Singapore Raffles Music College will be collaborating with the School of Performing Arts Seoul to open a K-pop international high school. - SINGAPORE RAFFLES MUSIC COLLEGE/FACEBOOK
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Aspiring K-pop stars in the region will soon be able to learn from the alma mater of BTS’ Jungkook, Blackpink’s Jisoo and Exo’s Kai.
The first K-pop international school will open here in a collaboration between Singapore Raffles Music College (SRMC) and the prestigious School of Performing Arts Seoul (Sopa).
The two organisations signed a memorandum of understanding in Seoul to open Sopa-SRMC, which will accept students from “South-East Asia, primarily Singapore, and offer them specialised K-pop education”, they said in a press statement.
SRMC will also facilitate admissions for South Korean students who wish to study in Singapore.
Sopa principal Hosung Lim said: “We are determined to further elevate the School of Performing Arts Seoul’s reputation as an exemplary educational institution not only in South Korea, but also overseas as an educational institution specialising in K-pop.”
The upcoming school will conduct classes, led by Sopa faculty members, in English, and the curriculum will integrate the education systems of both countries.
SRMC executive director Ryan Goh said: “We see this as a unique opportunity to bring the essence of specialised performing arts education from South Korea into Singapore and South-East Asia. This will showcase the exceptional value of industry-focused education and provide the impetus to spur the industry forward regionally.”
Sopa was established in 1966 as Jeonghui High School and changed its name to the current one in 2009.
Its long list of former students, besides Jungkook, Jisoo and Kai, includes singer-actress Bae Suzy, IVE’s Yujin and Wonyoung, Red Velvet’s Joy and NCT’s Mark.
SRMC, founded in 2001, had previously partnered University of West London’s London College of Music to offer music and dance degree programmes. According to its website, it is “the only tertiary institution in Singapore with a full focus on music and dance”.
Further details on the new school and enrolment have yet to be revealed.
