With the recent announcement for the upcoming season 3 of K-Pop Star, it's audition time again in the United States. The audition dates and announcements went out about a month ago for aspiring Kpop idols in the United States. But what are the shots or chances of a non-Korean American making it unto the show? Nicole Curry has something to say about that.

Nicole was a contestant on the SBS K-Pop Star season 2 and she will be the first to tell you she was as surprised as the next person when she was selected and kept advancing in the show. Nicole comes from the American mid-west and has a heritage that's as far from Korean as you get, with an African-American father and European-American mother.

Surprisingly, the K-pop Star 3 auditions will be bypassing New York City, but instead will head towards Nicole's neck-of-the woods in Chicago, which is America's number one mid-western city. Is it possible that with her success, the organizers of K-Pop Star are looking for more hidden treasure, and that the New York's talent pool has been exhausted?

Well, those in the New York talent pool can take heart, because there's a new K-Pop related reality talent show audition coming to the New York/New Jersey area. It's called Dream Stage (www.mydreamstage.com). The auditions begin on July 20, 2013 and will be broadcast on the Korean Broadcasting Network (myKBN.com). The executive producer, Jay Lee who worked with 2NE1, LeeSSang and B.A.P. during their American tour, says the show is "for musicians dreaming about the big stage" and his wish is that "local armature musicians will challenge themselves" and aspire to playing to a global audience.

As Nicole's relative success, which led to a brief-stint at YG, shows it is possible for non-Korean Americans to make significant headway in Kpop auditions. In the final analysis, aspiring contestants can learn from her by having a bright personality - genuinely smile and laugh a lot, showcase your skills - some originality won't hurt, and be open to new things - as Nicole was with acupuncture as suggested to her by Epik High's Tablo. Most importantly though, is have fun.

Interview:  John O. Email him at:  JohnO[at]KpopStarz [dot]com | Twitter: @GoodMoMusic