If you were out and about in Orchard some time in the evening hours this Tuesday, you’d know that 4Minute took Plaza Singapura by storm. The girls arrived to ear-piercing screams at their exclusive mall appearance where more than 3,500 4Nias flooded the venue, vying for a good spot to idol-watch. Invited by organisers tvN, CJ Entertainment and Media as well as CUBE Entertainment, of ongoing regional talent competition tvN K-Pop Star Hunt S2, 4Minute’s appearance sought to inspire fans and aspiring talents to fulfill their dreams of becoming the next Korean pop idol!

Despite timing the occasion on a mid-week evening, this wasn’t quite enough to deter school-going fans and young working adults from turning up to see their beloved quintet. As with the sea of adoring followers, PS’ ground floor square was also replete with the flashing, and for some, dazzling, lights of specially-designed banners and LED placards. Those bulbs were enough to light up an entire night of camp-firing. And they directly represented the sentiments from Singaporean 4Nias.

Prior to the girls’ arrivals, things were kicked off with the crowd singing, cooing, dancing, and what-have-you, to groovy tunes like “Mirror Mirror”. One of two finalists from the Singapore leg of tvN K-Pop Star Hunt S1, Jasmine Tan, made an appearance. She shared her CUBE Entertainment training experience from last year, with wide-eyed hopefuls.

The event reached its peak when 4Minute sashayed into the mall at around 8pm with thousands of supporters roaring in excitement, escalating decibel levels. Clad in pastel and summery get-ups, it was apparent that they’d matured a whole bunch from their days of ‘Candy Funky’. As is custom of Korean pop groups, 4Minute greeted the crowd earnestly before sitting down for a Q&A session. The standing audience was awash with delight — these girls could do no wrong!

In turns, the group shared their thoughts about the Singaporean contestants from Season 1. They then went through the motion of the standards (*yawns*), inviting foodie and local cuisine recommendations from fans. If you’ve followed some of our writings about K-pop celebrities and Singaporean food, you’ll know that we aren’t too fond of the answers that always manage to find their way into such conversations. Laksa and durian came up, so that was a bit of a relief.

Sohyun’s seal of approval for Singapore food.

When asked to give valuable advice to idol wannabes, the girls stressed on perseverance and hard work — two factors that we’re all too familiar with, that also drew us to Korean entertainment in the first place. As was their duty on the day, they made sure to encourage participation in tvN K-Pop Star Hunt S2. The winner will see him/herself being granted the chance of a lifetime, to be trained by CUBE Entertainment and be on his/her way to forging a career just like 4Minute’s.

For more information on how to enter tvN K-Pop Star Hunt S2, visit www.tvnstarhunt2.com. Alternatively, prospective contestants can also attend the Pre-Audition Roadshow at Plaza Singapura’s main atrium on Saturday 28 July 2012, between 12noon to 6pm. The roadshow will be outfitted with professional-quality audio and video equipment provided to help budding talents in Singapore record and submit their videos on the spot!

Applicants can upload their video submissions before registrations close on Sunday, 26 August 2012, at 23:59:59hrs.

tvN K-Pop Star Hunt S2 will premiere on tvN (StarHub TV Ch. 824/ 874 HD) end of 2012.