You don’t need to become an idol to work in K-pop, says digital media design graduate

Sometimes, you don’t find the school — the school chooses you. That’s the case for Sabrina Laurenzia Situmorang.

In late 2023, Raffles Design Institute visited the Australian International School in Manila, Philippines, where Situmorang was a student. They were so impressed by the music  Situmorang produced that they offered her a place in any programme of their choice.

“I didn’t choose Raffles, but Raffles chose me,” they said. 

Situmorang initially dreamt of becoming a K-pop idol, an aspiration they’ve long harboured.

At 18, they expected to already be training under a company. But things didn’t go as planned.

“I have a passion for music and would love to pursue a career in it,” Situmorang shares. “But there came a point when I realised I was getting older and needed a backup plan — just in case the dream didn’t work out.”

That’s when they took up Raffles Design Institute’s offer and moved to Singapore to pursue a Diploma, an Advanced Diploma, and a BA in Digital Media Design.

Situmorang was scouted by Raffles Design Institute during their high school years at the Australian International School in Manila, Philippines. Source: Sabrina Laurenzia Situmorang

Using digital media design to work in K-pop

In recent years, several Indonesian and Filipino artists have debuted as K-pop idols; for example, Zayyan from ZODIAC, Carmen from Hearts2Hearts, Dita from Secret Number, Gehlee and Elisia from UNIS, and JL from AHOP, just to name a few.

So, Situmorang knows that breaking into the K-pop industry isn’t impossible. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy either.

And being in Singapore meant they couldn’t become a K-pop trainee by the time they were 18.

Still, Situmorang found another path into the industry — by applying their digital media design skills and looking for job opportunities within it.

Thanks to what they have learnt in their digital media design degree, Situmorang has already contributed to several K-pop projects.

“It’s been a long journey, and I didn’t expect my passion for digital media design to grow this much,” they say. “But now I’m applying what I’ve learned to freelance projects.”

In March 2025, Situmorang signed a contract with MILE Entertainment, a newly established South Korean K-pop company, to design its website.

Situmorang and their friends at the diploma graduation at Raffles Design Institute. Source: Sabrina Laurenzia Situmorang

“I was determined to break into the industry, so I pitched myself to MILE Entertainment as a digital media designer,” Situmorang says. “I sent them a sample website and moodboards. I guess they liked it and reached out.”

It was a major W. Since then, Situmorang has sent proposals to several K-pop agencies that do not have official websites. 

That’s not all. They’ve also worked with SM Universe Singapore — a subsidiary training academy under SM Entertainment — one of the many reasons they love living in Singapore as K-Pop idols often frequent the country.

“It’s not just the quality of education here that I appreciate, but also how accessible everything is,” they say. “I completed SM Universe’s advanced training programme and used it to showcase my digital media design skills through video production.”

They were proud of what they created and saw, for the first time, how both of their passions could come together.

Now, Situmorang is one step closer to their dream.

Situmorang and the traditional Badak flag. Source: Sabrina Laurenzia Situmorang

Bringing together their love for their indigenous tribe and art

K-pop isn’t Situmorang’s only passion.

Born and raised in the Philippines to Indigenous-Indonesian parents, Situmorang grew up hearing stories about their roots, but didn’t have a strong connection to them. 

That changed in 2022 when they visited Samosir Island, their father’s hometown, for the first time. They were immediately taken in by the rich culture of the Batak, an Indigenous tribe in Indonesia, and their stories.

“Growing up in the Philippines, I was bullied for being Indonesian,” Situmorang shares. “I didn’t want to be associated with my culture at all. But everything changed when my dad took me to Lake Toba, where Samosir Island is located.”

At first, the idea of visiting a volcanic island — especially one sitting on a massive supervolcano — was terrifying. But their newfound love for the Batak tribe trumped that fear.

“My hometown is so beautiful, and I don’t get why Indonesians themselves don’t often talk about it,” says Situmorang. “I found my sense of home because since then, every time I’m back in Samosir, I feel connected to the island and a sense of peace. It’s nothing like I’ve ever felt before.”

Situmorang and the children of the Batak tribe at Lake Toba. Source: Sabrina Laurenzia Situmorang

In fact, during that trip, a local child approached them. 

“‘Your ancestors are around you and following you,’ the child said to my parents and me,” Situmorang recalls. 

It was chilling — but also deeply moving. It was exactly the kind of message they needed to hear.

“I started researching the Batak tribe,” they say. “I was about to begin my bachelor’s degree, and I made it my mission to find a way to share my culture — not just with Indonesians, but with the whole world.”

In the process, Situmorang met another student of Batak descent at Raffles. She was the same age and had also grown up disconnected from her roots.

“She didn’t know the language or much about the culture,” Situmorang says. “But we’ll be studying at Raffles for the same duration, so now there are more hands on deck.”

It gave Situmorang even more motivation to continue.

So, how are they doing it? By combining their design degree with their cultural passion.

Situmorang has created a website called Explore Batak, which introduces people to the history of Lake Toba, Batak mythology, the Batak king, local culture, and even includes a directory of Batak families.

“I feel a sense of responsibility,” Situmorang says. “To share this and raise awareness of such a beautiful island and culture. Becoming a K-pop artist is still a big dream of mine — but this mission? It might just be even bigger.”