The Korean Cultural Center in the UAE (Director Lee Yong-hee) and the Dong-Ah Institute of Media and Arts (DIMA) successfully concluded the joint program “DIMA x K-pop Academy Dream School”, which drew enthusiastic participation from over 120 attendees across three days.

As part of the UAE Korean Cultural Center’s “K-pop Academy 2025 ”, this workshop marked the first educational program delivered in Abu Dhabi by DIMA’s distinguished faculty and affiliated artists, one of Korea’s leading institutions for nurturing K-pop talent. The initiative was designed to explore the potential for introducing specialized K-pop training into the local market. Participants represented a wide range of nationalities—including the UAE, Oman, Jordan, Sudan, the Philippines, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and India—creating a multicultural exchange platform centered on K-pop.

The curriculum incorporated globally recognized works such as “HUNTR/X – GOLDEN” and “TAKE DOWN” , as well as “SODAPOP” by SAjA BOYZ in K-pop Demon Hunters, which drew significant attention from both participants and the media in Korea and the UAE. In addition, based on the results of a local survey conducted beforehand, the program included NewJeans’ “Super Shy” and BTS’ “I NEED YOU”, the songs most favored by local participants, which contributed to high levels of satisfaction.

Participants expressed hopes that this workshop would develop into a regular educational program. In response, the Korean Cultural Center in the UAE announced plans to continue establishing sustainable K-pop education initiatives through collaboration with DIMA and local educational institutions, meeting the interest and support of K-pop fans in the region.