Singapore's First K-Pop Academy Trains New Idols

For years, South Korea's idol training system was run almost entirely out of Seoul

- Agencies

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, the company behind acts like Girls' Generation and EXO.

Tjokrohadi received a $390 scholarship from SM to attend a week-long bootcamp—a crash course in the Korean idol system, combining intense dance and vocal sessions with lessons on videography, modeling and media presence. The grant didn't cover travel or housing, so she stayed with a friend to keep costs down.