K-POP COVER GROUPS EXPAND INTERNATIONALLY

[Anchor Lead]

At the Korea-ASEAN Commemorative Summit last month, Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi asked President Moon Jae-in to let a Myanmarese K-pop cover dance group receive training in Korea. In fact, there is a large number of amateur K-pop cover dance teams in Southeast Asian countries. Some of them even have their own fan clubs, and a growing number of young people are learning K-pop to be scouted by cover dance groups.

[Pkg]

A K-pop cover dance competition held in Korea. A team from Myanmar who finished second are famous enough to be invited to various events in their home country. A Thai male cover dance team that also competed in the contest is also very popular locally. Established cover dance teams select their new members through auditions and have dedicated fan clubs with more than three thousand members. Their goal is to debut as K-pop groups in Korea or Southeast Asia.

[Soundbite] CHAMP(MEMBER OF DP GROWTH(COVER DANCE TEAM)) : "Our primary goal is to perform alongside K-pop groups on the same stage. We also strive to create our own style by practicing hard."

A growing number of young people receive vocal and dance training with the goal of joining such teams. Even a national figure skater dreams of becoming a K-pop cover dancer.

[Soundbite] (NATIONAL FIGURE SKATER OF THAILAND) : "My skating experience helps me learn K-pop dance easier. It also helps me boost stamina."

More and more Southeast Asian youths are not content just being a fan. They are working to have a bigger role in the K-pop industry.