I’ve seen my sister hold one friend while she sobbed because she forgot a turn during a cover of a NewJeans song. I’ve also seen them jump up and down screaming because a producer complimented their high note.
But here’s the sweet part: When they come to my sister’s dorm on their one day off a month? They demolish fried chicken and tteokbokki. The "idol diet" is a costume they wear for the agency; the real girls just want pizza. Being a trainee friend means being a therapist without a license. my sisters idol trainee friends
We all know the glamorous side of K-pop (or J-pop/CPop). The music shows, the fan chants, the flawless Instagram posts. But what happens before the debut stage? For the past two years, I’ve had a backstage pass to a world most fans only dream of—not through a documentary, but through my little sister’s friendship circle. I’ve seen my sister hold one friend while
The scariest part? The . Most agencies pay for housing, food, and training—but the trainee pays it back out of their first earnings. My sister’s friends already owe roughly $40,000 each. They joke about it, but you can see the terror in their eyes when they talk about "what if I don't debut?" 4. How They Treat "Civilians" (Like My Sister) You might think idols-in-training look down on normal people. It’s the opposite. They demolish fried chicken and tteokbokki
To Yuna, Soojin, and Haeun— fighting! And stop stealing my sister's hoodies. Do you have a friend in the trainee system? Or are you dreaming of becoming one? Drop your questions below—I’ll ask the girls for their honest answers.
If you ever meet a trainee, do not ask them when they are debuting. That is the equivalent of asking a PhD student when they will finally get a real job. Instead, ask them what song they are listening to for fun. You will see their whole face light up. 5. The Biggest Lesson: They Are Just Weird Teenagers At the end of the day, "idol trainee friends" are just messy, loud, sleepy girls.
Because my sister is not a trainee, she is their escape hatch to reality. They love her because she doesn't care if their high kick is 5 degrees off.