Singapore's first K-pop academy trains the next global idols
The 25-year-old Indonesian has long dreamed of breaking into South Korea's entertainment industry. But instead of Seoul, her journey has led her to Singapore, home to South-east Asia's first K-pop training academy, opened in June by SM Entertainment, the company behind acts such as Girls' Generation and EXO.
Tjokrohadi received a S$500 scholarship from SM to attend a week-long bootcamp, a crash course in the South Korean idol system, combining intense dance and vocal sessions with lessons on videography, modelling and media presence. The grant did not cover travel or housing, so she stayed with a friend to keep costs down.
'Twenty five is considered old in the industry,' she said. 'As long as I have the chance, I'm always willing to take it.'
Singapore, already a tour stop for global stars such as Taylor Swift and K-pop artists Blackpink and Twice, is emerging as a hub for developing talent, offering connectivity and access to a wide pool of aspiring stars across South-east Asia.
'The goal is to use this as a scouting ground to broaden the overall talent pool that they have,' said Jonathan Ang, the academy's director, referring to SM's global ambitions.
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For years, South Korea's idol training system was run almost entirely out of Seoul. With global demand for K-pop soaring, industry giants such as SM and BTS label Hybe have started looking overseas. Hybe debuted a US-based girl group Katseye last year, while other agencies are scouting talent from Japan, China and increasingly, South-east Asia. Thailand has produced some of the most successful idols, with Blackpink's Lisa leading the way.
K-pop's cultural footprint continues to grow. A Netflix film about a fictional girl group became the platform's most-watched original animated title of all time. BTS's return from mandatory military service sparked fan celebrations from Los Angeles to Sydney. Between 2019 and 2023, revenue for Korea's four biggest K-pop music agencies nearly tripled to US$3 billion, according to Morgan Stanley.
SM's Singapore academy offers one-week programmes priced between S$1,000 and S$1,200, with plans to launch three- to six-month programmes by the end of the year. Top trainees may get auditions with SM or other labels. Talent searches are set to expand to Malaysia and the Philippines.
To give the programme more clout, SM has flown in at least 10 staff from Korea, including veteran producers and choreographers who have helped shape some of the label's biggest stars. 'There is a demand because you can't get this outside of Korea today,' Ang said.
Uncertain path
But the path is not easy. The arts still carry a cultural stigma in Singapore. A 2024 graduate employment survey found that those working in music, design and media reported the lowest gross monthly median salaries across all fields.
South Korea faces similar tensions. Even with a well-established entertainment industry, many parents still discourage their kids from pursuing careers as actors or idols. But as K-pop's global expansion continues, it's creating new roles, such as song production and talent management. Hundreds of graduates apply for entry-level positions in South Korea's largest entertainment companies every year, said Park Sun-Min, visiting fellow at the National University of Singapore's communications and new media department.
In Singapore, some see the arrival of the K-pop production system as a way to strengthen the country's still-developing creative industry, one driven more by independent artists and institutions than commercial studios.
'It's not that the talent isn't here,' said Justin Deimen, managing partner at entertainment financier Goldfinch International. 'It's that the scaffolding and follow-through around the talent has been missing.'
Singapore's Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth said that it's not involved in the setting up of the K-Pop Academy. The ministry's focus is on 'nurturing homegrown talent and original creations', it said.
What's being taught at the academy is not just song and dance. Students learn to perform for the camera, craft their image and think like professionals. More importantly, for students such as Tjokrohadi, it's a foot in the door.
'The teachers here have all worked behind the scenes with big artists,' she said. 'What opportunity would I have other than this?' BLOOMBERG
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