Hey Guyz! I'm back with more auditions for you guys ^_^
YG entertainment has partnered up with Sing! Karaoke by Smule app to bring their NEXT GENERATION AUDITION looking for their next generation artist...is it you?
Okie Dokie guys! to participate here's what you GOTTA DO!
YG Audition team notices YG AUDITION x Sing!Karaoke 1. DATE & TIME : December 17th, 2015 ~ February 28th, 2016 (PST) 2. How To : Click the banner of YG Audition in Sing!Karaoke 3. Download URL > Google Play : https://goo.gl/jqUrk > Apple AppStore : https://goo.gl/IGZebk * Selected applicants will be personally contacted.
For more info check out CLICK HERE
I hope EVERYONE participates in this audition! IT'S FREE!!! and if you are picked you get a chance to be in YG entertainment.....HOW COOL IT THAT!!!
Hii Guyz! I'm BACK!!! I know it's been a while since I posted anything on my blog and tbh its just from the lack of inspiration+laziness+business-ness = NO POST. But I'm back because I wanted to share some thoughts that I've been having with you guys. So y'all know that I am a HUGE, BIG-TIME supporter of Non-Asians becoming K-pop idols/stars and I've been on Google & Tumblr recently and I've been seeing all these comments about Non-Asians shouldn't been K-pop idol/stars because it wouldn't look right, no one would accept them into the culture or even like them for that matter SIMPLY because they aren't ASIAN!!! Usually the people that talk all this trash aren't Asian, haven't even been to an Asian country....might not even have any Asian friends BUT that's a topic for another day.
TODAY...I want to get into the nitty and the gritty about this WHOLE THANG that Non-Asians will never be accepted in Korean society and that "it won't look right" mess and all that lovely stuff. I have proof! I've got receipts and documents proving these statements to be untrue! After that I will tell y'all the REAL reason why I think we have yet to see an Non-Asian K-pop idol/star.
1.) Companies have ALREADY stated that they don't care about race/ethnicity/nationality; they are just simply looking for TALENT!
this piece came from an online new article from Korea.net,an online Korean news website. The article was released in 2012 and the title of it is, Foreign Young Talents Flock to K-pop Auditions, and it basically discussed how more foreigners (non-Asians) are auditioning for the opportunity to become K-pop idols/stars. It also included the Korean entertainment companies thoughts about this and they have noticed that every year the amount of foreigners that audition keep increase and in 2012 outweighed the amount of Koreans that auditioned.
adding on to that with the next point
2.) There have ALREADY been foreigners (non-Asians) that were casted by Korean entertainment companies as trainees or given spotlight for their amazing talents.
I think the first one I am going to start off with is an obvious one. Y'all might have heard of or seen this woman before her name is, Nataile White aka Pumashock!!! She is known for making Korean covers of popular Korean songs that she remixes to fit her style. She's covered artist like Lee Hyori, SS501, Wondergirls, SuperJunior, BoA, TVXQ, etc... BUT the cover that put her on the map was her remixed cover of SNSD - Gee. It got over a million views in one day and a featuring on Star King. ^_~
On Star King they really showed a LOT of interest in her! They said that when she sung in Korean she sounded like a Korean person. They really like her. They said it was like she has Korean blood in her because her pronunciation was PERFECT! They also mentioned that she had such a unique R&B style to it that it was like she created a new genre!
This is also a video of her doing a South Korean commercial for a coffee brand.
The man in the middle, his name is Gregg. He is an English teacher in South Korea and he is very well loved by the community. He got noticed when he was a contestant on Superstar k6 and after that he has been doing little performances, collaborations and mini concerts in Seoul mostly. He has also been featured on famous TV programs like Running Man and Star King. I also saw him on a episode of AfreecaTV with a famous host on there.
You all may know this young lady. Her name is Allyse and she is a YouTube star most known for her amazing vocals and K-pop covers of groups like BIGBANG & 2NE1. In 2012 she won the best vocal for the BIGBANG cover contest. After that she was scouted by an entertainment company in South Korea called, StarStruck entertainment. She moved to Seoul and started training with the company. But because it was a small company that was short on funds and lost financial support causing the company shut down and Allyse, unfortunately, had to comeback to the States. Now she is back on YouTube making covers again and she participates in singing contest and still trying to debut in South Korea. In my opinion I think she would have been the first African American K-pop idol/star if she would have still been able to be in company.
