Singapore’s First K-Pop Academy Trains the Next Global Idols
Trainees at Southeast Asia’s first K-pop training academy in Singapore.
Source: SM Universe
In a gleaming, mirror-lined studio above Singapore’s Orchard Road, Gabriella Tjokrohadi moves through a carefully practiced routine as an instructor calls out cues in Korean. When the music cuts, she rushes to the camera to study the footage, scrutinizing every angle, posture and facial expression.
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 Southeast Asia’s first K-pop training academy, opened in June by SM Entertainment Co., the company behind acts like Girls’ Generation and EXO.