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oday, I sat down with Sira, an aspiring K-Pop star on a mission to become the world’s best virtual dancer. We met up in Sira’s practice studio in Seoul where she trains hard towards her goal of becoming an idol. With bright hair and an even brighter personality, Sira already captured the hearts of thousands  who saw her dance cover of “Go Crazy” by Chris Brown, which you can check out here: 

“I'm kinda surprised at how good this is. Considering most pop music is the result of teams anyway, why not go all the way virtual? The avatar never ages, they can have a literal perfect body and looks, you can hire interchangeable dancers to perform in the mocap suit, and they can perform live in VR events. This really feels like the cusp of something big.” -YouTube Commenter

But who is Sira, really? I discovered, underneath her dazzling fashion sense and growth mentality, a woman who just wants to uplift her fans and bring a smile to their faces. Enjoy our discussion  about what made her want to be an idol, her love for BTS, and the exciting new projects on her radar. Let’s dive in.

[Christopher] Hi Sira! It’s great to meet you. Can you tell me about this place?

[Sira] Hi Christopher! It’s great to meet you as well. We’re at my practice studio where I spend most of my time these days, practicing for my debut. I never had anyone visit me here for an interview, so I’m kind of nervous and excited. I have a special feeling today.

This place is so cool! What does a day in your life as a hopeful idol look like?

Right now it’s pretty much home, dance studio, home and dance studio. It’s crazy. I mean in a good way. I really didn’t expect all this attention from my dance cover. I wanted to find a way to communicate with people before my official debut as much as possible, so I came up with this dance cover. 

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I was honestly shocked to see so many people actually liked the video. I got totally motivated with all the love and positive comments! I’m so focused on practicing these days, I don’t even know how the day goes by. Sometimes life gets hectic, but I enjoy every moment of it! 

That sounds nice! How much work went into the dance cover of ‘Go Crazy’? Did you have any trouble learning the choreography?

Umm, quite a lot, actually. The choreography wasn’t that hard, but I wanted it to be perfect since I have a lot of respect for Chris Brown. I tried to keep each step flowing with a vibe while showing my own style and I’m psyched that it’s getting this much attention! I’m really thankful!

Is there a song that you would like to cover next time?
Yes! “Butter” from BTS! Haha, I really like the smooth beat and style! This song is just... really smooth like butter! [laughs] It’s just awesome! Whenever I hear the beat, I just drop into an instant groove and start dancing to the music! I would love to do a dance cover of “Butter” and show BTS my vibe! 

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Keep me posted! I have to say, your hair color is pretty unique! Do you change it often?

Aw, thank you for asking! Um, every now and then, you know. I feel like it helps me bring out a different kind of energy and be more creative, especially when I can visually see myself presented in a different style than usual. But, I’ve never done my hair this bright, I mean, it took several hours just to bleach it and dye it but it was totally worth it! I just love how it turned out. I think I took hundreds of selfies the first day, and I think I’m gonna keep it like this for a while.

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‍Aww, nice! What made you want to become an idol?

I’ve always loved dancing and singing since I was a little kid, I mean. I’d be standing in front of the TV and just tried to follow all the moves whenever I saw someone dance on TV and…  one day while I was in junior high, I got a chance to perform on stage. I was just captivated by how the audience responded to my dance and each move, and the cheers.. it was just mind-blowing as a kid. I never experienced that much cheering and excitement before. It was like me and this large audience became one and I can never forget that sensational feeling, and that was the moment, I’ll never forget that moment.

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‍Hmm… What kind of idol do you want to become?
I think a bond between idols and fans is really something special. We may have never really met in person or talked to each other before, but we care about one another just like friends do. I want to be someone that can make fans feel happy and smile and put them in a good mood even when they had a tough day. I’ll keep trying my best to become someone who can put a smile on every fan on any given day.

‍What do you do to relax after a long day of work and rehearsals? 

I usually lie in bed, listen to music and watch movies to relax. Oh and games! I love playing video games and I’m actually pretty good at it! And, when I’m exhausted, I just go straight to bed to recharge for the next day. 

Speaking of video games, I heard you were trying out something new these days?
Oh yeah! I’m also debuting as a game character in a video game called ‘Shaman’. Isn’t that exciting?! It’s an action-adventure game being developed by a company called EVR Studio in Seoul, Korea. My character name is Sira, like my real name and I’m not allowed to spoil the story but it’s really exciting to be a part of the project! 

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I can imagine this is a whole new experience for you. What’s it like to play a video game character?
Very interesting! I mean, first of all, they created me exactly the way I look in the game, and my character talks like me, walks like me and dances just the way I do in real life! I’m really excited to see how my character plays out in this game! I’m soo excited!

Will we be seeing your official debut as an idol on stage soon?
Absolutely! I can’t wait to meet everyone through my official debut!

Until then, practice, practice, practice! 

‍I hear you! On the subject of accomplishment, what do you think are your special traits or strengths?
Well, I’m always optimistic and try to be confident in what I do. So, you can say I’m a happy character [laughs].

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Finally, to wrap up our time together, I want to ask you the same question I ask everyone I interview—Who are you, Sira?

A friend who wants to make you smile. 

Thank you, Sira! It was great to meet you!

Thank you, Christopher. It was a pleasure meeting you as well! I had fun!