The 18 participants of The Debut: Dream Academy finally got to visit the prestigious HYBE headquarters in Yongsan, South Korea earlier this week. There, they received words of advice from chairman Bang Si-Hyuk, and even met real-life K-pop idols.
For the participants, stepping into the Hive headquarters was nothing short of a dream come true. HYBE headquarters is typically a restricted area, accessible only to debuting artists. But this time, HYBE made an exception, giving the girls a taste of the K-pop life.
According to a report published by Dispatch, the girls visited a practice room used by HYBE artists. The room was lined with mirrors that allowed dancers to check their choreography, and Swedish participant Lexie even indulged in some dancing.
Meeting Bang Si-Hyuk
The highlight of their visit was a surprise appearance by Chairman Bang Si-hyuk himself. He gave them some choice words of advice: “The three most important things are the music, the stage, and making the fans happy.” He continued to stress the significance of knowing one’s personal goals before embarking on the journey of becoming an artist.
Chairman Bang also cautioned against focusing solely on financial success or popularity. He explained that such goals should be the result of one’s journey, not the driving force.
The Debut: Dream Academy girls were in Korean to receive mentoring from senior HYBE artists. It was later revealed that the girls met with K-pop girl group LE SSERAFIM, through a picture shared on Chairman Bang’s Instagram account.
Dream Academy girls enjoy Korean snacks
During their meeting with Chairman Bang, the participants also spoke about how much they enjoyed Korean cuisine like bibimbap. They also revealed that they were enjoying convenience store snacks!
In a series of videos shared on the official Dream Academy Instagram account, several participants were shown visiting a CU convenience store. UA, Mei, Karlee and Iliya were shown exploring the store, and seen loading up on some yummy snacks.
The girls are also expected to make several public appearances during their time in South Korea. A fan meeting event has been slated for Oct 4, 2023, promising memorable interactions with their supporters.
The upcoming second mission (team mission) challenge will be revealed at midnight on Sept 23. Fans can catch all the action on HYBE’s YouTube channel and Weverse. Stay tuned for more exciting updates from The Debut: Dream Academy!
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