Entertainment

K‑Pop Stars Join YouTube Series to Teach Korean to International Learners

By Trisha Bhattacharya

Several South Korean music acts are participating in a new YouTube project that pairs them with international students learning Korean. The three‑part series, produced by the King Sejong Institute Foundation in collaboration with SBS, uses the global popularity of K‑pop to encourage more people to study Korean and explore Korean culture. The project features artists taking part in language assessments, competitions and special teaching sessions with Korean language learners, giving international students a chance to interact with the idols while demonstrating the language skills they have developed.

The second episode, scheduled for release on Saturday, 31 October at 2 pm, features Ricky of AND2BLE and Mǎ Jingxiang of CLOSE YOUR EYES. The two artists will compete against eight Korean language learners selected from the winners of the 2026 King Sejong Institute Korean Speaking and Writing Contest. The episode will also reunite Ricky and Mǎ Jingxiang after they competed on the same team in a 2023 audition programme.

The YouTube project began on 17 October with an episode featuring Minami and May of the girl group RESCENE. The two members appeared for the Sejong Korean Language Assessment, taking its speaking test to demonstrate their Korean proficiency. The episode received a strong response, crossing one million views on YouTube within seven days of its release.

The opening episode set the tone for the larger project, which brings together K‑pop artists and people who have developed an interest in Korean through their exposure to South Korean entertainment. The second episode adds a competitive element, placing idols alongside learners who have performed well in an international Korean language competition. According to the King Sejong Institute Foundation, the 2026 Korean Speaking and Writing Contest received 3,715 applications from 75 countries and 178 institutions. The eight learners selected for the episode were chosen from the contest’s winners.

The third part of the project will move beyond YouTube and bring K‑pop artists directly into a classroom setting. In November, all five members of the boy group VERIVERY will serve as honorary Korean language teachers at the King Sejong Institute in Jakarta, Indonesia. The members will conduct a special class using lyrics from their own songs, explaining the meanings behind the lyrics and introducing students to useful Korean expressions for everyday conversation.

The project comes as South Korean cultural content continues to attract international audiences, with K‑pop playing a major role in introducing people to the country’s language and traditions. The King Sejong Institute Foundation currently supports 273 King Sejong Institutes across 89 countries. These institutions promote Korean language education and provide opportunities for international students to learn about Korean culture. By collaborating with SBS and incorporating K‑pop artists into its educational content, the foundation is using an entertainment platform to reach audiences who may already have an interest in South Korea through music. All three episodes are available through the foundation’s official YouTube channel.