Hello! Project Korea Auditions

The Hello! Project Korea Auditions (対東京少女; Meet Tokyo Girl, 대 동경소녀; DaeDong Kyung Youths) started recruiting members in March 2009 and continued in April. The audition process was broadcasted starting May. There were 2,500 applicants in total. [2]

General guidelines for the auditions

• The audition process will be a joint project by H!P and M.Net Entertainment.
• There's no age limit for the applicants.
• They'll select 10 finalists, out of which only one will be an official H!P trainee. She'll go to training to Japan, and her training will be "Japanese style", taking all the steps that a Japanese entertainer would take for debut.
• Said finalist will be a Hello! Project member, not a Morning Musume member.

Audition process

In the last day of Hello! Project 2009 Winter Kettei! Hello☆Pro Award '09 ~Elder Club Sotsugyou Kinen Special~, Ogawa Makoto confirmed the rumours of the Korea audition. In March 9, 2009 Tsunku, Shimizu Saki of Berryz Koubou and Yajima Maimi of C-ute visited Korea to officially announce the auditions, they held a press conference and Shimizu and Yajima also had a fan signing event.

On April 27, 2009 Takahashi Ai, Niigaki Risa and Tanaka Reina visited Korea for the audition show taping. On April 30, 2009 Umeda Erika and Yajima Maimi of C-ute also visited Korea for an audition show taping (the 2nd episode). 2PM members ChanSung and JunHo are the show MCs.

Separetedly, Korean show J-POP WAVE aired two special programs with the mentioned Hello! Project members, where they talk about the auditions and K-pop (The 2009-05-02 program featured Takahashi, Niigaki and Reina, and the 2009-05-09 featured Umeda and Yajima).

The first broadcast of the official audition show aired on late May by M.Net digital channel. The official theme song of the show is Dream Girl by After School, a Love Machine cover.

Auditioners profile

15 finalists [1]

• Ahn SoRi

- Born: 1989

- Active as fashion model! An Asia star that's about to be working in Japan

- Height: 169 cm

- Weight: 49 kg

- Blood Type: O

- Hobby: Diet

• Seo YeRin

- Born:1996)

- Give up "Sweety" just to audition into Tokyo Girl. Although she's a senpai in the entertainment world but she's the youngest in Tokyo Girl.

- Height: 163 cm

- Weight: 38 kg

- Blood Type: O

- Hobby: Eating a lot then get fat

• Kim JungEun

- Born:1983)

- Although she looks as if she's the youngest... but she's actually the oldest sister...

- Height: 160 cm

- Weight: 41 kg

- Blood Type: O

- Hobby: Fall down

• An HaYoung

- Born:1987

- Height: 160 cm

- Weight: 42 kg

- Blood Type: O

- Hobby: Lookin at the mirror

• Kim YuBin

- Born:1986

- The like in her for men is the straigth hair! The like in her for women is the slim body, less than size 44! Her own like is 'Hello Project'!

- Height: 165 cm

- Weight: 43 kg

- Blood Type: B

- Hobby: Being absent-minded, stay still doing nothing

• Lee SuJin

- Born:1987

- It was said that the charm that she has more than the youngest auditioner is her solidly built muscles? Really...when will you be letting us see those muscles?

- Height: 168 cm

- Weight: 49 kg

- Blood Type: A

- Hobby: Practice laughing

• Jang DaHyun

- Born: 1995

- The pink girl taking the position of long-legged girl and sub-youngest girl! She might be the perfect unpolished gem for H!P...

- Height: 167 cm

- Weight: 50 kg

- Blood Type: A

- Hobby: Practice doing a 'chic' expression, reading encyclopedia

• Jang MiKyung

- Born: 1989

- Known as the Lee HyoRi of cosplay, deeply in love with Morning Musume's Tanaka Reina

- Height: 164 cm

- Weight: 50 kg

- Blood Type: A

- Hobby: Cosplay

• Yang YunSoo

- Born: 1994

- Innocent, pure.. purity 100% optimistic girl! If you don't think she's cute then you're not a man

- Height: 160 cm

- Weight: 45 kg

- Blood Type: B

- Hobby: Tying up hair into 'pineapple' stlye, wearing uniform

• Lee HaeRi

- Born: 1993

- A strong determined girl who flew back from New Zealand in order to win the audition into H!P. She can speak 4 languages!

- Height: 170 cm

- Weight: 53 kg

- Blood Type: A

- Hobby: Practice having a refreshing smile

• Song JiEun

- Born: 1993

- A pre-world star who gain great support from everyone at her school. At her star school, she's proud to be the top of that entertainment high school.

- Height: 160 cm

- Weight: 48 kg

- Blood Type: B

- Hobby: Going to her magnificent school

• Sho YuMi

- Born: 1992

- At her tradditional star school, YanYan entertainment high school, she's the dancing queen.

- Height: 162 cm

- Weight: 55 kg

- Blood Type: O

- Hobby: Singing traditional ballad

• Oh MiNa

- Born: 1989

- Inspite of her weak body, she has a powerful singing voice! "Wait for me! I'm going to rule the singing world of Japan"

- Height: 163 cm

- Weight: 46 kg

- Blood Type: A

- Hobby: Going to karaoke alone

• Kim ChoHye

- Born: 1989

- Impressively strong girl! Dance is dance! Sing is sing! An all-around girl who helds both beauty and the power to do anything!

- Height: 158 cm

- Weight: 46 kg

- Blood Type: O

- Hobby: Dancing on a skateboard

• Hong JiYun

- Born: 1992

- Acting with Seichou Drama (a kind of Korean's drama campus)! Working as a magazine model, a candidate who's an approved beautiful idol!

- Height: 170 cm

- Weight: 50 kg

- Blood Type: O

- Hobby: Shopping, taking photo of herself

* Translation from Wow!!!! @ H!O

Audition show

Episode 1

Broadcasted on 2009-05-22. The three judges are gathered, E-Tribe, Jung Sungwook, Soulflower. The finalists perform in from on them and the judges gave their feedback. They were severely disappointed and said that none of the girls had what it takes to be a singer in Japan. Then the girls get split in two teams (A and B). Then the scene shifts, and it shows that both teams have to state their bads about each other. The girls aren't serious and the two MCs (ChanSung and Junhon) get mad at them.

Episode 2

Broadcasted on 2009-05-29. Team A and B get into a recording studio and get feedback from Soulflower. According to the judges Team A is less skilled than Team B. Both teams stay in the recording studio. C-ute's Umeda Erika and Yajima Maimi pop in to observe and watch Team B. Then there's a performance day. Each team can only perform once. Tsunku says through a VTR that the keyword when performing is 'smiling face' in Japan. The girls perform C-ute's Sakura Chirari and the judges gave their feedback. They said that although Team B's level has gone up (regarding singing and dancing), it was Team A that surprised them (was really energetic, worked well as a team). Then the teams are switched up: New Team A: Sho YuMi (leader), Oh MiNa, Jang Mikyung, Kim ChoHye New Team B: Yang YunSoo (leader), Lee SuJin , Seo YeRin, Jang DaHyun The two new leaders were chosen because they stood out the most to the judges.

The girls were crying because they don't want people to be eliminated/are sad that people are being eliminated.

Out of the 7 remaining girls, only 2 will get to stay (names were not revealed in the episode)

Possible people that will be eliminated - only two will be able to stay and join a team: Kim JungEun, Hong JiYun, Song JiEun, Kim YuBin, Lee HaeRi, Ahn SoRi, An HaYoung

* Summaries by itsmiina @ H!O