Kpop Behind | All the Stories Behind Kpop Stars

Do you remember TV audition show "Mix Nine"? The show was broadcast in early 2018, and in the show, Yang Hyun Suk, the CEO of YG Entertainment, visits all the small k-pop agencies and meets their trainees. The initial plan of the show was to choose competitive trainees and help them debut as a team. YG is one of the biggest and the most influential k-pop agencies, while it's really really hard for small k-pop agencies to achieve success in the k-pop industry. At first, Yang Hyun Suk said he wanted to help them, and the k-pop agencies decided to take part in the show because they thought it would be a great opportunity. However, yeah, as you know, the plan went to pieces. The trainees couldn't debut, and Happyface Entertainment, one of the k-pop agencies Yang Hyun Suk visited, lodged a compensation claim against YG. Happyface Entertainment is insisting that the trainees were in a state of total neglect after the show went off the air. What do you think...

As you know, all the k-pop idols have gone through long and short training period. To make their debut, they had to become trainees first, and they were intensively trained during their training period. What kind of training did they have during the period? They were trained in singing and dancing by professional teachers, and they learned foreign languages too. What you need to know is that all the k-pop trainees have to compete desperately to get a chance to debut. It is a fierce struggle for existence, and only a few of the trainees can become professional singers. But that's not the end of their struggle for existence. After becoming professional singers, they have to compete desperately again to gain attention from the public. If they fail to appeal to the public, they are soon forgotten. I know there are many k-pop lovers who dream to become k-pop idols, and I'd like to tell them it's really really hard to become k-pop idols and gain attention from people. ...

Seulgi was selected as SM's trainee through the agency's open audition took place in 2007, while Irene was chosen by SM in 2009. And Yeri passed SM’s audition in 2010. She was only 11 years old at the time. Wendy passed the agency's global audition took place in Canada in 2012, and Joy passed SM's global audition took place in Seoul in 2012. Well, if you want to become a trainee of SM Entertainment as a foreigner, yeah, Wendy could be a perfect example for you. The 5 members have something in common, by the way. Seulgi can sing, dance, play a guitar, and speak Japanese, while Irene can sing, rap, and perform modern dance. Wendy speaks fluent English and can play various instruments such as flute, guitar and saxophone. Joy is eminent in singing and dancing. And Yeri, who has good basic skills is very talented and has a good sense of humor. Yeah, all of them are versatile. To survive the competition, you need to stand out. When you participate in a k-pop audit...

I’m sure you’re very curious about k-pop trainee’s daily schedule. Well, it differs from case to case, but let me explain about the general case. If you become a k-pop trainee, you should follow the daily schedule below. 8 a.m. : School attendance As most of k-pop trainees are students, they should go to school in the morning. They try not to skip breakfast if possible because it’s important for them to manage their health. At their school, they take classes just like the other ordinary students, but they usually listen to music during break time to make preparations for their weekly test. They sometimes write song lyrics, while there are also some passionate trainees who practice singing and dancing at their school. 5 p.m. : Go to practicing room After school is over, trainees go to their practicing rooms. The first thing they do when they arrive at their practicing rooms is give their cellphones and diaries to people who manage them. They get their cellphones back after the...

Each country has its own culture and traditions. These days, Korean culture is becoming more Western, but Korea still has its own traditional culture. And yeah, if you want to become a k-pop trainee, you should respect Korean culture and learn about the culture. If you don’t follow Korean culture, people will think you’re very rude, and it will be hard for you to get chance to become a k-pop trainee. Korea is a country which is based on the Confucian culture, and it is common for Korean people to have respect for seniors. That's why the relationship between senior k-pop singers and junior k-pop singers are so tight. On the day when k-pop idols take part in the recording of a music chart show, junior singers usually visit senior singers' waiting rooms and bow to them. Junior singers present their signed CDs too, while some senior singers who have bad character even refuse to receive it. Senior singers, especially popular singers never visit junior singers' waiting room...

<Kpop Audition Bible: How to become a k-pop idol> Amazon(Paperpack):   https://www.amazon.com/dp/1719860106 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073V4FZ25 iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1294241680 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ww/en/ebook/kpop-audition-bible-how-to-become-a-k-pop-idol -How to pass k-pop audition -Tips & Advices for k-pop audition participants -How to become a k-pop idol -Stories behind k-pop stars' trainee life and debut -Written by an experienced k-pop journalist Do you want to become a k-pop idol? Do you want to become a k-pop trainee to realize your dream? Well, the most common way to start off on a long journey to become a k-pop idol is to take part in various k-pop agencies’ auditions. K-pop agencies usually have year-round audition schedules, and they always pay attention to find talented would be singers. You can take part in k-pop auditions either online or offline. If you apply for an online audition, you can put in...

