Sojin's death brings back discussion on the plight of trainees

[tokyocinema.livejournal.com]

Article: Kids with numberless lottery tickets, what are 'trainees'

Source: Ilgan Sports via Naver


Article highlights the plight of trainees following the death of Sojin and points out that competition hasn't gotten so tough that there are even tiers within the trainee system that fosters more intense competition/survival.

One rep said, "There's a separate group called the 'debut group' that exists between trainees and an actual debut. Trainees who are on the verge of debut are put into that group. Not only is becoming a trainee difficult but the survival to get into that specific group is just as hard. More often than not, trainees who even make it to that group are often demoted back down to regular trainees."

The trainees viewers often seen on survival TV shows are only a minority, and many more are training in shabby environments with no hopes for a future. The rep expressed concern for such environments, saying, "There are barely any trainees who actually receive an income from their company and many are not provided lesson expenses, academy training, or living and eating arrangements. It's worse for trainees living away from home since they have to work part time jobs to afford the lifestyle."

Many trainees also start as young as elementary school, making their investment all that more dangerous since they're giving up years of education for a slim chance at achieving their dreams. Industry reps are worried over their isolation from society at such a young age as they battle for an unclear future. "Sojin's unfortunate death will further highlight the anxiety and sense of loss felt by trainees and their parents. There needs to be an institutional measure to make sure that this does not become a repeat cycle."

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1. [+56, -3] Making it in the entertainment industry is 90% based off of landing a good sponsor or pure luck. It's because the market is so saturated that there is no viable career opportunity for the actual talented people who dream of becoming singers.

2. [+37, -3] Because TV only focuses on the glamor of the celebrity lifestyle... reality is, many live in the gutters.

3. [+41, -9] Talented kids die while bubbles like Suzy rise... being an idol is all about luck and being under the right people.

4. [+29, -1] It's upsetting to see talented and skilled children waste their youth to become a commercialized idol product that only has a shelf life of 5 years at most. Our society might be to blame for not instilling real dreams in them but forcing them to chase after a mirage.

5. [+30, -3] Even debuting is pointless since only a handful of groups succeed out of those that actually made it to debut

6. [+11, -0] Everyone's a trainee when they're born in our society. You can graduate with the same specs as anyone else but one will land a huge corporate job while the other is unemployed because success isn't only about effort but a combination of innate talent + effort + luck. And I personally refuse to mourn after someone who commit suicide...

7. [+9, -1] At the very least, we need a law in place that prohibits anyone under high school age to becoming trainees. Too many kids think that what you see on TV is what you get...

8. [+5, -0] I feel like Sojin panicked, considering she got on TV under a well known name like DSP and had more hope than other trainees of doing well and still didn't make it.... I hope she becomes a top star in her next life.

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Sources: Ilgan Sports via Naver, Netizenbuzz

Comments

[tungatunga.livejournal.com]

I wonder if this training system is somehow regulated by the law as it mostly deal with minors? Who is responsible for trainees who came from outside Seol and stuff like this.

[phililen3.livejournal.com]

Damn commenter 6. That was...... Wow....

[921227.livejournal.com]

Netizen 3 can keep Suzy name out they mouth tbh

And while I wish Sojin's death causes an uproar wrt trainee rights health etc, I have a feeling it won't. Flawed system take ages to even begin changing and I can see them not putting the priority on trainees. & netizen 6's last comment was flagrant foul levels of uneccessary.

[leopolitan.livejournal.com]

the idol system in general is really exploitative...but as long as kids are still willing to do it (esp when they start so young and ignorant of what theyre actually committing to) itll never change

[oppameansit.livejournal.com]

i was with 6 until that last sentence wtf

[kyokomurasaki.livejournal.com]

I agree with Netizen 7. IDK what child labor laws are like in SK but a lot of these kids are scouted when they're tiny and most likely don't understand the full consequences of what they're getting into so it's really all their parents' decision. It will probably never happen, but I think they shouldn't start the trainee process until someone has finished high school so they'll at least have some kind of education to fall back on.

[mamamoos.livejournal.com]

it's so disturbing to me how some parents will willingly put children into these systems when they're tiny- not just in sk of course. how much you view your child exactly to be willing to do that?

[audiograms.livejournal.com]

why so heartless #6?

[welljustguess.livejournal.com]

finally. maybe i didn't know before, but this is the first time i see an article about how trainee life is unpredictable and shouldn't be considered as a training which deciding your future

[bloods-rose.livejournal.com]

"Our society might be to blame for not instilling real dreams in them but forcing them to chase after a mirage."

and what are 'real dreams'? Study hard, get into a good 'named' university, doing the 'right' course, and then what, automatically end up in a good job? heck, any job at all? Because that isn't really how it works is it. IA with most of #6.

[kairoso.livejournal.com]

I definitely agree that they should have age restriction laws for long-term trainees. People should at least graduate middle school?? idk. Also the idol scene in Korea is really saturated (not even "real" singers and actors have the chance to make it now)... they should come to Taiwan lol where there's a dearth of young idols atm