Former K-Pop Idol Trainees Get Real About Trainees Getting Kicked Out Of A Debut Team, Like In LE SSERAFIM’s Documentary
LE SSERAFIM showed the incredibly difficult struggle that K-Pop idol trainees go through while trying to achieve their dream of debuting in their documentary series The World Is My Oyster.
In the documentary, the members of LE SSERAFIM opened up about their doubts and challenges that they had to overcome to debut. And while Kazuha, for instance, left everything behind to become a trainee, the documentary also showcased how big of a risk trainees are taking.
According to the CEO of Source Music, So Seong Jin, even if a trainee is selected as part of the debut team, they still might not be able to debut.
The period before album preparations in which the members are fixed takes a good amount of time. That was the toughest period of all. It’s hard enough being chosen as part of the debut team, and in the process of preparing for the debut, it’s not enough that you were chosen.
— So Seong Jin
And the Management Team Leader, Kim Hyeong Eun, added, “Before the debut team actually debuts, there are cases where members get changed.”
The documentary then cut to a scene where the trainees seemed to think everything was normal as they finished up a typical grueling practice day before Haruka, one of the trainees in the debut lineup, was escorted by the staff members back to the dance studio.
In the following clip, Haruka is crying, and viewers can assume the trainee was just informed that she would not be making her debut with LE SSERAFIM.
Two former K-Pop idol trainees, Hwang Yoo Kyung and Ahn Ye Rim, watched the documentary. While they found one aspect “unbelievable,” the two related to the documentary, remembering their own harrowing experiences as trainees.
Hwang Yoo Kyung: If someone asks me to practice like those days, I don’t think I can do that again. I can’t imagine how I did it like that.
Even before the former trainees watch the scene, they already talk about how tenuous debuting is.
Hwang Yoo Kyung: Yes, if someone really wants it, it really happens like [it did for Yunjin].
Ahn Ye Rim: Yes, yes.
Hwang Yoo Kyung: And even [when] the debut group has been fixed, until they really go on the debut stage, nobody can be sure. They can even be fired right before the debut day.
Ahn Ye Rim: Right.
Hwang Yoo Kyung: They can’t be relaxed.
The staff asked the former trainees if they knew of many instances where trainees came “in and out.”
Ahn Ye Rim: Yes, yes, a lot.
According to the former trainees, the size of a planned group changes constantly.
Hwang Yoo Kyung: Even a lot of people coming in on the same day.
Ahn Ye Rim: It was five but suddenly [become] twelve. And suddenly [become] four. This happened a lot.
So it was a common sight to see trainees “packing.”
Hwang Yoo Kyung: Yes, many people packing their stuff at the dorm.
And when they did see the scene of Haruka leaving, they immediately understood what was going on.
Ahn Ye Rim: Seems they are leaving… Seems they got fired… They all come out like that.
The two former trainees share that it’s a heartbreaking experience for everyone when a trainee is cut from the lineup since they’ve been sharing all these experiences.
Ahn Ye Rim: When someone who shared everything [with you] suddenly got fired…
Hwang Yoo Kyung: So heartbreaking.
They even point out that if a trainee is cut during their practice time, the other trainees can’t express their emotions since they must keep working.
Hwang Yoo Kyung: Someone even had to leave during meal time. When I got back to the dorm, I see people packing stuff. “I got notice [there’s] no need to come from tomorrow.” Even in that circumstance, I have to do my work. Although my friend is leaving, I still have my lessons. [There’s] no time to be sad.
Ultimately, the harsh reality for K-Pop idol trainees is that even if they try their hardest, there are often factors entirely outside their control that can affect their debut.
Hwang Yoo Kyung: Doing [your] best can’t guarantee everything. That’s so sad.
You can read more about their thoughts here.
Former K-Pop Idol Trainees Think One Part Of LE SSERAFIM’s Documentary Is “Unbelievable”
You can read more about the documentary here.
LE SSERAFIM’s Documentary Shows The Brutal Reality Of A Trainee Getting Cut From The Debut Team