This is a cover she made in honor of Aaliyah but she remixed to and added Korean lyrics! It's really good!
I was searching on the web and I found this article about this guy named, Neil Hannigan. He was a SM trainee for 2 years or more but he recently left and is now continuing his studies back in his hometown, New York. The article itself is actually an interview and he was asked various questions about his trainee life in SM entertainment. If you would like to read his interview ---->CLICK HERE!!!
The interview is very eye-opening to the good and the dark side of trainee life. So if you want to know more about trainee life in SM you can just go check out the interview.
In the very last (2nd to last) question of the interview, he was asked if had anything that he wanted to say or provide anymore information that he felt needed to be included in the interview; and he responded with......
I think he just pretty much summed it up right there.
FUN THOUGHT: The reason why he left was because he didn't get picked to be in SM's new boy upcoming boy group! (and plus his contract expired). If he would have gotten picked he would have probably been in the same group with Hansol, Ten, Yuta, Johny, Taeyong, Jaehyun (SM rookies)....that would have been REALLY cool to see. Plus, he was mainly skilled in dancing and rapping and this new group is definitely not going to be a ballad group! lol But I always thought with SM's new upcoming boy group I can see that they are trying to go more "global" with this one because they have more diverse groups than just Korean and Chinese. Now they got a Thai member, a Japanese member, an American member and if Neil was in that group I just feel like he would have been the icing on the cake. ^_^
Here's a video of a young lady just talking about her SM global audition experience and in here she talks about an African American guy who was asked to dance again and again in the audition. They even asked if they could get a head shot of him so they could get a closer view of his face. If you know or have went to a K-pop audition or ANY audition for that matter. When they ask you to do something else or want to get head shots of you or ask if you can stay a little longer THAT usually means that they are interested in what you are trying to sell honey! It starts at 4:36.
Also, a long time ago, back in 2013, I watched a video of a young boy he was like 14/15 years old and he had just got through with the SM 2013 global auditions. He was Hispanic American and he was talking about his audition and how excited he was and how much he prepared for it. He even gave some helpful tips that I still use when I go to auditions. He previously had already auditioned for JYP the previous year...anyway. He was applying as a dancer for the audition and he was talking about how after the whole group he was finished the judge asked him to stay behind while the rest of the group left. After that they asked if he could dance again and he did but for a longer time. He also (or I think) that they asked him some more questions and then after all that he was able to leave. Unfortunately, I can't find the video he had on YouTube I think he might have deleted his account because I don't see his account anywhere. BUT I just thought that I should share this little piece of information. For what it's worth, I thought that this would be good information for the Hispanic community so they don't lose hope! Since I don't have actual PROOF or evidence that this is what he said that leaves this info invalid but again, for what it's worth I hope it gave some hope to people out there.
This is a video of an African American woman who currently resides in South Korea. She has been there for some years now and has had many experiences and on her YouTube channel she shares a lot of stories that are about her experiences that she's had in South Korea. This particular video is about the time where she was told to audition for JYP entertainment by her trainer at one of the most well-known K-pop academies, Her trainer thinks she has what it takes to become a SINGER in SOUTH KOREA.
This video is a snippet from an episode of Star King. They were having K-pop cover groups from all over the world come and perform on the show. This is of the girl group that came they are really good and got to do a dance with F(x). Now why is this significant? Well one of the reasons why people say that non-Asians can't be K-pop stars/idols is because they won't look right in the group well that's why I got this video to prove that statement wrong! It starts at 4:14
And this video is from the K-pop cover dance final. The group performing is Febris Eroctica and they did a cover of Beast(B2ST) - Shock and they were given high praise for their performance. The fans even did fanchants while they were dancing, I thought that was pretty cool.
This next person is getting really well-known in the K-pop world. She is a YouTuber that has won numerous K-pop contest and was even on American Idol! Her name is Arnelle "Elly" Nonon but you probably know her as Ellythefiaryy on her YouTube Channel. In 2013, she was the grand prize winner of the 2013 K-pop World Festival. She is also well-known for her vocal cover response to Bang Yongguk's "CURXE". Someone posted on his twitter and he commented about saying how good it was.
and this is a cover of Taeyang's "Eyes, Nose, Lips".
This is Margarita Letitchevski is a YouTuber and she is well-known for her K-pop vocal covers. This is a video about her 2012 YG global audition and how it went. She said that the judges told her that they were interested in her becoming a trainee. But unfortunately, she did not get in but she came pretty close.
