Singaporean actor Benjamin Heng’s daughter, Sophie Heng, recently auditioned to be a trainee with South Korean label SM Entertainment. Results are yet to be released.
Last Friday (Apr 10), Heng shared on his social media that he and his daughter, 17, made a trip to South Korea, which the actor and realtor called “the start of her dream”.
SM Entertainment is known to be the home to some of K-pop's biggest names, including Girls' Generation, Super Junior, EXO and NCT.
“From watching K-pop on screen, to standing in the same city, where dreams are chased for real,” he wrote.
“I’ve closed many deals in life, but this… this one is different. No guarantees. No shortcuts. Just passion, discipline… and heart,” he added, referring to Sophie Heng’s venture into the K-pop world as she completed an 11-week Professional Training Programme (PTP) with SM Universe (Singapore), the label’s first K-pop training academy in Southeast Asia that opened in January this year, before her audition.
“As a dad, you want to protect them from the world. But sometimes, you have to let them step into it,” he admitted. He ended the post with “Let’s see how far this dream goes”.
Minister for Law Edwin Tong (centre) with Riize members Sohee (left) and Anton at the SM Universe Singapore opening ceremony on Jan 24, 2026. (Photo: SM Universe Singapore)
Responding to queries from CNA Lifestyle, Rachel Lee, marketing director of SM Universe (Singapore), shared that while Sophie Heng’s audition details remain “strictly confidential”, she “enjoyed the audition and she felt more prepared for the opportunity” after the PTP.
The PTP, Lee shared, is “designed to simulate the K-pop trainee training system” where students undergo 10 weeks of vocal and dance training in Singapore before heading to Seoul, South Korea for a week-long immersion at the academy’s headquarters.
At the end of the immersion week, all students can audition for invited K-pop labels in Seoul, while top performers will be chosen for private auditions with SM Entertainment.
Sophie Heng had exhibited “steady growth and a proactive ‘trainee mindset’” throughout the programme. “Her consistency and hunger to learn made her a standout candidate for the SM Entertainment audition,” Lee added.
For the auditions, candidates prepare a 30-second a capella vocal performance and a dance routine.
Experienced talent scouts from the A&R (Artists and Repertoire) division are present at the auditions, evaluating the candidates. Lee explained: “These are experts with a trained eye for identifying individuals who demonstrate not only immediate promise, but also strong long-term growth potential.”
Hence, the candidates may also be asked for impromptu performances during auditions to test their versatility and adaptability. The process is quick and high-pressure where both first impressions and technical foundations are crucial.
When asked what reaching this stage suggests about Sophie Heng’s potential, Lee shared that it “is a significant milestone, serving as validation that a student possesses both the ‘star quality’ and foundational technical skills sought by leading global industry professionals.”
While the results are decided privately by the label, SM Universe (Singapore) believes this to be an important stepping stone for Sophie Heng. “Through this experience, she has gained a valuable competitive edge, along with clearer insight into a professional pathway for her future,” Lee said.
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Last Friday (Apr 10), Heng shared on his social media that he and his daughter, 17, made a trip to South Korea, which the actor and realtor called “the start of her dream”.
SM Entertainment is known to be the home to some of K-pop's biggest names, including Girls' Generation, Super Junior, EXO and NCT.
“From watching K-pop on screen, to standing in the same city, where dreams are chased for real,” he wrote.
“I’ve closed many deals in life, but this… this one is different. No guarantees. No shortcuts. Just passion, discipline… and heart,” he added, referring to Sophie Heng’s venture into the K-pop world as she completed an 11-week Professional Training Programme (PTP) with SM Universe (Singapore), the label’s first K-pop training academy in Southeast Asia that opened in January this year, before her audition.
“As a dad, you want to protect them from the world. But sometimes, you have to let them step into it,” he admitted. He ended the post with “Let’s see how far this dream goes”.
Minister for Law Edwin Tong (centre) with Riize members Sohee (left) and Anton at the SM Universe Singapore opening ceremony on Jan 24, 2026. (Photo: SM Universe Singapore)
Responding to queries from CNA Lifestyle, Rachel Lee, marketing director of SM Universe (Singapore), shared that while Sophie Heng’s audition details remain “strictly confidential”, she “enjoyed the audition and she felt more prepared for the opportunity” after the PTP.
The PTP, Lee shared, is “designed to simulate the K-pop trainee training system” where students undergo 10 weeks of vocal and dance training in Singapore before heading to Seoul, South Korea for a week-long immersion at the academy’s headquarters.
At the end of the immersion week, all students can audition for invited K-pop labels in Seoul, while top performers will be chosen for private auditions with SM Entertainment.
Sophie Heng had exhibited “steady growth and a proactive ‘trainee mindset’” throughout the programme. “Her consistency and hunger to learn made her a standout candidate for the SM Entertainment audition,” Lee added.
For the auditions, candidates prepare a 30-second a capella vocal performance and a dance routine.
Experienced talent scouts from the A&R (Artists and Repertoire) division are present at the auditions, evaluating the candidates. Lee explained: “These are experts with a trained eye for identifying individuals who demonstrate not only immediate promise, but also strong long-term growth potential.”
Hence, the candidates may also be asked for impromptu performances during auditions to test their versatility and adaptability. The process is quick and high-pressure where both first impressions and technical foundations are crucial.
When asked what reaching this stage suggests about Sophie Heng’s potential, Lee shared that it “is a significant milestone, serving as validation that a student possesses both the ‘star quality’ and foundational technical skills sought by leading global industry professionals.”
While the results are decided privately by the label, SM Universe (Singapore) believes this to be an important stepping stone for Sophie Heng. “Through this experience, she has gained a valuable competitive edge, along with clearer insight into a professional pathway for her future,” Lee said.
Continue reading...