Mnet and Universal Music Group’s Republic Collective Partner on Global K-Pop Girl Group Project “Girls Planet 2027”

CJ ENM’s Mnet and Universal Music Group’s Republic Collective have entered a partnership to produce and launch a new global K-pop girl group project, according to Deadline. The initiative, branded “Girls Planet 2027,” is set up as an end-to-end collaboration, with Republic Collective taking part across the project’s full scope, from production through the debut group’s U.S. activities.

Deadline reported that Mnet, which operates as a music entertainment channel owned by CJ ENM, will work alongside Republic Collective to develop and deliver the program. The reported structure places the U.S. music-industry counterpart involved not only in downstream distribution decisions but also at the production stage.

The partnership is positioned around creating a group designed for international audiences. Deadline’s description indicates that Republic Collective will collaborate across the entire project lifecycle, culminating in a debut group launch that includes a U.S. component, reflecting an intended strategy to connect Korean entertainment production with American music-market operations.

The project’s name, “Girls Planet 2027,” indicates a forward-looking timeline, and the reported partnership suggests a coordinated effort between CJ ENM’s entertainment production capabilities and UMG’s talent and label infrastructure. Deadline did not provide additional details in its published summary on audition format, casting process, number of members, or debut date.

Republic Collective, part of UMG’s broader corporate ecosystem, is described by Deadline as working across the full scope of the project. While the specific responsibilities were not further broken out in the report summary, Deadline’s account indicates that the collaboration spans from production planning to the point of the debut group’s U.S. launch.

For the entertainment industry, the reported alliance reflects continued integration between international music production and major-label infrastructure, particularly for projects aimed at cross-market audiences. It also underscores how major companies are building global pathways for new acts rather than treating overseas expansion as a separate, later step.

The next steps will likely involve announcements related to production schedules, team staffing, and the program framework for “Girls Planet 2027.” As of the Deadline report published July 15, the public record available in the coverage does not include casting details or a confirmed debut date.