The scariest part? The . Most agencies pay for housing, food, and training—but the trainee pays it back out of their first earnings. My sister’s friends already owe roughly $40,000 each. They joke about it, but you can see the terror in their eyes when they talk about "what if I don't debut?" 4. How They Treat "Civilians" (Like My Sister) You might think idols-in-training look down on normal people. It’s the opposite.
Here is the honest, unfiltered reality of what your favorite idols are like before the lip gloss and the lightsticks. The first thing I learned? These girls don’t feel like students . They feel like exhausted entrepreneurs. my sisters idol trainee friends
You see, my sister isn't a trainee herself. But somehow, she became best friends with a group of girls who are currently grinding away in one of Seoul’s mid-tier entertainment agencies. I’ve gone from being a casual listener to an unofficial “big sister mentor” for three girls who wake up at 5 AM to dance until their knees give out. The scariest part
The industry tries to turn them into polished dolls. But their friendship with my sister keeps them human. Next time you see a rookie group on stage looking nervous, remember: Behind that perfect smile is a kid who probably hasn't slept in 48 hours and just wants to text their best friend (my sister) a meme. My sister’s friends already owe roughly $40,000 each
If you ever meet a trainee, do not ask them when they are debuting. That is the equivalent of asking a PhD student when they will finally get a real job. Instead, ask them what song they are listening to for fun. You will see their whole face light up. 5. The Biggest Lesson: They Are Just Weird Teenagers At the end of the day, "idol trainee friends" are just messy, loud, sleepy girls.
I walked into my sister’s room last week to find three future "it-girls" doing face masks, arguing about which member of a boy group is the ugliest (they were all lying), and trying to microwave ramen in a coffee pot because they broke the stove.