Super Junior's Kim Heechul He even didn't know where SM Entertainment’s building was and was late for his audition. He just sang the national anthem at the audition, but he passed it because he was too handsome. TVXQ's Max Changmin He received a business card from a staff member of SM Entertainment when he was playing badminton at his school. So, his mother took him to his audition and he passed it. EXO's Sehun When he was eating tteokbokki(Stir-fried rice cake, one of the most popular snacks among Korean people), a staff member of SM Entertainment came running after him and he tried to run away because he was so surprised. However, he was caught by the staff and passed his audition. EXO's Baekhyun When he was warming up his voice to have an interview for Seoul Institute of Arts, he met a staff member of SM Entertainment and he could get a chance to participate in the agency’s audition. f(x)'s Amber and Luna Amber passed her audition...

K-pop idols are loved by many fans, but they themselves are sometimes big fans of other singers too. Think about it. You are a huge fan of a k-pop idol, and you yourself become a k-pop idol later and see your idol star closely. It's a dreamlike story, huh? Well, here are k-pop idols who realized their dreams. Sandara Park Before her debut, Sandara Park was a big fan of Lee Hyori. Here's an episode. In the Philippines, Sandara Park, who was a teenage girl saw Lee Hyori eating melon with appetite and relish on TV, and she thought that melon must be very important food in Korea. So, she brought melons along with her from the Philippines and visited Lee Hyori's house to hand over the present. Sandara Park couldn’t meet Lee Hyori but she handed Lee Hyori's mother melons. Well, eventually, Sandara Park became as popular as Lee Hyori, and they’ve been maintaining good relationship as fellow singers. SHINee’s Key Do you know the fact that SHINee's Key was a mem...

One day, a person gives you his business card, saying he is from a k-pop agency and he wants to cast you. Will you accept the proposal? Well, unfortunately, there are many crooks in the k-pop industry. If you have never heard about the k-pop agency, it would be wise to doubt his intention. First, if he says you have to pay for the training, he is a crook. No k-pop agency asks trainees for money. Second, if he presents very specific plans for your debut, he is a crook. Even big k-pop agencies can’t be sure about when their trainees will debut because there are too many variables. Third, if he shows off his friendship with famous k-pop singers, he is a crook. He must be just pretending. However, it doesn’t mean it’s ok for you to believe all the people who insist they’re from big k-pop agencies. First, verify the exact name of the k-pop agency. Some crooks mislead would be singers’ eyesight by using wrong company names such as “SN Entertainment” of “YZ Entertainment”. Second...

SOPA(School of Performing Arts Seoul) Alumni Suzy, Girl’s Day Hyeri, Sulli, Apink Naeun, Red Velvet Joy, GFriend, Yuju, Eunha, Yerin, CNBLUE Jonghyun, BTS Jungkook, EXO Kai, Sehun, SEVENTEEN Dokyeom and more. Admission into SOPA SOPA has various departments such as broadcasting arts and practical music, while each department has just 2 classes for new students. And each class is made up of 38 students. Student who have experiences in the Korean entertainment world account for 10% of new students, and the rest of the students don’t have any broadcasting experience. The competition is very high. Hanlim Art School Alumni Krystal, Dal Shabet Subin, Sonammo High.D, SHINee Taemin, WINNER Mino, Nam Taehyun, Blcok B P.O, BTOB Yook Sungjae and more. Admission into Hanlim Art School Anyone who wants to be an entertainer can apply for the school’s audition, while those who have broadcasting experience receive extra admission points. Hanlim Art School’s students look to be ver...

There are so many foreign idols these days who are active in the k-pop world such as Nichkhun of 2PM, Lisa of BLACKPINK, Tzuyu of TWICE, BamBam of GOT7 and Yuta of NCT 127. If you are a foreigner and you want to become a k-pop idol, yeah, they could be your good role models. So, let’s see how k-pop agencies cast their foreign trainees Why they cast foreign trainees Basically, k-pop agencies look for foreign trainees because they need to extend their business abroad. South Korea has a population of about 50 million, and the country has a small music market. So, to make a lot of money, k-pop agencies entered Chinese and Japanese market. You know, China’s population has reached about 1.4 billion, and Japan has a population of about 120 million. And to make a success in the countries, k-pop agencies needed Chinese and Japanese idols. By the way, things have changed a little bit. There has been a “Anti-Korean Wave” in China and Japan in recent years due to a diplomatic conflic...

It seems like many would be singers look on only the bright side of k-pop idols. Yeah, they look very gorgeous on the stage, and they’re loved by so many fans too. However, it’s never easy to become a k-pop idol because you have to endure all the hardships when you are a trainee. And the reality could be harsher than you imagine. So, here’s an interview with a former k-pop trainee. She was trained by one of the most famous k-pop agencies for years, but she decided to quit for various reasons. Q. How long were you trained? And what made you decide to quit your life as a k-pop trainee? A. I was trained for about 6 years. I really want to become a singer when I was young. However, I later found out that I should do lots of things other than singing and dancing to become a singer. I couldn’t allow myself in such a course of life. Q. What kind of things did you have to do other than singing and dancing? A. I could not date, and I could not drink. When I go away for the weeken...

