SHOULD I SIGN A TRAINEE CONTRACT?

[greenrings]

Hi, 

I created this account to seek for people's advice on whether or not should I sign a trainee contract. First of all, I am VERY lucky that I passed an audition and got offered a trainee contract. The agency is one of the big 3 (idk if I'm supposed to mention the name & I'm scared of being kicked out bc of this so I'll just leave it at that). BIG OPPORTUNITY RIGHT? BUT I'm turning 21 this year that's why I was quite surprised they accepted me since I think I'm old. Also, I'm not Korean so I'll definitely need to leave my country and go there for training. I'm currently in university now so I don't know if I should sign this contract since it's not 100% I'll get to debut. BUT AGAIN this is one of the big 3 so I'm feeling very conflicted now. PLEASE HELP!!! And thanks guys!!! 

 

P.S: I haven't informed my parents about this yet since I want to make up my mind before telling them. 

[thekyp]

Hey there! First, I wanted to say congrats on passing one of the big 3 auditions! To answer your concern, I feel like if you really want to pursue this and that it is your lifelong dream to become a kpop idol then I say take the opportunity. Because I believe you should live your life with no regrets and what ifs. But a downside to this is that, as you mentioned before,  your debut is not guaranteed, which makes this decision very difficult because the possibilities are very vague. When looking at the big three, sm is preparing for a new gg soon and new nct subunit, jyp is preparing/survival show? for a bg and yg is putting on a survival show. Depending on your gender and what company you were accepted in, I would look at these because it can determine if you would have a chance to debut soon, which also depends on your improvement and skill level. There can also a possibility of a solo debut if you're like AMAZING and like on top of your game....

>Also, I believe the contracts are mostly 2years to 4years of being a trainee and then you would have to renew the contract to continue with the training. (I read this off of an ex-trainee forum somewhere?) So if you want to try this out, and see where it takes you, I say go for it! Just make sure to prepare yourself for the copious amounts of sweat and tears? All in all, live without regrets. I hope this made your decision a bit less stressful. If you have anymore concerns, please reply~ Good Luck with everything CONGRATS AGAIN!

[LoloVELVET]

Congrats!! (but also agree with above - isn't it like 1% of all trainees that get to debut? :/ ) Did you sign the contract??  Good luck!!

[twicehistoryman]

you must remember that most trainees won't ever get to debut esp those from big 3 + usually need at least 2-3 years training so if your dream means that much to you that you're willing to take the risk then by all means go for it. given that you're alr 21 and are foreign and yet they accept, it must mean they see smth special in u : ) so good luck whatever decision you make!!

[nappeuji]

First of all, congratulations~ Second, I agree with @thekyp! I think that if you don't take this opportunity, your what ifs would kill you. At the end of the day, at least you tried right? + I also think that what @twicehistoryman said was true~ You're 21 and a foreigner, they wouldn't have accepted you if there wasn't anything special about you. Leave everything to fate. This would really be a great opportunity for you if it's really your dream. + what's the use of auditioning if you won't go once accepted?  Good luck! 

[blinkrefresh]

Do you get paid to be a trainee? Do you speak korean? If you won't make enough to live as a trainee, can you have a second job lined up? Will you live at the company, or will you have to rent an apartment? Sometimes it's hard for foreigners to find an apartment to rent to them.

 

Are you okay with training 8+ hours a day? Are you okay with being put on a diet for work? Are you okay with them having creative control over your appearance?

 

You should talk to your parents, they want to keep you safe and will help you think about potential difficulties that you might not have considered yet. Deciding without them and running off to another country would make them very worried for their daughter's safety.

 

All this said, it's the peak of the Hallyu, and if you somehow made it through all of this and debuted, it would be an incredible opportunity.

[greenrings]

On 10/7/2017 at 2:23 AM, thekyp said:

Hey there! First, I wanted to say congrats on passing one of the big 3 auditions! To answer your concern, I feel like if you really want to pursue this and that it is your lifelong dream to become a kpop idol then I say take the opportunity. Because I believe you should live your life with no regrets and what ifs. But a downside to this is that, as you mentioned before,  your debut is not guaranteed, which makes this decision very difficult because the possibilities are very vague. When looking at the big three, sm is preparing for a new gg soon and new nct subunit, jyp is preparing/survival show? for a bg and yg is putting on a survival show. Depending on your gender and what company you were accepted in, I would look at these because it can determine if you would have a chance to debut soon, which also depends on your improvement and skill level. There can also a possibility of a solo debut if you're like AMAZING and like on top of your game....

>Also, I believe the contracts are mostly 2years to 4years of being a trainee and then you would have to renew the contract to continue with the training. (I read this off of an ex-trainee forum somewhere?) So if you want to try this out, and see where it takes you, I say go for it! Just make sure to prepare yourself for the copious amounts of sweat and tears? All in all, live without regrets. I hope this made your decision a bit less stressful. If you have anymore concerns, please reply~ Good Luck with everything CONGRATS AGAIN!

