120 Students Enrolled at 'K-Pop High School' in Hongseong, Chungnam... "An Excellent Choice"
Highlighting the Dark Side... "Only a Tiny Minority of Hopes Survive"
British media spotlighted the ‘Korea K-POP High School’ (K-popgo), a K-pop specialized high school located in Hongseong, Chungcheongnam-do. The Times described K-popgo as an ‘excellent choice’ while also pointing out the darker side behind the K-pop industry.
The British daily The Times introduced Gwangcheon-eup, Hongseong-gun, where K-popgo is located, on the 22nd (local time), saying, “With foggy hills, rice paddies, quiet streets, and elderly farmers, this may not seem like a place to build a shrine, but here stands a unique educational institution not only in Korea but in the world.”
K-popgo’s predecessor was Gwangcheon High School. Originally a general humanities high school, it gained attention after Principal Park Byung-gyu took office in 2017 and transformed it into Korea’s first specialized high school for K-pop performing arts in 2020.
The majors are subdivided into dance, dance vocal, vocal, rap, and MIDI, with a total of 120 students currently enrolled. There is also one international student from China.
The Times explained, “Korea has produced world-renowned groups such as BTS and BLACKPINK,” adding, “Now, Korean education authorities are establishing schools where students can study K-pop alongside subjects like math and English.”
It continued, “The first school born with the purpose of allowing 16 to 18-year-old students to nurture their dreams of becoming K-pop idols while completing their studies is Korea K-pop High School.”
The Times also shed light on the background of K-popgo’s establishment through an interview with Principal Park. When he first took office six years ago, Gwangcheon High School was facing closure due to rural depopulation. To overcome this crisis, he considered various options such as an international school or a soccer academy, ultimately deciding to convert it into a K-pop specialized school.
The Times noted, “At that time, the Korean government also began recognizing the value of K-pop as a soft power asset,” calling Principal Park’s decision an “excellent choice.”
However, The Times also addressed the darker side of the K-pop industry, stating, “This industry builds hopes for many but ultimately shatters the dreams of all except a very few.” Referring to the case of Moonbin from the boy group ASTRO, who passed away in April, it pointed out, “This industry may be designed to harm the mental health of young people.”
Nevertheless, a current student at K-popgo told The Times in an interview, “I am aware of the dark side of the K-pop industry, but idols receive a lot of love from many people.” He added, “Becoming a star is my dream, and for that, the dark side is a risk worth bearing.”
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