Young Singaporeans wanting to be K-pop stars now have more avenues to test their luck and talent.

Alpha Entertainment Group, a Singapore-based talent management company, plans to hold more auditions here.

Recently, an Alpha Entertainment audition saw more than 800 participants turn up at Management Development Institute of Singapore for the chance to become a K-pop star.

Alpha Entertainment Group has fully owned subsidiaries in places such as South Korea and Hong Kong, and the company held a joint talent search with Korea’s JYP Entertainment for the first time in Singapore in 2010 and offered full contracts to four Singaporeans ― three women and one man. JYP’s roster of stars include Wonder Girls and 2PM.

Mr Eric Yun, 31, CEO of Alpha Entertainment Korea, says even though there is “synergy” whenever the two companies work together, his company is also looking to find its own artists.

Alpha will also be conducting a second joint audition with JYP Entertainment here on Jan 14 and 15.

“We want to find new artists for Alpha Entertainment and if there is time, we will do it more often. It depends on the situation whether we will conduct the auditions annually.

”In Korea, companies such as SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment hold auditions every month. It’s so difficult to find a star, and finding new artists is very important for a company,“ he says.

Alpha is also looking to go global with its search for the next K-pop star, having already held auditions with JYP in China in cities such as Beijing and Guangzhou.

Mr Yun says: ”We plan to go to places such as Thailand and Taiwan and also Europe and America. In the past, K-pop stars were limited to those active in Korea. These days, they can come from anywhere in the world.“

He adds that Singaporeans have a big advantage as they can speak English and Mandarin, which means that they ”will have no problem“ becoming global stars.

The results will be known this year. Those who are selected will be offered a five-year contract with Alpha Entertainment, which could be extended by another five years.

Secondary school student Akif Halqi, 15, who performed Mariah Carey’s Hero at the audition, says this is something he really wants.

”My mum knows and she even texted me to find out how the audition went as she was nervous for me,“ he adds.

Ms Lorna Yeo, 18, who recently graduated from NUS High School, says she does not really care about how her schoolmates may react to her wanting to be a K-pop star.

”The Korean pop songs are so catchy and the dances really complement them, which re-ignited my passion for dance. I just want to try out and if I get the chance to sign the contract, I’ll discuss it with my parents,“ she says.

By Rachael Boon

(The Straits Times)