HI! Thanks for your advice hahaha sorry that I took so long to reply, I kinda forgot that I posted this. Anyway, I did not sign the trainee contract because I think the idol career path isn't for me and also I don't want to give up my degree over something so uncertain. Will I regret this? Maybe. But better be safe than sorry hahaha. And if you want to know which agency it was, message me. 

On 12/22/2017 at 6:17 PM, LoloVELVET said:

Congrats!! (but also agree with above - isn't it like 1% of all trainees that get to debut? :/ ) Did you sign the contract??  Good luck!!

Thanks! And I didn't because I think I'm not passionate enough to become an idol. The fact that I seek the internet for advice instead of signing that contract straight away tells. 

[greenrings]

On 12/25/2017 at 12:55 AM, twicehistoryman said:

you must remember that most trainees won't ever get to debut esp those from big 3 + usually need at least 2-3 years training so if your dream means that much to you that you're willing to take the risk then by all means go for it. given that you're alr 21 and are foreign and yet they accept, it must mean they see smth special in u : ) so good luck whatever decision you make!!

Yes I know that's why I didn't sign :') I think they accepted me because of market penetration? 

[greenrings]

On 12/29/2017 at 12:51 AM, nappeuji said:

First of all, congratulations~ Second, I agree with @thekyp! I think that if you don't take this opportunity, your what ifs would kill you. At the end of the day, at least you tried right? + I also think that what @twicehistoryman said was true~ You're 21 and a foreigner, they wouldn't have accepted you if there wasn't anything special about you. Leave everything to fate. This would really be a great opportunity for you if it's really your dream. + what's the use of auditioning if you won't go once accepted?  Good luck! 

Hi! Thanks for your words of encouragement but I didn't sign the contract in the end. Actually, it was my 3rd time auditioning and before this, I really thought that becoming an idol was what I wanted. But I thought of the training and if I get to debut, my private life and etc. so I decided that I wasn't cut out for this and rejected the offer instead :') 

[greenrings]

10 hours ago, blinkrefresh said:

Do you get paid to be a trainee? Do you speak korean? If you won't make enough to live as a trainee, can you have a second job lined up? Will you live at the company, or will you have to rent an apartment? Sometimes it's hard for foreigners to find an apartment to rent to them.

 

Are you okay with training 8+ hours a day? Are you okay with being put on a diet for work? Are you okay with them having creative control over your appearance?

 

You should talk to your parents, they want to keep you safe and will help you think about potential difficulties that you might not have considered yet. Deciding without them and running off to another country would make them very worried for their daughter's safety.

 

All this said, it's the peak of the Hallyu, and if you somehow made it through all of this and debuted, it would be an incredible opportunity.

You get a weekly allowance (at least from the agency I was accepted, I don't know about others) but that's nowhere near enough. That's why most, not all, foreign trainees are from rich families because they can afford to stay in Korea. I didn't sign the contract since last october but I forgot to go here and update everyone :') Thanks for your reply though! I actually asked myself those questions too and after much thoughts, I really don't think I'm suitable for the idol life. 

[gzlrb]

I’m curious if in which company you’ve applied for? >~< and where did you send your application?

[vaberella]

Greenrings, I'm actually glad you didn't accept the contract.  As a teacher, when I read your post. I had to read it twice because the first thing I asked myself was if you had finished your degree. I wouldn't have wanted you to join anything like this without getting your degree. It's not worth your time or your career. These things are fleeting at best, and debilitating and regretful at worst. Like most posters said, you might never debut; what's the point of joining if you never debut, but: 1. Learn struggle to learn a new language; 2. go through a tedious and gruesome physically and mentally work schedule; 3. deal with continous abuse and criticism; 4. possible jealousy or antagonism by your peers...etc. 

Sure, you might not face, the last, you'll definitely have the first three and then miss out on your degree. No, I'm not for that. I will always be a proponent of a degree.  If you could manage all that and a degree that's something else. I know in Thailand - having a pop lifestyle around education can be managed. But it's not the same with Korea; which is very similar to the US. 

[vaberella]

On 6/24/2018 at 5:21 AM, pcybbhoshkjnltm said:

This isn't going to be relevant to this question because i can't seem to post anything on soompi forum, but its related in some ways. anyways, first of all, congrats on getting accepted though!! 

 

I just wanted information on Woolim Entertainment? 

 

im asian, but i live in Australia and im going to korea in december for a visit, but i really want to take a day then to audition for a company, though i was just wondering. 

 

1. where do i audition in korea for woolim entertainment? can i audition in korea, or is it that even if you live in korea, you have to audition online? what do i need to prepare? 

 

and 2. this is about a taiwanese entertainment, but does anyone know how you can get into a taiwanese music company, preferably HIM entertainment, if you can't participate in contests? Can you just go into the company one day and audition or are there certain guidelines? i can't seem to find anything about it. 

 

Idk if anyone will read this, but it'll be amazing if someone could help me. 

You should pm the OP of this thread.  She might be better help.  This thread is kind of dead. However, since she was actually scouted she might be more help with a one on one conversation. I doubt that she visits this thread on the regular.