This young lady's name is Toyanna Rae aka Toy as most of you would know her as. She was a contestant on Show Me the Money 3 in Illionaire's team alongside with Bobby of iKON. She is a female rapper and a YouTuber. She has been living in South Korea for 4 years now and is hoping to debut in South Korea as a rapper.
This is one of her remixes called "I mean that"
3.) Korean entertainment companies have ALREADY casted non-Asians into K-pop groups.
I'm pretty sure most of you know about this group. They are called, The Gloss, and they are a four member girl group that was formed under, entertainment company MGMC. They were introduced in 2013 on their official YouTube channel doing vocal covers of both Korean and American songs. The whole group concept is that they are the first international/interraical girl group because they have a member in their group who was Non-Asian. Her name is Olivia and she is from France. They found all of their members through auditions held in Korea, Europe and America. Although, the group disband last year they did come pretty close to debuting as an official group in South Korea. I think they are very talented girls and who knows we might see them again. This next video is just a documentary of the girl group and Olivia.
This is a documentary about a group named Esquire (ESQ). They were a 5 member boy group that was introduced back in 2012/2013 on promotions through YouTube. They were formed by Avance entertainment but disband before their debut. Their concept was also that they were going to be the first boy group with a Non-Asian. Three of the members were finalists on Bell & Koreaboo: Cube Audition 2011. The finalists were Tony, K9 and Kyle M
Kyle Moffat was the 3rd place winner of the whole contest.
4.) Because BRAD EXIST!!!
Okay...I already know what you're going to say...BUT HE'S NOT K-POP!!! Well technically he is because K-pop meaning Korean POPULAR music isn't really a genre. It is just a category where the hottest songs of the year are put. But that's neither here nor there because honest...IT DOESN'T MATTER!!! He IS a singer (or part of a singing group/band) in South Korea. The band (itself) is very famous and much loved in South Korea. And last time I checked he ain't Korean...or Asian! I know people can deny a LOT of things but one thing they can't deny is his success! You can't deny that! You just can't!
5.) There are entertainment companie(s) based in South Korea that their main goal is to successfully debut non-Asians K-pop idols.
So far, the only company I know that right now (or at least heard of) that are branching out and are trying to successfully debut an interracial idol group is...
Areia Creations is an entertainment company based in Seoul, South Korea.
ACGE focus is to blend the current K-pop image with international trends that are beyond the Korean social and creative boundaries in order to appeal better to the emerging global K-pop market mainly by promoting artists for their personality.[2]
In order to better describe their vision, they have declared a subgenre of K-pop called "Global K-pop", attempting to create products specifically tailored for the peculiar taste of international K-pop fans. In the process of doing so they will attempt to create groups that include non-Asian members. All their releases will be bilingual (English and Korean) and distributed both internationally and to the Korean market.[2]
(wikipedia)
The CEO and founder of the company is named, June, and he is from Greece. He remixes K-pop songs and makes his own songs. His vision is to successfully debut K-pop groups with Non-Asian members. He even explains how it can be done! In fact I have made post about them.
6.) Koreans (themselves) seem open-minded to the idea.
This man here, his name is Uncle JJ, or that's what he goes by on this channel. He is a modern South Korean man and in this video he discusses his thoughts of Non-Koreans (Asians) becoming K-pop idols/stars. He thinks that it would be GREAT for non-Asians to become K-pop idols/stars because he thinks that Korea is too mono-polarized and that they need more people to become more diverse and to him adding a non-Asian in a K-pop group would be a good idea and he would like to see it happen.
This video is of a K-pop cover duo called, Double the Fire (2XTF). They have performed for various K-pop events and this is when they performed at K-POP WORLD FESTIVAL 2014 in Changwon. The next video was the aftermath of their performance. They got so much love from the South Korea people it really was amazing to see how good of a response they had.
In an article, that I have mention before, it was a response to a question that was asked by fan of the blogger. The name of the blog is called, Ask a Korean, the blogger is Korean, ethically they are Korean and they were born and raised.There is a section called Ask a Korean, it's where fans of the blog go and ask questions, mostly about things related to Korea. One fan asked the question:
Dear Korean,
How ready do you think Korea is for a foreigner in the K-pop scene? My definition of a foreigner in Korean market would be someone who isn't Korean and does not look visibly Asian.
