After announcing a Southeast Asian headquarters in Singapore in late 2022, South Korean K-pop agency SM Entertainment now looks set to launch a training academy for K-pop hopefuls in the city-state.
The company behind K-pop acts like Aespa, Girls’ Generation, and NCT will launch the facility, via its subsidiary SM Universe, in June of this year at *SCAPE, a youth-centric hub in the heart of Orchard Link, multiple news outlets out of Southeast Asia reported Monday (March 3), citing an official release.
The Singapore branch will offer a 21-week flagship training program — covering vocals, dance, music production, and stage performance — all for about USD $10,000. However, scholarships will reportedly be available for high-potential students.
Enrollment for the first batch will be capped at 50 students, with an online audition process required for admission. In addition to the flagship program, SM Universe Singapore will offer shorter courses for those looking to refine their performing skills, the reports said.
The course will conclude with a week-long training stint at SM Universe’s main campus in Seoul, where top students will have the chance to audition for major South Korean entertainment agencies.
The academy will primarily cater to students aged 13 to 18, although there is no formal age limit, Singapore’s The Straits Times reported, citing a spokesperson for the Singapore campus.
“This academy will provide aspiring K-pop artistes in the region with world-class education and serve as a springboard for their growth as they pursue their dreams on the international stage.”
Jae-won Jang, SM Universe
Founded in 1995, SM Entertainment has launched some of the K-pop industry’s biggest acts, including Girls’ Generation, Red Velvet, Aespa, NCT, and Riize. The company’s newest group, Hearts2Hearts, debuted recently, with their single The Chase.
SM Universe first launched in Seoul in 2022, offering a three-year program with majors in producing, singing, dancing, modeling, and acting. A semester there reportedly costs up to KRW 10 million (approx. USD $6,850 based on current exchange rates). Unlike its Seoul counterpart, the Singapore academy is expected to fit within an after-school curriculum instead of replacing formal education.
“SM Universe is excited to expand into Southeast Asia and nurture new talent. This academy will provide aspiring K-pop artistes in the region with world-class education and serve as a springboard for their growth as they pursue their dreams on the international stage,” Jae-won Jang, SM Universe’s chief executive, was quoted by news outlets as saying.
Jonathan Ang, the Singapore campus’ director, added: “The establishment of a Singapore campus demonstrates our commitment to fostering talent and providing unparalleled growth opportunities for young artistes in Southeast Asia.”
The news arrives over two years after SM Entertainment disclosed plans to set up a Southeast Asian headquarters in Singapore, where it was also reported to be considering a retail business. At the time, SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man told The CNBC Conversation that the plan could see the creation of a new K-Pop group called NCT Singapore, although that plan has yet to materialize.
In Q4 2024, SM Entertainment reported a 9% YoY increase in revenue to KRW 273.8 billion (USD $195.94 million at the average exchange rate for the quarter). Its operating profit surged by 275.6% YoY to KRW 33.9 billion ($24.26 million), which SM attributed to increased revenue, a change in the sales mix, and a reallocation of performance-based compensation.
The Singapore training academy is just one of SM Entertainment’s latest initiatives to expand the K-pop training methodology worldwide. In November 2023, the company partnered with British production company Moon&Back Media to develop a UK-based boy band. The collaboration aimed to blend K-pop’s training methodology with Western television production.
The initiative resulted in the debut of DearAlice, a British boy group created through a partnership between SM Entertainment, Moon&Back, and SM & Kakao Entertainment America. The group’s formation process was documented in the BBC One series Made in Korea: The K-pop Experience, which filmed the members’ 100-day training period in South Korea, offering viewers insight into K-pop’s artist development system.
SM Entertainment’s K-pop rival HYBE has also ventured into talent searches overseas. Last week, HYBE announced plans to establish a venture that will bring together HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, known for launching BTS, and HYBE AMERICA CEO Scooter Braun with OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder to search for and create a next-generation boy group.
This move follows HYBE’s recent success with KATSEYE, their first global girl group launched in partnership with Universal Music Group’s Geffen Records. Over 120,000 young people across the globe participated in the audition for HYBE/Geffen’s first global girl group.
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