High above the bubble tea shops and cosmetics stores of Koreatown in Midtown Manhattan, American students dance to Korean pop music, known as K-pop. They have come to Born Star training center in pursuit of their dream to become K-pop stars. In recent years, K-pop has grown to a 5 billion dollar industry internationally with increasing popularity among American audiences. Lala, a 22-year old Jamaican-American from the Bronx, is one of Born Star’s most devoted students. To fit the mold of a K-pop idol, she takes Korean language classes as well as dance and vocal classes. K-pop is a highly exclusive industry however. Very few non-Koreans have made it as K-pop stars. Despite the odds, Lala says it’s not going to stop her.
