criteria that will change with each round. Based on evaluations of their performances, the trainees earn a certain number of &BALLs to fill the &RING. Only if they fill the &RING after four rounds can everyone advance to the final round; if they fail to fill the &RING, the planned group's debut may be cancelled.

Missions

Round 1: Group signal song mission

Episode 1

All trainees perform the theme song "The Final Countdown" together. The special criterion is teamwork.
Minhyung was unable to participate.

Round 2: Concept mission

Episodes 2 and 3

K, EJ, Nicholas and Taki all become leaders to four teams and prepare performances with four different concepts. The special criterion is each team's chemistry.
Junwon was unable to participate for health reasons.

Episode	Song	Team Leader	Team Members
2	TXT－"Blue Hour "	EJ	Fuma, Harua, Yejun
3	Monsta X－"Hero "	Nicholas	Gaku, Hayate
3	TVXQ－"Something "	K	Jo, Minhyung
3	Taemin－"Sayonara Hitori"	Taki	Maki, Hikaru, Yuma

Round 3: Seventeen legendary mission

Episodes 4 and 5

The trainees split into three teams and perform songs by Seventeen. They are tasked with creating original choreography, interpreting the songs in their own styles, and contributing to the design of their stage outfits. The special criterion is creativity.

Episode	Song	Group Name	Team Leader	Team Members
5	"Call Call Call!"	C Riders	Fuma	Nicholas, Junwon, Minhyung, Yejun
5	"Home;Run "	Full Count	Gaku	EJ, Jo, Harua, Maki
5	"Oh My! "	Wang Wang	Hayate	K, Taki, Hikaru, Yuma

Round 4: BTS mission

Episodes 6 and 7

The trainees are divided into two teams. Each team is tasked with performing two BTS songs, one of which is a different arrangement to the original. The fourth round has two evaluations: one centered on vocals, and another solely on performance.

Episode	Vocal Song	Performance Song Remix	Team	Trainees
7	"Film Out"	"Run"	A	Nicholas, EJ, Harua, Hayate, Jo, Junwon, Yuma
7	"Lights"	"Black Swan"	B	K, Taki, Fuma, Gaku, Hikaru, Maki, Minhyung, Yejun

Final round

Episode 8

Junwon performed "Running with the Pack" while seated due to injury.

Episode	Original Song	Debut Trainees	Trainees
8	"Melody"	K, Nicholas, EJ, Taki	Gaku, Yejun, Harua, Hayate, Hikaru
8	"Running with the Pack"	K, Nicholas, EJ, Taki	Fuma, Jo, Junwon, Maki, Minhyung, Yuma

Final results

K, Nicholas, EJ and Taki's debut was officially confirmed after Round 4. The remaining five members were decided by a combination of criteria: producer evaluation, special producer evaluation, preliminary global voting, and final live voting.

Result

The finale was broadcast live on September 3, 2022, from Tokyo. Bang Si-hyuk announced the name of the newly formed boy group to be &Team.

Aftermath

&TEAM officially debuted on December 7, 2022, with the extended play First Howling: Me.
On November 21, 2022, &Team released their debut song, "Under the Skin" and released their debut extended play on December 7, 2022.
Some trainees participated in other survival shows:
* Yoo Jun-won participated in MBC's "Fantasy Boys" ranked 1st at the finals, and was expected to debut as a member of FANTASY BOYS in late 2023 under PocketDol Studio. However, he left the debut lineup on August 23, 2023, following several disagreements Junwon and his parents had with PocketDol Studio regarding his contract. Junwon ultimately lost the lawsuit, however Fantasy Boys continued their activities without him.
* Haku, now changed back to Hikaru & Gaku participated in Oen-High as contestants with 9 other members. Hikaru ranked 5 as a fixed member making him a debut member of "aeon" and Gaku ended up making the final lineup ranking 6.
Some trainees debuted in new groups:
*Hayate debuted in YK Entertainment under their boy group called Wild Blue.
*Hikaru & Gaku debuted in YX Labels to their boy group "aoen" making them &Team's little brothers.
Some trainees opened social media accounts:
*Yu Junwon reactivated his Instagram account.