NCT’s Mark And Haechan Offer Advice On How Old A K-Pop Idol Should Be To Debut
K-Pop idols have made their debuts in their early teens or even plan to do so in their late twenties. So when an aspiring artist asked which age would be best to make a debut, NCT 127‘s Mark and Haechan gave a thoughtful response from their experiences.
In the series BOATTA, a young girl chatted with Haechan, Yuta, and Mark. She had one burning question for the idols: “How old should they be to become celebrities?”
Haechan admitted, “There’s no standard, to be honest,” and it “didn’t matter when you want to do it.” However, there were things he wanted to warn people about.
Haechan emphasized that idol life comes with many sacrifices, especially for someone so young. He advised aspiring idols to decide after experiencing their school years.
There are a lot of things you can’t do if you do this job. Things that you have to give up. Such things like your school life.
It’s hard to be like a normal student even if I want to be. So it’d be nice if you finish your schooling first. Then do this job afterwards.
— Haechan
Mark was yet another idol who could understand the regret of missing out on those valuable school years and memories. He said, “I think about how it could’ve been different if I enjoyed my school life a bit longer from time to time.”
To whoever wanted to push forward regardless of their advice, Haechan used himself as an example of someone who entered the industry early, like his fellow NCT DREAM members. He joined SM Entertainment at fourteen and made his debut three years later, way before even becoming an adult.
Although the youngest members of NCT have grown into amazing artists, more than a few have spoken up about the experiences they’ve missed. Listen to Haechan and Mark’s wise advice for those wanting to break into the K-Pop scene at any age, especially young ones.