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073V4FZ25 iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1294241680 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ww/en/ebook/kpop-audition-bible-how-to-become-a-k-pop-idol -How to pass k-pop audition -Tips & Advices for k-pop audition participants -How to become a k-pop idol -Stories behind k-pop stars' trainee life and debut -Written by an experienced k-pop journalist Do you want to become a k-pop idol? Do you want to become a k-pop trainee to realize your dream? Well, the most common way to start off on a long journey to become a k-pop idol is to take part in various k-pop agencies’ auditions. K-pop agencies usually have year-round audition schedules, and they always pay attention to find talented would be singers. You can take part in k-pop auditions either online or offline. If you apply for an online audition, you can put in an application by e-mail and attach a video that shows yourself singing and dancing. If you apply for an offline audition, ...

Are you an Indonesian? And do you want to become a k-pop idol? Well, here's a good news for you. SM Entertainment, the biggest and the most influential k-pop company is now looking for talented Indonesian trainees. On September 4, Lee Soo Man, the chief producer of SM attended the Indonesia-Korea Cultural Content Forum and delivered the keynote address. Through his speech, he said "Together with Indonesia, we will find out Indonesian stars and make them global stars". You know, it's not the first time that Lee Soo Man has revealed his plan to cast talented Indonesian trainees. He attended the Indonesia-Korea Business Summit last March and said he's planning to launch SM's first ever audition in Indonesia. Then, what do you think is the reason why SM is looking for Indonesian trainees? Basically, k-pop agencies look for foreign trainees because they need to extend their business abroad. South Korea has a population of about 50 million, and the c...

<Kpop Audition Bible: How to become a k-pop idol> is released! -How to pass k-pop audition -Tips & Advices for k-pop audition participants -How to become a k-pop idol -Stories behind k-pop stars' trainee life and debut -Written by an experienced k-pop journalist Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073V4FZ25 (**You can read the book by downloading free Kindle app that is available on iOS, Android, and MAC & PC. Download link:  https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/fd/kcp/ref=dbs_p_ebk_r00_pbcb_rnsa00 ) Do you want to become a k-pop idol? Do you want to become a k-pop trainee to realize your dream? Well, the most common way to start off on a long journey to become a k-pop idol is to take part in various k-pop agencies’ auditions. K-pop agencies usually have year-round audition schedules, and they always pay attention to find talented would be singers. You can take part in k-pop auditions either online or offline. If you apply for an online audit...

Available on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073V4FZ25 <Kpop Audition Bible: How to become a k-pop idol> is released! -How to pass k-pop audition -Tips & Advices for k-pop audition participants -How to become a k-pop idol -Stories behind k-pop stars' trainee life and debut -Written by an experienced k-pop journalist Do you want to become a k-pop idol? Do you want to become a k-pop trainee to realize your dream? Well, the most common way to start off on a long journey to become a k-pop idol is to take part in various k-pop agencies’ auditions. K-pop agencies usually have year-round audition schedules, and they always pay attention to find talented would be singers. You can take part in k-pop auditions either online or offline. If you apply for an online audition, you can put in an application by e-mail and attach a video that shows yourself singing and dancing. If you apply for an offline audition, you should attend the audition and sing in front of the ...

Mnet's "PRODUCE 101 Season 2" ended on June 16. 11 members of new boy group Wanna One have been determined, and they'll make an official debut soon. The handsome male trainees were not the only stars of the program, though. Yeah, as the host of the program, BoA did a great job, and one reason for the program's huge success was BoA. By the way, actually, she did more things than what you watched on TV. As a senior k-pop singer, BoA always took care of the young trainees. During break time, she informed the trainees what they should be careful of and what they should do. And when the trainees were exhausted, she cheer them up by singing "Pick Me". Especially, she even asked the production crew of "PRODUCE 101 Season 2" to modify her script to protect the trainees. You know, Kwon Hyun Bin was once at the center of criticisms because he was ranked very high despite his poor singing dancing skills. After being embroiled in a controversy,...

You know, NU'EST's Kang Dongho, who has appeared in "PRODUCE 101 Season 2" has been mixed up in a sexual harassment scandal after a woman who insists that she is the victim of sexual harassment posted a long piece of writing on the Internet on June 22. She insisted that Kang Dongho touched her thighs, breasts and genitals 8 years ago when he was 15 years old. However, on June 23, Pledis made an official announcement about the incident. The agency denied everything, stating "We'll take legal action against those who spread rumors on the Internet". All the stories on the Internet are utterly without foundation. We'll take legal action against those who spread rumors on the Internet, and especially, we have already accused the woman who is making a false claim of spreading false information on the Internet. We don't want to mention about every detail of the story on the Internet because we want to protect our artist. However, we decided to ...

Kim Jae Hwan Park Woo Jin Ha Sung Woon Yoon Ji Sung Hwang Min Hyun Kang Daniel Bae Jin Young Ong Sung Woo Lai Guan Lin Park Ji Hoon Lee Dae Hui <K-pop Secret Vol.4: The Reality of K-pop Idols> K-pop Secret Vol.4 contains stories about the reality of k-pop idols. The author, who has been working as a k-pop journalist since 2010 gives you answers to some questions about the reality of k-pop idols such as “How much do k-pop stars earn?” “Why do k-pop agencies do sajaegi?” and “Why do k-pop idols leave their groups?” iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1225055082 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y1N9K9N