NextSharkNextShark.com

SM Entertainment launches K-pop academy for aspiring idols

SM Entertainment launches K-pop academy for aspiring idols

The South Korean agency famously oversees popular acts such as Girls' Generation, Red Velvet, NCT, SHINee, EXO and Aespa

March 15, 2023
SHARE
SM Universe Academy, a K-pop educational institution co-founded by SM Entertainment, has recently opened its doors to its first-ever cohort of students.
Earlier today, the school, located in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, welcomed aspiring stars to the start of a three-year program that helps students learn how to break into the K-pop industry.
Students can attend the academy in lieu of regular high school and focus on dance, modeling, producing, vocals and acting, among other majors. Typical high school classes will not be available to SM Universe Academy students, who will instead take classes that will help them prepare for GED exams.
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

Each cohort will reportedly consist of 120 students, with auditions for the next one set to start in July or August. Aspiring idols will expect to pay between 8.8 to 10 million Korean won (approximately $6,680 to $7,590) per term, depending on their major.
As stated on the school’s website, invited mentors include SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man, SM Entertainment CEO Chris Lee and K-pop veterans such as Kangta, BADA and U-KNOW.

 
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Isa Peralta

      Isa Peralta is a Senior Editor for NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.