Sookmyung University Partners with SM Universe to Cultivate Global K-Pop Talent

Sookmyung Women's University is set to significantly boost its K-pop education initiatives through a strategic collaboration with SM Universe, an educational affiliate of SM Entertainment.

The partnership, following a memorandum of understanding signed in November, aims to systematically develop and advance K-pop education. The university plans to establish an integrated K-pop education system that connects undergraduate, graduate, and short-term courses. This will be primarily based within the Hanryu International College, a dedicated college for international students, and the K-pop department of its graduate school.

SM Universe will provide K-pop-specific educational content and frameworks, while Sookmyung will design and operate the curriculum. The collaboration also emphasizes hands-on training, with some courses utilizing SM Universe's specialized facilities. This will offer students an environment closely mirroring the actual industry.

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K-pop has grown beyond music into a global culture and industry. Through this collaboration with SM Universe, we will nurture global female talent leading the Hallyu and K-content industries and create a new K-education model that connects education and industry.

Beyond education, the two institutions will collaborate on joint research in the K-pop field and expand their global educational network. Sookmyung will offer Korean language programs through its Global Language Institute to international learners and connect them with Sookmyung's various courses and admission information. Joint promotion and marketing of the K-pop programs will also be pursued to enhance their global brand competitiveness.

"K-pop has grown beyond music into a global culture and industry," said Sookmyung University President Moon Sook-yeon. "Through this collaboration with SM Universe, we will nurture global female talent leading the Hallyu and K-content industries and create a new K-education model that connects education and industry."

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SM Universe, as an educational company of the SM Entertainment Group, is focused on discovering and nurturing outstanding domestic and international talent and strengthening K-pop's global competitiveness. Through this collaboration, we will provide cutting-edge, practical education to foster leaders who can lead not only as artists but also in the industry.