Made in Korea: The K-pop Experience - Who are dearALICE?
A recent BBC TV show produced in collaboration with SM Entertainment saw the training and debut of a K-pop inspired British boy group—dearALICE. As they release their first single “Ariana,” we’re here to tell you about them.
Image: BBC/Moon & Back/Ray Burmiston.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen an attempt at ‘UK-pop’—English TV personality and entrepreneur, Simon Cowell previously made an attempt that was quickly ridiculed by K-pop fans across the UK, accusing him of trying to take K-pop and ‘make it white.’ So, what has been so different with dearALICE?
Described as a “new musical experiment like no other” in the Radio Times, Made in Korea: The K-pop Experience is a reality show aired on BBC following five British boys, who had already been through an audition process to become part of a new boy band, put through 100 days of K-pop training in South Korea under the guidance of SM Entertainment’s Hee Jun Yoon.
The show follows the members as they train to Korean standards in the K-pop music industry, bond with each other as a newly formed group, and spend time immersed in Korean culture with a range of guides—including the K-pop cowboy, a well-known tour guide in South Korea (@luluboi on Instagram).
The boys are put through their paces and given what can only be described as harsh feedback from Hee Jun. However, this is presented as simply how the K-pop industry works, with Hee Jun stating: “I understand that I might come across as overly strict and harsh on the show, how I am perceived is not what truly matters… My role is to help them prepare for these upcoming events.”
Hee Jun. Image Credit: BBC/Made In Korea Ltd./ Hwang Jeong-hyeon.
The Members
So, who are these brave boys that have taken on the K-pop industry?
James Sharp – the oldest member of the group and already quite well known as one half of @thesharptwins. James has been singing, dancing and acting for some time. He appeared in the 2021 film ‘Everybody’s talking about Jamie’ and has previously released solo music.
Dexter Greenwood – grew up in London and attended the D&B academy of Performing Arts. He has had minor roles in TV adverts and appeared as a backup dancer for JLS. He has a diploma in performing arts and his main interest prior to joining the band was stage performance.
Olly Quinn – Olly was born in Sunderland and attended the Durham Choristers school, so grew up singing. He has a keen interest in musical theatre. He is a fan of 90’s music such as Blur and The Cure, and loves to watch Studio Ghibli films.
Reece Carter – Coming from Wiltshire, Reece had worked as a stage performer on cruise ships which allowed him to spend time living in Busan previously. He loves to dance with his favourite styles being hip-hop and commercial. He was already a follower of James on TikTok and had been following him for some time. His passion for theatre came from his dad being a set designer.
Blaise Noon – Another member from London, Blaise was a pupil within the practical dance department of the BRIT school. He has loved singing, dancing and acting since childhood as well as having a passion for photography. He is a fan of the anime Tokyo Ghoul and an avid gamer.
Although the TV programme doesn’t show much of the audition process the boys had to go through, it does highlight the many ups and downs that come with the training regimes and their ability to adapt to different music and dance styles.
It also shows the process of them coming up with the band name—something which they initially struggled with, due to wanting something meaningful. They finally came up with dearALICE after the restaurant they frequented while training, using ‘ALICE’ as an acronym for A Love I Can’t Explain.
Image: Triple Guide.
The Music
Throughout the series, the group learned six songs written and produced by some of the biggest names in the industry including One Direction’s lyricist Mike Needle and well-known singer/songwriter Tom Grennan. The Made in Korea: The K-pop Experience (Original TV Soundtrack) album was released September 21, 2024, and features all six songs from the series.
The first song on the album, “Vibes,” is everything you want from a K-pop anthem. It's catchy and full of energy, and the vocal talent of the boys can be heard throughout and will be stuck in your head all day long.
This is quickly followed by “Solar.” Another catchy, high-energy offering, this one also shows off both James and Blaise’s rapping abilities. It only proves that they have the right talent to be part of the K-pop industry.
Image: SM Entertainment.
“Life is a Movie” is a representation of the group's journey from auditions in the UK to becoming K-pop idols in their own right, with the support of SM Entertainment. Similar to “Solar”, there is rapping alongside the vocals, with a romantic theme.
The fourth song on the soundtrack is “Classic.” It has been compared to One Direction’s “Best Song Ever” as it talks about becoming a hit with the lyrics: ‘Going number one, automatic // Make you wanna turn it up, turn it up,’ which is exactly what you will want to do with this one.
The only ballad on the album, “Time With You,” is a beautifully romantic song about spending time with a loved one doing nothing but being together. This song showcases the group's singing abilities with smooth vocals giving the listener a warm, cosy feeling.
“Best Day of Our Lives” is the final song and once again gives off the One Direction vibes. It’s catchy and full of fun energy. With the instrumental of this song creating a feeling of excitement for the group, it’s the perfect ending to the soundtrack of the show.
What now?
Since the show aired, the boys have continued to work hard on their music and choreography. They performed “Best Day of Our Lives” on Strictly Come Dancing and have continued to share their growth on social media.
They were then invited to perform in South Korea as part of the SM Family’s SMTOWN LIVE 2025 performances. The concert, held over two days at Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul, took place in January with the dearALICE boys performing on both days and previewing their official debut song “Ariana,” released on 21 February 2025. These boys are cementing themselves in a new era of the Hallyu wave.
