Music, Make-up, and more!

Hello from Week 2 of Session 1 in Seoul! 

The students started off this week with their K-pop class where they learned even more about the history of music in Korea and watched part of the movie “C’est si bon” which tells the story of the popular venue in the 1960s and 70s for Korean musicians, with an added storyline for drama and suspense. Students were on the edge of their seats waiting to know if the main lead would accept the proposal that would launch her acting career or if she would reject it and stay with the band member. We won’t spoil anything, but the class was shocked by the outcome! 

In the afternoon, students had the chance to learn from a professional makeup artist about which Korean products to try and how to achieve the different trends that are popular in Korea. We learned about “glass skin”, how to use a spatula to apply foundation, and had the chance to learn about how to choose which color palette is best for you! Students were given the chance to participate by trying different products that the makeup artist suggested, and two lucky students even had the chance to get a makeover done in front of the class. Students were ready to return to the popular store Olive Young (sometimes called the Korean Sephora) and fill up their shopping baskets yet again. As a parting gift, students were given face masks that can help them achieve the popular glass skin look.

In the evening, students were given a choice of places to visit. For some students, they took their first trips on the subway and learned how to navigate using Naver Maps/Kakao Maps to get to Hongdae and Myeongdong, while others went to Yongsan to HYBE entertainment and visit the birthday cafes. For the few days leading up to and the day of an idol’s birthday, cafes around the company will host birthday events where students can get freebies (keychains, banners, pictures) and write notes to the artist to express their gratitude and appreciation for all they do! The group that went to HYBE visited the different cafes that were celebrating Sunoo’s, a member of Enhypen, birthday. Students were amazed by all the banners and trucks that were purchased by fans to show their love for this member. 

On Tuesday, students started off the morning by learning about Korean Trot which is popular among the older crowd. Students watched clips of “study cafes” where the older fans come together to learn how to mass vote and stream the trot artists songs. For some they felt it was a glimpse into their future lives- and during their leisure time many students were able to spot popular trot artists in book and music stores. After learning about trot, students spent 15 minutes learning sections of a trot dance and then performed it in front of the whole group. 

In the afternoon students were able to meet with Michelle Cho who is the founder and CEO of Singing Beetle. Michelle shared her story of joining the K-pop music industry with SM entertainment and took us to her founding of Singing Beetle and recruiting of members for her company’s first group. Students had a chance to ask her about entering the field of music production, her thoughts on the future of the K-pop industry, and which songs were her favorite to work on. Students were excited to hear about a new group to add to their playlists and eventually support when they debut! Students ended the day with trips to Hongdae, the Seoul Forest, and Sinchon to explore more of the popular trends in Korean fashion. Students are eagerly preparing for their upcoming talent show and final music video project! Stay tuned for more updates on our adventures in Korea!