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"For 7 years we trained together"
"It really feels like for 5 years we trained more than 10 hours a day"
"It seems like we failed about 100 auditions"
This is a story that we can hear from singers who debuted at a young age.
For 3 years in their teens, 5 years if longer. There were many things that they wanted to do most, and it's the age where they would also like to meet many people.
As big as their dreams are, in order to go beyond, most trainees must give up at least half of their life in their teens.
They have a bigger responsibility knowing that they are carrying the weight of many people's efforts on their backs.
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'SoNyuhShiDae' endured this same path. Let's hear from their own words what life is like when one is a trainee.
The brutal and sweet interior of the showcase: Seohyun
Prior to the debut, the preparation of the showcase on September of last year was the hardest.
Its an event where the staff first sees and "rates" you. You're split into teams of 3/4 people, and put through a experimental stage.
It's extremely nervewracking because it is the moment when you can either be chosen to debut or be dropped.
Since 3 years ago, we went through this showcase with the CSJH and Super Junior members, and slowly they came to debut.
We were able to realize that we also had the potential to make it, after seeing CSJH and Super Junior, who we had trained with, become stars.
The first time I wore high heels was during the preparation of the showcase; and furthermore, we had to dance in them as well, so we put tape on the bottoms and practiced. Our feet were covered in blisters.
Being neat and proper at school, even when things are tough: Sooyoung
Since my home is in Gyeonggido Kwangju, I had to wake up at 6am to go to school and leave early at 12pm to come to practice.
The only thing we did was practice until 3am, with the exception of eating lunch. There were many times when I saw the sunrise before going home.
Sometimes we even brought sleeping bags to the training room and slept there. Still, I tried very hard not to fall asleep in school.
We were already getting sharp looks from people because we were training to be celebrities, if I feel asleep the glares would have been much worse, right?
We tried even harder to follow all the regulations and standards. We wore the uniform neatly, and did our hair according to the rules.
Our role models are SES: Yoona
As the majority, my role model was SES as well. The debut of SES was about 10 years before,
when I was entering elementary school. It seemed so nice seeing them singing and dancing on TV.
I would always think, "I really want to become like those unnis." From then on, whenever there was an event where one could showcase their talents, I would go and perform the SES dances.
Thats how I came to have the dream of becoming a celebrity, and in 6th grade of elementary school, I auditioned and began my trainee life.
A little while ago I was on a set with Bada sunbae, and I told her the story that SES was my favorite and that they were my idols.
But she didn't believe me, she said that I just said it because we met on the set ã… .ã…
Learning 3 languages, and doing mock broadcasts: Sunny
We were taught Japanese, English, and Chinese. Especially Chinese, we all learned it for about 2 years, so we can speak everyday/conversational Chinese fairly well.
In certain cases like Hyoyeon, she went to China for a year to study the language.
We/She(?) studied with Super Junior's Shiwon sunbaeneem as well. Although learning the language is important, experiencing the culture was good as well.
We learn ballet as well, to learn posture and pose. Because we're girls our "line" needs to be pretty. We also practiced broadcasting/shows.
We really practice as if it is a real live broadcast. Within us trainees, we MC, choose guests, and have talks;
we even imitated variety shows, and it was really fun ã…‹ã…‹
Breathing exercises to make abs: Jessica
Learning perfect pitch was hard. When the teacher pressed a key on the keyboard, we had to match the scales,
and when they played a melody, we had to draw it out on the music sheet. We had to match the rhythm as well. Breathing exercises were a given.
Before we recieved vocal lessons, we had to recieve breathing lessons. You had to pass the breathing class to enter the vocal class.
But we really worked so hard to make our upper body fit/form. Even releasing deep breaths were a test.
You passed if you could continuously breathe out for 30 seconds at a time. There were others who could even do 60 seconds.
Things that a trainee must leave: Yuri
I started training since 6 years ago.
When I was young, my friend saw an article on some "best selection" contest and asked me to go with her... (laughs)
So I followed my friend and thats where I was casted.
Since my home is far away in Ilsan, I regret not having more time to hang out with my friends.
I want to do everything well, and I have many desires, but it was also hard not being able to study. Since I had to both train and go to school side by side, it was very tough.
Family, and trainers/teachers who are like family: Tiffany
Since my family is in America, I felt a lot of loneliness, and at first it was hard to even carry on a conversation in Korean.
There were many times when I felt solitude and I had to suffer slumps, but I think I was able to win it out happily in the end because my parents were constantly encouraging me.
Also whenever I was feeling down, my trainers/teachers would take care of me and buy me yummy food to lift my spirits, so they gave me lots of strength.
I always tried hard to control my mind/heart.
When my mind/heart would fall apart, it was because I felt like I wouldn't be able to win over my period of training.
The most brutual training is training your own instincts: Hyoyeon
The time when I was punished most was not when I didn't practice, but when I acted rudely. Training my natural instincts was the hardest.
When I first came, after taking my profile picture I remember getting in a lot of trouble for not politely saying "Thank you for your trouble" to the staff.
It was something I didn't know... even now when I feel a sunbae that doesn't take greetings well, I hesitate.
Still, we're learning that whatever you do, you should do it greatly. Holding your facial expression is really hard.
When we're struggling mentally, we learned that we shouldn't show it on our faces because we're not the only ones enduring the hardships.
Also, we were corrected if our eyes or expressions weren't proper.
1 minute late means 1 hour broadcasting: Taeyeon
In 2004 I recieved the SM Best Singer Grand Prize which led me to become a trainee.
Out of the members I'm the only one that's from Jeonrado Jeonju, so because I'm a person from a [far] district/region, I can say there was a bit of sadness? (laughs)
I was lectured a lot on getting places on time.
If I was 1 minute late to the planned practice time, I had to stand in front of the training room as a punishment.
The teacher emphasized that, "1 minute is 1 hour in broadcasting."
For us, because we have to center our activities around broadcasting, it was a good moral to learn.
Credits: Girls Era + Aspirent`@AMBN
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Edited by StaRTaeYeon, 16 April 2008 - 06:10 PM.
). If possible I want them to succeed for the rest of their lives in whatever road they head to. Each one of them. All of them.
Old is good (= Man..Tough life...I'm thankful I prefer combat to showbiz XD
. Training at a young age can be quite difficult, because you have to practice and handle school,your friends and family.They worked very hard to become singers. All of things they learned during their trainee days really helped them now. I think I can't do all of the things they done. They haven't gotten where they are today without their hard work and I'm thankful for all their hard work and effort they put into it. I am going to appeciate everything they do, because now I know that they trained and worked hard for everything they do.
