SM Opens Private Idol Academy 'SM Universe'

[Your Biggest Fan]

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SM Entertainment will launch a private “idol school” in the prestigious neighborhood of Daechi-dong in Gangnam, which is notorious for its competitive schools and for having hundreds of academies and private afterschool programs.

It’s being reported that SM Entertainment has also joined hands with model agency ESTEEM to further its curriculum. During the three years, students will be able to learn how to produce music and offers vocal, dance, modeling, and acting classes.

 

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The educational institution, which opens its doors to its first cohort of students on March 15, offers a three-year program for students interested in getting started in their career as K-pop artists. Once accepted, they can attend in replacement of a regular high school with majors including producing, vocals, dance, modeling and acting. While regular high school courses will not be offered at the academy, students will be offered classes to prepare for GED exams.

120 students make up each class while the tuition varies depending on the major. Vocal majors are required to pay ₩10 million KRW (approximately $7,630 USD) per term in tuition while others are required to pay ₩8.8 million KRW (approximately $6,720 USD).

Enrollment for SM Universe Academy begins in September with auditions taking place in July or August. 

 

Sources: Koreaboo and HypeBae

[Zack Morris]

no real high school courses offered?? it's giving wattpad

[AstroBaby]

SK is one of many countries that have to put in more restrictions on private schools because there is no way this should be legal. That being said I don't feel too worried for the students for missing out on education because 99.9% of them will be spoiled rich kids who wouldn't have been paying attention in school anyway.

[MelanatedBeauty]

Bitch not an associate degree in being an i-ol

 

(I'm speaking about the length of the schooling)

[Your Biggest Fan]

2 hours ago, Zack Morris said:

no real high school courses offered?? it's giving wattpad

Dream High realness

[Jollux]

Will they be teaching about tax evasion and kwangya?

I hope so.

[Guest]

unpopular opinion, but i don't see this as particularly different from the kids who go to SOPA and miss all their classes to train and end up debuting. i doubt any of those kids has a competent grasp of calculus either.

it's basically just an extension of the existing trainee system to in-house train future idols. i suspect a lot who don't end up debuting will end up working within SM as production or management staff, so it's a win for the company either way.

Edited March 14 by nana_moon

[XiuJoySolMinraeXingBunny]

When I was in China, I discovered the existence of dance academies. The kids didn't have regular classes, it was dance this and dance that from morning to night. Goal? To be a dancer instructor. Culture shock. I had never heard of such so though unpopular in many places, this school ain't an anomaly.

In a way, it kinda makes sense. Life is really tough no matter which path you take and if you have a chance of becoming an idol/videographer/choreographer/e.t.c at an established entertainment company, why not? 

[Winter Bear]

Well that’s one to beat the manufactured factory comments/s.

The abuse out of this will likely be staggering in the future, as the academies that already exist are using the kids in them to entertain adults in multiple forms without protection and pay, this will likely be more of it. And even if it’s predominantly rich kids that end up enrolling, abuse can still happen.

 

[Firestar]

2 hours ago, nana_moon said:

unpopular opinion, but i don't see this as particularly different from the kids who go to SOPA and miss all their classes to train and end up debuting. i doubt any of those kids has a competent grasp of calculus either.

it's basically just an extension of the existing trainee system to in-house train future idols. i suspect a lot who don't end up debuting will end up working within SM as production or management staff, so it's a win for the company either way.

While those kids might not have great skills in math.... at least they get a diploma they can use to get a job. These kids get a piece of paper written in crayon that says "IDOL TRAINEE HOORAY!" and a GED prep book.

[RussianRoulette]

Is this a knock off of SOPA?

it reminds me of that school from that old Nickelodeon show Victorious.

[A01]

They couldn’t have given it a less… Kwangya name? 

[AstroBaby]

Also this is just asking for more celebrities not knowing basic history scandals

[No1]

12 hours ago, MelanatedBeauty said:

Bitch not an associate degree in being an i-ol

 

(I'm speaking about the length of the schooling)

Bruh, there is a new degree for influencers in my country now.