[Grace Kao] Life as a K-pop trainee begins at hagwon

Korea Herald

30-06-2025

Most children in Korea spend part of their daily lives at a hagwon, or a private academy sometimes referred to as a 'cram school.' While the majority of these institutions offer classes in academic subjects such as English and math, some prepare students for an audition to be a K-pop trainee. I visited one last month and was stunned by what I witnessed.
Modern K Music Academy has five campuses — Seoul, Suwon, Bundang, Yeongtong and Incheon. I visited its largest, the Suwon Campus. The academy currently enrolls over 1,000 students and employs 200 teachers and 35 staff members. It is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The school has trained notable idols, including EXO's Chanyeol, Apink's Bomi, BTOB's Eunkwang and Changsub, and Stray Kids' Changbin.
During the evening I visited, students were busy arriving after school. They politely bowed and said hello when they saw the CEO and his visitors, including me. Most of the students I saw looked between 12 and 18. Not surprisingly, almost all were Korean. However, I did see two non-Koreans — one was Albanian and came to Korea to prepare to become an idol. I heard all kinds of music from over 70 different practice rooms. There were an additional 55 lesson rooms. Some rooms were just wide enough to fit a piano; it was as if the walls were installed after the piano was in place. The students were also busy because there was a set of ensemble performances that evening. Groups of students would perform the same song to their peers, and then be judged on their performances. This seemed similar to the weekly and monthly evaluations of trainees at actual K-pop companies.
That's no surprise, as the academy was founded by Kim Hyung Kyu, who has produced many well-known groups such as Beast, 4minute, BTOB, Apink and I-dle at Cube Entertainment, and Mamamoo, Onewe and Oneus at RBW Entertainment. I was fortunate to meet him a few times when visiting RBW (where he still works as an executive). He also attended the K-pop conference I held at Yale last year. As a skilled musician, he really knows what he's teaching.
Students can choose from a variety of curricula that focus on trainee auditions, college entrance exams, hobbyists and those interested in becoming professional songwriters. Students at this academy were pursuing a range of goals, but the single largest group was those interested in the K-pop industry. Depending on the curriculum, the tuition ranges from 600,000 won to 1 million won ($440 to $740) per month.
That evening, I watched students perform. One was supposedly 'mid-range' in their skill set, but they seemed professional. After their stirring performance, the teacher for each instrument ran up to the stage to give each student feedback. I think there were probably 100 of us in the audience cheering the musicians. Near the end of the performance, Kim kindly allowed us to follow him to his office, where he would welcome a new group of students.
There were only four students on that Monday at 8 p.m. They were nervous, and one young woman's voice was barely audible. Thanks to Yale Ph.D. student Jenny Jiyoung Bae, I was able to understand his introductory lecture to the students.
He told them that there are three essential parts of becoming a successful musician: diligence, creativity and personality. One is unlikely to succeed without excelling in all three aspects.
Diligence involves consistent daily practice. Eight hours a day is the bare minimum, and one should spend more than that on the weekends.
Creativity means that one has to learn how to create something completely new, even within the confines of the rules given. He believes that every successful K-pop group includes at least one member who will become a producer. That person will help the group innovate.
Personality is the foundational and final decisive factor. It doesn't matter how talented or hardworking an individual is; no one will want to work with them if they are rude or arrogant. Personality matters as much (and perhaps more) than skill.
The students were enthralled by his remarks. I then realized that every student I had seen that evening had been given the same talk. Hence, they each felt like they knew him personally.
After the lecture, we ran back upstairs to the auditorium, where the ensemble players were wrapping up for the evening. He made a number of announcements and talked about idols and producers who will soon visit the campus. I was also introduced to the students.
We left at around 8:30 p.m. I was exhausted, and it would be an hour before we got back to our hotel. However, the students would likely be there until 10 p.m., when the school closed. Many would also have a long bus ride back home.
The more I learn about K-pop, the more I realize how its organization is distinctly Korean. Even in the world of trainees and idols, life can begin at a hagwon.