Want to train like a K-pop star in South Korea? A new visa will make it easier

CNN —

South Korea will soon launch a new visa for foreign nationals who dream of training like a K-pop idol, in a bid to boost its tourism industry back to pre-pandemic levels.

The “K-Culture Training Visa” will be open to foreigners who want to train in K-pop dancing, choreography and modeling, the finance ministry announced on Monday.

Applicants don’t necessarily need to audition or have a callback offer from a talent agency – at least not yet – as more details are expected to come out later this year.

The surge in interest toward all things Korean has prompted many foreign fans to travel to South Korea and even learn the language, with some splashing out on full-on pilgrimages to visit the filming locations of K-pop music videos and K-dramas.

Seoul now aims to use its culture’s popularity as a tourism draw for more people worldwide, possibly easing barriers for travelers from Southeast Asia. Last year, travelers from countries like Thailand and the Philippines made up more than a fifth of total visitors to South Korea, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), despite sometimes lengthy visa requirements.

The rise of South Korean cultural exports since the 1990s, dubbed the Hallyu Wave or K-wave, has exploded in the last decade, with super-groups like BTS and Blackpink breaking though international music charts and Korean drama series becoming more popular on streaming platforms.

K-pop is already the most-cited reason for visiting the country, according to the MCST, with particularly strong interest from overseas fans from Southeast Asia, Europe and the US.

Korean celebrities have been heavily featured travel advertisements with Emmy-winning “Squid Game” actor Lee Jung-jae becoming the