How To Become A K-Pop Idol: Life As A Foreign Trainee

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Droves of Korean teenagers sign up with K-pop academies with dreams of becoming the next BTS, BlackPink, TWICE or Red Velvet. At 24, Yanagi Mizuho was not just a late-starter, but a foreigner - a Japanese graduate in linguistics.

Making it through the auditions with entertainment agency Star Road Entertainment was just the beginning, though, of a tough road filled with sweat, tears, diets and gruelling training. And no guarantee of a debut.

Star Road Entertainment manages K-Pop duo JBJ95, Kenta Takada and Kim Sang-Gyun.

‘Get Real’ is CNA's award-winning investigative documentary series. Bold and in-depth, it travels across Asia taking a fresh look at old issues, highlighting trends and triggering debate.

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[carm]

Trainee: *literally almost died*
Judge: " I want a refund"

[hellohi]

5’0 weight <50 kg
5’5 weight <50 kg
5’7 weight <50 kg
6’0 weight <50 kg?
Something is wrong here.

[piruiis]

The way they're celebrating about being underweight it's concerning.

[guillermosanchez]

She is doing fine now, latest post she did was her in spain and is living life happy.

[nikkinorman]

They damn near almost broke her legs at the beginning

[yanexaaa]

the dance teacher didnt even give good feedback she just constantly told them they sucked

[NooNooGacha]

“She’s dancing like an elementary school student”

She was dancing better than I ever did in elementary

[naan]

The text saying "Some trainees can remain in entertainment agencies for years...and never end up debuting." displayed over the cheering fans...it's absolutely chilling

[_waterlly_]

I feel bad for the the girl who started crying she was in so much pain.

[kusuo]

“I COUDNT EVEN DRINK WATER” Omg thats too far ..

[maix]

they've wanted to become idols since kindergarden.

me: didn't even know kpop was a thing till i was 14-

edit: mum I'm famous ._.

[myeong-hee]

As someone who did ballet. Yes pushing a person down for splits is a thing but WITHIN REASON! Yes we push splits down because it is ballet but we also DONT WANT TO HURT THEM! If the dancer is screaming out of pain YOU STOP! You do it again later in their own pace that doesn’t damage the dancer! The way the instructor literally dragged Mizuho could damage her ham strings and damage her leg muscles! This can even lead to permanent damage! Yes push your dancers for them to become better. But not in the method where it physically damages them! Also emotionally too! This is disgusting.

[j-slay]

they celebrated being underweight together ...

let that sink in.

[arenagrenade]

Actually, being kicked out of this company would be a miracle for these girls.

[trishapaytasfan]

It’s so annoying how the dance instructor seems proud of herself when she points out how some of these girls work for over 100 hours and still get cut. What’s there to be smiling about girl?

[miyeong_]

when i was younger, i always wanted to be a kpop idol. i would always push myself to go through the diets that they went through, training myself like how they did. but it was so hard, too hard for me. the idols that are idols now are so strong to endure the pain they went/go through.

[nonamenoname]

She got the best feedback but she was the one who got kicked out??? Tf???

[mio_mew]

Moral of the video

Don’t become a trainee at Star Road Entertainment 😭

[peanut_butterr]

Guys I have seen many of you have commented that you wanna debut as a kpop idol. Think twice why you wanna become an idol? Just because your role model is also a kpop idol? Or you're into kpop? Or what?? Please don't change yourself, your own self because you love kpop idols. You don't need to copy them. Just get your dream job and work for it. Trust me you'll definitely become happy at the end! Be who you really are! You deserve the success

[umjisdiary]

being JUST a trainee isn't easy but everyone takes risk for the sake of their dreams