Voice coach for BTS, Twice and Kang Daniel on how she trained Jin, Jungkook and V

Kim Sung-eun has taught some of the biggest names in K-pop, including three members of BTS, as well as solo singers Sunmi and Sandeul

She talks about training K-pop hopefuls, and what makes a great singer

Reading Time:3 minutes

K-pop vocal coach Kim Sung-eun has worked with BTS and Twice. Photo: Handout

Published: 10:00pm, 30 Apr 2020Updated: 2:34am, 1 May 2020

By Dong Sun-hwa

Various K-pop idols may have attained unprecedented international fame in the past few years, but many so-called “K-pop makers” have received far less attention than they deserve, despite their contributions to the birth of these megastars.

Vocal trainer Kim Sung-eun, who has taught big-name artists such as members of BTS and Twice, and solo star Kang Daniel, is one such behind-the-scenes figure. “In the past, I felt like an empty shell or an outsider – I couldn’t be judged by who I really was,” Kim said during a recent interview at the headquarters of the WIP Company – a K-pop academy she established in the Mapo district of the South Korean capital, Seoul, in 2011.

“People evaluate a vocal trainer based on the performance of their singers. But I couldn’t escape my own vanity – and realised I needed to teach what I knew to others to build up my reputation.”

Kim has had a burning passion for music since she was young, and her professional career started in 2003 after she was featured in the video for hip-hop artist MC Sniper’s track Korean.

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