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Straits Times

Self-taught and self-made: Nanyang Polytechnic's K-Wave club moves beyond K-pop

Members of the K-Wave Club performing the song Drip by BabyMonster at the Student Life Carnival held in April. PHOTO: SYLVIA TAN Self-taught and self-made: Nanyang Polytechnic's K-Wave club moves beyond K-pop The TL;DR: The K-Wave Club is a co-curricular activity at Nanyang Polytechnic inspired by the Hallyu wave. The cultural club engages in performances where it performs to Korean pop songs, among other activities. Seven students dressed in boldly coloured outfits belted out the lyrics to the song Drip by BabyMonster while executing slick dance moves, drawing curious and appreciative looks at Nanyang Polytechnic's (NYP) Student Life Carnival, a co-curricular activities (CCAs) showcase, in April. They are members of the K-Wave Club, a cultural club inspired by all things Korean. Preparation for performances like this often takes more than a month, with rehearsals running into the night as performers sing and synchronise their dance moves over and over in front of a large mirror. Members of the K-Wave Club performing at the Student Life Carnival in April. PHOTO: SYLVIA TAN All this is done without hired instructors, and with performers learning dance and vocal techniques from other members and alumni instead. The reason? The K-Wave Club is not a performing arts group but a cultural club, founded in 2015 by a group of K-pop fans who wanted to spread their passion for the Hallyu wave, which encompasses Korean music, movies, as well as games and cuisines. Said Ms Kyit Lim, 20, who used to head the K-Wave Club until she graduated in May: 'Members do not need to be experienced in dance or singing. They can be doing it for fun as there is no pressure to join performances. In fact, some members join purely to understand Korean culture better.' Ms Lim is currently working as a temporary social media marketing assistant at SPH Media while waiting to enter university. Students interested in joining the K-Wave Club simply submit their interest via a link on the CCA's Instagram page. There are no auditions. The student-led club focuses on improving members' singing and dancing skills while connecting them to Korean culture through K-pop, traditional Korean games and Korean history. Its 300 members can choose to join either the dance or vocal class, held weekly on Mondays. Members also gather every two months for a game and culture session. During those sessions, Korean lecturers from NYP's Centre for Innovation and Life Skills are invited to talk about the history of the games, for instance, and give out prizes like Korean tidbits to the winners. Year 3 student Khidash Mohammed M. Mohammed Ajeeb, 19, joined the CCA because he 'loves K-pop and wanted to experience what Korean culture offered beyond music'. Since joining the club, he has also learnt to play traditional Korean games such as ddakji, which involves folded origami tiles and gonggi, which involves the throwing and catching of five round stones. Members of the K-Wave Club at a CCA session. PHOTO: SYLVIA TAN Mr Khidash said: 'These culture sessions let me understand the lives of Korean people better. I now know the snacks that they grew up eating and the activities that they participated in from a young age.' In the vocal class, vocalists are divided into smaller groups and choose a K-pop song, based on the theme they are given. They learn vocal techniques such as pitch and breath control. Dance class members are split into two teams and dance to either boy or girl group K-pop songs, with feedback from dance committee members or alumni. At the end of each practice session, both vocalists and dancers will perform the pieces they have worked on. Though Mr Khidash initially faced challenges when he joined the K-wave Club, he found himself eventually able to dance at the same pace as his peers. He said: 'Despite how hard training for performances is, the experience is valuable as I am forced to dance as a group and adapt my pace and style to complement other members. I also learnt how to take advice from others, judge my dancing from different perspectives and socialise better.' Members put up K-pop performances at on-campus events such as NYP's Annual Arts festival Spectrum, a platform for cultural and performing arts CCA's to host workshops and performances. Those who are keen on performing at shows must audition for spots. Beyond the campus, the K-Wave Club also performed at the Homegrown Festival in 2024 at OCBC Square, which featured local artists such as Jean Seizure and Dominic Chin. K-Wave member Bernice Lim Yu Xin, 17, a Year 2 student, said: 'I have grown my skills as a dancer and built close friendships with my teammates whom I've trained and performed with. K-Wave is a place where I seek comfort and a source of happiness. I hope to continue improving, enjoy every moment, and make more fond memories to look back on in the future.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.