SEOUL: K-pop idols are trading the spotlight for the classroom in a new YouTube series that pairs popular artists with Korean language learners from around the world, using music and celebrity appeal to bring fans closer to Korean culture.
Produced by the King Sejong Institute Foundation in collaboration with SBS, the three-part series features artists taking part in language competitions, proficiency tests and special lessons with international learners.
The second episode, set to premiere Saturday at 2 p.m., will feature Ricky of AND2BLE and Mǎ Jingxiang of CLOSE YOUR EYES competing against eight Korean language learners.
The participants were selected from the winners of the 2026 King Sejong Institute Korean Speaking and Writing Contest, which attracted 3,715 applicants from 75 countries and 178 institutions.
The episode will also reunite Ricky and Mǎ, who previously competed on the same team in an audition program in 2023.
The initiative will move beyond YouTube in November, when boy group VERIVERY is set to serve as honorary Korean language teachers at the King Sejong Institute in Jakarta, Indonesia. The five members will lead a special class using their own song lyrics to explain their meanings and teach useful everyday Korean expressions.
The series began Oct. 17 with RESCENE members Minami and May taking the Sejong Korean Language Assessment speaking test. The first episode surpassed 1 million YouTube views within seven days of its release.
The episodes are available on the foundation’s official YouTube channel.
The collaboration aims to turn global interest in K-pop into a wider appreciation of Korean language and culture, giving international fans another way to engage with the country beyond its music.
The King Sejong Institute Foundation currently supports 273 institutes across 89 countries. All three episodes are available on the foundation’s official YouTube channel.
