Starship Entertainment Hit With Harsh Criticism Over “Insulting” Audition Announcement

As a non-big four company, Starship Entertainment has produced many popular groups over the years, including Monsta X and IVE.


It is no surprise that companies that continue to see success wish to expand, and one way entertainment labels do so is through auditions to find the next big idols. On July 7, Starship announced it would hold auditions for a new project titled “New Kids On The Starship,” looking to debut a new boy group.

The company also advertised the open auditions by revealing the auditions of current idols under the company, including IVE and Cravity.
🚀2025 NEW KIDS on the STARSHIP🚀
7월 8일,
스타쉽 보이그룹 프로젝트 오디션 사전 접수 OPEN❗🔗사전 접수 URL
스타쉽 오디션 X 계정(@STARSHIP_ADT) 프로필 상단 참조▶ https://t.co/SCl61eqfUM#2025뉴키즈온더스타쉽 #2025NewKidsOnTheStarship #스타쉽 #STARSHIP#IVE #아이브 pic.twitter.com/NBAbl5rhUR
— STARSHIP Ent. (@STARSHIPent) July 8, 2024
🚀2025 NEW KIDS on the STARSHIP🚀
7월 8일,
스타쉽 보이그룹 프로젝트 오디션 사전 접수 OPEN❗🔗사전 접수 URL
스타쉽 오디션 X 계정(@STARSHIP_ADT) 프로필 상단 참조▶ https://t.co/ne2HlcsHoX#2025뉴키즈온더스타쉽 #2025NewKidsOnTheStarship #스타쉽 #STARSHIP#CRAVITY #크래비티 pic.twitter.com/3UmzHgQCTp
— STARSHIP Ent. (@STARSHIPent) July 8, 2024
However, the third clip shared has not been well-received because of who is in the clips.
Girl group WJSN debuted in 2016 in a collaborative effort between Starship Entertainment and Yuehua Entertainment. The group saw a good deal of popularity, ranking high on music charts.

The group has not had a comeback since the release of “Last Sequence” in June 2022 and lost three members following contract renewals. Despite this, the group has not disbanded, as fans wait for news on their activities.
It’s been 2 years since WJSN last group activity
Debuted in 2016,
WJSN has only released 1 regular album,
Official membership was stopped in 2022,UJUNGs deserve to know WJSN’s future#WJSN_STAGEBACK_NOW#우주소녀_칠백일_공백기 pic.twitter.com/MrPdSw9QDB
— 우주버니 🐰 WJ Bunny (@WJBUNNY_twt) July 5, 2024
The video shared of WJSN’s member’s auditions left many angry with the company for using them to attract new trainees, while the group remains inactive.
Shameless as hell because how are you going to advertise them as idols to attract new trainees while simultaneously not letting them release music for over 2 years
700 DAYS WITHOUT WJSN#WJSN_STAGEBACK_NOW#우주소녀_칠백일_공백기 https://t.co/yMd8CiC4sy
— m🫧♡̶ (@misanujung) July 8, 2024
how about a super-fast comeback for your group https://t.co/o7LbyHXW8F pic.twitter.com/7DgfTg8O2r
— save me save wjsn (@soft4wjsn) July 7, 2024
I feel like if you want people to audition for your company reminding them of the group you treat like shit isn’t the way to go 😭 https://t.co/uaAzfDu51S
— Ujung Hotline operator (@FuIIMoonMP3) July 8, 2024
this is so foul have you no absolute shame??? still using wuju for your own gain instead of treating them like the artist they are and this is false advertising because this is a open audition for boys only. burn in hell https://t.co/9Bp6GNVG0b
— ♡̶ coyote ᱬ (@wjsntho) July 8, 2024