Patrick Garcia and Nikka Martinez’s daughter, Michelle, is taking another step toward developing her skills in performing after joining a K-pop training program in Singapore.
Michelle joined the K-Pop Professional Training Programme at SM Universe Singapore, the first-ever K-Pop training academy in Southeast Asia.
It was launched by SM Entertainment, the company behind some of South Korea’s biggest K-pop acts, including EXO, Red Velvet, Super Junior, NCT, and Girl’s Generation, last 2025.
The participation of Michelle was recently featured on SM Universe’s Instagram page, where she gave viewers a glimpse of her experience as a trainee and the dedication required to pursue the program.
“Hi, I'm Michelle Garcia. I'm from the Philippines, and I’m 13 years old. Every Friday, I hop on a plane for four hours from the Philippines to Singapore,” she began.
The video documented Michelle’s singing and dancing classes. According to the SM Universe Singapore website, the program is led by Korean industry trainers and is designed to develop students’ vocal and dance abilities based on training methods used in Korea’s entertainment industry.
“I think it's pretty worth it to join this program because you learn a lot. You meet new people, you meet new coaches, and that teaches you a lot. Especially coaches from Korea help you learn their techniques [which] they have learned throughout the years, and it's good to apply it in your singing and your dancing,” Michelle said.
She also encouraged other young people to pursue something unfamiliar and take a chance on themselves.
“Just do it. Just take a risk, you know? You never know what you might find out about yourself, about your attitude, about your skills. You never know what might come out and this is all for your growth, and this is all for you. I guess I would say just do it for you.”
Patrick and Nikka have accompanied their daughter during her trips to Singapore, turning the training weekends into opportunities for family bonding. Through their social media posts, the couple has shared glimpses of their travels, from exploring different tourist attractions to trying good food together.
Nikka also took to Instagram to celebrate her daughter’s experience, writing: “Singapore 10/10 ….check! 🥹 Getting emo as I write this…. what a journey it has been!!❤️ 10 consecutive weekends in such a beautiful, clean, safe country! I have only the best things to say!🥰 Singapore, thank you…. precious memories have been made… but there will be more to come! the next time we go, we will be complete 🫶 In the meantime…. extremely excited for what’s next!😉,” she wrote.
Michelle is no stranger to the world of Korean entertainment. In 2024, she was among the young dancers selected to perform as part of the backup dance team for IU during the H.E.R.E.H World Tour stop in Bulacan.
Her growing experience in the entertainment industry also led to another milestone in 2025, when she became one of the new talents of ABS-CBN’s premier talent agency, Star Magic.
Beyond performing, Michelle has also built a presence as a content creator and is known for her passion for K-pop and pop culture. She has shown her support for groups and artists including BLACKPINK and BINI, among others.