10 K-Pop Idols Who Gave Up Nearly Their Entire Childhood To Pursue Their Dreams
K-Pop idols usually become trainees at a young age, particularly during their early teen years. Some idols became trainees at an even younger age, as they might become a trainee while they’re still in elementary school. These idols essentially give up their childhood by becoming trainees at such a young age, as they would have to dedicate their time to training. Here are 10 K-Pop idols who chose to pursue their dreams at an extremely early age.
1. G-Dragon (BIGBANG)
G-Dragon began his career at an extremely young age, as he was a part of a group called Little Roo’Ra when he was just 6 years old. When G-Dragon turned 8 years old, he became a trainee at SM Entertainment, where he was a trainee for 5 years. G-Dragon eventually left for YG Entertainment once he got more interested in rapping and debuted as a member of BIGBANG in 2006.
2. Jihyo (TWICE)
Jihyo became a trainee at JYP Entertainment when she was just 8 years old. While TWICE is a third-generation K-pop group, Jihyo trained with a lot of idols from the second-generation, such as 2PM, Miss A, Sunmi, etc. Jihyo trained for around 10 years before she eventually debuted as the leader of TWICE.
3. Krystal [f(x)]
Krystal was originally scouted by SM Entertainment when she was only 5 years old. Her parents initially declined the offer, as they believed that Krystal was too young to become a trainee. When she was 7 years old, Krystal began her career as a child celebrity, as she constantly appeared on commercials. Her parents finally granted her permission to become a trainee when she turned 12 years old, and Krystal debuted as a member of f(x) a couple of years later.
4. Jungkook (BTS)
Jungkook pursued his dreams of becoming a singer when he was just 13 years old. He originally auditioned for Superstar K but was not selected. He would soon become a trainee at Big Hit Entertainment, which is where he debuted as a member of BTS.
5. Sohee (Former member of Wonder Girls)
Sohee was accepted as a trainee at an early age, as she became a trainee at JYP Entertainment when she was only 12 years old. She ended up training for a few years before her debut as a member of Wonder Girls, where she was 15 years old.
6. BoA
BoA became a trainee SM Entertainment when she was only 11 years old. BoA not only became a trainee at a young age, but became an idol at a young age as well. BoA debuted when she was just 13 years old.
7. Wonyoung (IZ*ONE)
Wonyoung became a trainee when she was only 12 years old and was only 13 years old when she participated in Produce 48. Despite getting thrown into the spotlight at such a young age, Wonyoung has shown her maturity on many occasions.
8. Minzy (Former member of 2NE1)
Minzy became a trainee at YG Entertainment when she was just 11 years old. She was a trainee for 4 years before she debuted as a member of 2NE1. Despite debuting at such a young age, Minzy has always been a mature person.
9. Taemin (SHINee)
Taemin became a trainee at SM Entertainment when he was only 11 years old. Despite his extremely young age, SM Entertainment accepted Taemin almost immediately due to his incredible potential. Taemin ended up debuting as a member of SHINee when he was just 14 years old.
10. Sohyun (Former member of 4Minute)
While Sohyun might be known from her days as a member of 4Minute, she debuted in a group prior. Sohyun debuted in a group called Orange when she was just 12 years old. The group would soon disband due to lots of backlash against the group. Sohyun would then debut as the maknae of 4Minute, where she was just 14 years old.
