Register to take part in a free, six-week K-Pop Academy at the Korean Cultural Center in Abu Dhabi. Korean Cultural Centre
Register to take part in a free, six-week K-Pop Academy at the Korean Cultural Center in Abu Dhabi. Korean Cultural Centre
Register to take part in a free, six-week K-Pop Academy at the Korean Cultural Center in Abu Dhabi. Korean Cultural Centre
Register to take part in a free, six-week K-Pop Academy at the Korean Cultural Center in Abu Dhabi. Korean Cultural Centre

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K-pop Academy for dance fans in the UAE returns after hiatus

K-pop music buffs can learn the dance moves of their favourite acts

Evelyn Lau
Evelyn Lau

July 08, 2023

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  • Arabic

Want to learn how to dance like BTS or Blackpink?

For the first time since 2019, K-pop Academy – which is hosted by the Korean Cultural Centre in Abu Dhabi – is set to return, with registration slated to open on Friday. This year, the academy will offer weekly classes, as well as one-day sessions.

The weekly classes are open to female participants aged 14 or older and will take place from July 30 to August 25, running for four weeks. Meanwhile, there will be free one-day classes offered in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on the weekends that are open to everyone.

This is the first time K-pop Academy is being held again in the UAE since 2019. Photo: Korean Cultural Centre
This is the first time K-pop Academy is being held again in the UAE since 2019. Photo: Korean Cultural Centre

Pre-registration is required and participant confirmation will be announced on July 21. There's a registration fee of Dh100 for the weekly sessions, which meet twice a week for two hours or once a week on Sunday for three hours.

Here is the schedule for the free one-day classes:

One-day class in Dubai:

  • August 11, 6pm to 7.30pm
  • August 12, noon to 1.30pm
  • August 12, 2pm to 3.30pm

One-day class in Abu Dhabi:

  • August 6, noon to 1pm
  • August 13, noon to 1pm

Classes at K-pop Academy are taught by Lee Su-jin, an experienced K-pop dance instructor and former back-up dancer to acts such as SNSD and Wonder Girls.

The first K-pop Academy took place in 2016 and had been held annually until 2019 but were put on hiatus because of the global pandemic that occurred the next year.

However, unlike in the past where the sessions used to take place at the Korean Cultural Centre, they will now be at independent venues. Abu Dhabi classes will be at Dee Studio, and in the other emirate, sessions will be at Dubai Dream Centre in Al Barsha 3.

"We are excited to reintroduce the K-pop Academy to the UAE community," said Lee Yong-hee, director of the Korean Cultural Centre. "K-pop has been an incredible cultural phenomenon, and this academy allows individuals to immerse themselves in the vibrant world of K-pop while receiving professional training. We believe this will be an enriching K-Culture experience for all participants."

Other activities to try

Throughout the year, the KCC are also hosting a series of workshops focusing on staple dishes such as kimchi and stir-fried chicken (dal-galbi). Participants will be taught more about the dishes, as well as how to make them at home.

The schedule will for the rest of the year features Korean pancakes and noodle dishes in August, gimbap in September, half-moon-shaped rice cakes in September and October, plus kimchi in November.

More information is available at uae.korean-culture.org/en

F1 drivers' standings

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281

2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247

3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222

4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177

5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138

6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93

7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86

8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Updated: July 08, 2023, 7:03 AM
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