The sound of stomping heels and blaring music drifts down a dimly lit hallway. At the end, a group of young women in T-shirts and sweatpants face a long, mirrored wall, moving their bodies in unison to the beat of a cheery synth-pop number.
At a quick glance, they could possibly pass for AKB48, Morning Musume or one of the other popular female idol groups that are so prevalent in Japan. Looking closer, however, something is a bit off.
The young women aren¡¯t actually singing the songs, and are copying the complex choreography of a music video from their smartphones ¡ª albeit perfectly. But then the sound of school chimes pierces the music and suddenly heels are swapped for sneakers, backpacks are collected and these supposed pop-stars-in-training are back to being everyday students.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.