With the idea of becoming successful in the Korean entertainment industry, many young Koreans dream of entering one of Korea's K-pop trainee academies. Recently TWICE's Jihyo reveals she was once an SM trainee! Read on for all the details!
Becoming a K-pop idol and breaking into the K-entertainment industry is no easy task. For some however, it's a dream that can become a reality through hard work and dedication, but also it will only work if you are tough and can handle a lot of rejection.
Jihyo who is part of the K-pop group, TWICE, recently spoke out about her time as a trainee for the entertainment industry, where she spent many years training before being officially signed and joined with a group.
Jihyo talked about her childhood experience at the Junior Naver Child Star Contest, referring to her 10-year trainee life at JYP. She revealed for the first time, "A JYP official saw it and cast it," and "I was at SM for a year before I was a 10-year trainee at JYP." Jihyo recalled her memory of meeting Yoona and Suyeong of Girls' Generation at SM at the time and told an episode in which members of Girls' Generation praised her for being cute.
"If you were in SM, you would have been in Girls' Generation. If I had known, I would have held it" — Hyeyeon on Jihyo's skill as a trainee
Also, Hyoyeon expressed surprise about Jihyo's confession, saying, "If you were in SM, you would have been in Girls' Generation. If I had known, I would have held it", she expressed regret. She continued, "We're all trainees, preparing for our debut only before our debut. He recalled his days as a trainee, saying, "One person continued to disappear before the broadcast, 14 or 15 people."
Really for me, I do not find this revelation surprising, as I have heard on various shows and media and even through friends, that the training schools are harsh and very competitive. It reminds me of a harder version of the UK talent show X Factor, where even if you have a good voice, you need to have the whole package (Look, voice, style, charisma) to succeed.
Would her parents have been partly to blame for her trauma and stress during this time? Since she would have been a young and eager trainee?!
Let's take a look at this video, where other trainees talk about the life and reality of becoming a K-star / trainee.
Before your favorite K-pop idols were the iconic performers you know and love, they were just regular trainees. With the rise in popularity of K-pop, more and more people from all over the world are auditioning to become K-pop trainees with the hopes of making it big someday. If you dream of becoming a K-pop star, think about the hard work, time, and trauma you may face before you may become successful. Shoot for the stars and get ready to make your dreams a reality. The question is, is it really worth it?!
Let us know your opinion about K-pop trainee schools in the comments below!
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