BigHit Music announced the launch of HIT IT BASE 2026, a free hip-hop training program for young male music enthusiasts [1].

The initiative allows the HYBE label to identify and develop new talent by providing professional instruction and performance opportunities to a specific youth demographic [1].

Applications for the program open today, May 18, 2026, and will remain available through June 28, 2026 [2]. Interested candidates must apply via the official BigHit Music audition website [1]. The program is open exclusively to males born between 2008 and 2016 [1].

Selected participants will enter a training regimen consisting of 12 sessions [3]. These sessions are scheduled to run from July 11 to August 16, 2026, and will take place on Saturdays and Sundays [3]. The curriculum focuses on hip-hop and music training to prepare students for a professional environment.

The program concludes with a final performance show on August 16, 2026 [4]. This event serves as the culmination of the training period and provides a platform for the participants to showcase their developed skills [1].

BigHit Music said that special benefits related to the program will be announced in June 2026 [5]. The label has not specified the exact nature of these benefits or the specific physical location of the training sessions [1].

“A free hip-hop training program called HIT IT BASE 2026”

This program represents a strategic effort by BigHit Music to cultivate a pipeline of hip-hop talent at a very young age. By offering free training to boys as young as 10 years old, the label is expanding its scouting reach and integrating formal training earlier in the talent development cycle, potentially shaping the next generation of K-pop performers through a specialized hip-hop lens.