Maria J.
HIS RESPONSE:
"The Korean is not joking when Busker Busker was the number one K-pop band of 2012. They deserve the moniker based on any serious metric. Busker Busker sold the most number of albums in 2012 in Korea, and their songs were the most downloaded. (They sold significantly more songs online than PSY in 2012 Korea, even with PSY's Gangnam Style.) The band also placed six different songs in the top 10 of Gaon Chart (the most authoritative chart for K-pop) through 2012, and five songs in the top 10 of Billboard's K-pop chart. Busker Busker also took home three Korean Music Awards for 2013, including Best Pop Album and Best Pop Song. In the cafes of Seoul last year, it was practically impossible to avoid Busker Busker's songs, like 벚꽃 엔딩 ["Cherry Blossom Ending", the video above] or 여수 밤바다 ["Yeosu Night Sea"]. And this wildly successful band had a highly visible white member, who is the drummer for the band.
Does this mean that the next non-Asian foreigner will be inevitably successful, or be able to completely avoid Korea's racism? Of course not. But Busker Busker's success is still a significant data point. The number one band of K-pop in 2012 had a member who was a non-Asian foreigner, and Korean pop music scene hardly made a fuss about it. That should have answered the question before it even made its way to the Korean's inbox", (Ask A Korean 2013)
Lastly, I have stories from my own experience with Korean people. KEEP IN MIND THAT ALL OF THESE EXPERIENCE HAVE BEEN WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE ETHICALLY KOREAN, WERE BORN AND RAISED IN KOREAN AND STILL LIVE THERE TIL THIS DAY.
Before I went to China I was practicing my Chinese with a Chinese lady I met at her families restaurant and she would help me with my Chinese and I would practice speaking English with her and her friend, Koran. Mrs. Koran was from South Korea, Both ladies are mothers and wives so they are a lot older than me but Mrs. Koran was the oldest. One day while we were practicing we started talking about singing and dancing. They asked me if I could sing and dance and I told them yes I could; I started dancing and singing and they were very impressed. After I finished Mrs. Koran started asking me if I knew what K-pop was...(I couldn't lie! BUT I said very modestly) I told her I knew a little bit about it lol and she began telling me about different famous groups like 2PM, BIGBANG and she also said that in South Korea they hold lots of auditions to become K-pop idols and she told me that I should audition because she thinks that I could be a idol in South Korea....let me say that again....SHE TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD AUDITION BECAUSE SHE THINKS THAT I COULD BE A IDOL IN SOUTH KOREA!
To me that was sooooooooo shocking because I would have NEVER though that I would hear something like that from a Korean person (let alone an OLDER Korean person). The fact that she was actually VERY serious with her statement just made me feel like...SURPRISED I was so surprised.
Also, when I was in China I made LOTS of Korean and Chinese friends and they ALL would tell me that I should audition to become an idol because I have the talent and the personality. Now this is not me bragging BUT this is to prove a point!
MY THOUGHTS: What a think about this WHOLE thing is that South Korea (or just Asia in general) actually might be more open-minded than people make it out to be. Usually, most of the hate comes from people who AREN'T EVEN KOREAN!!! or Asian for that matter; because literally my Asian friends support my dream more than all of my Non-Asian friends COMBINED! Now does that mean that ALL Koreans (Asians) are going to be open to it? NO! it definitely does not but the fact that there are a good number of them that would be open gives a little hope. To be honest, I don't think Koreans (Asians) would like the fact that people refer to them as being racist and unwelcoming to other races and cultures. That is actually very rude to call another race of people racist when you don't even know the culture yourself; so how can say that EVERY SINGLE person racist when people themselves come very different. Everyone is different they have their own way of thinking and doing things. So saying that a whole race is racist simply because of certain things you read somewhere and what you heard is very rude and ignorant and not fair to that race of people at all!
With all this being said I hope that this post helps and encourages some people. I also hope that this proves to some people that Korea may be more open-minded than you think it is.
Hi Guyz! I am BACK with another blog for you. This is a new segment I am starting and it's called "Inspirational Sunday" where I just talk about somethings that are frustrating me on my journey to becoming a K-pop or just life in general. By doing this I hope it connects with some of you and to let you know that you are not alone. I also hope it inspires you to keep going and never giving up on your dream! This segment is just basically a little pat on the back letting you know everything is going to be okay.
LET'S GET STARTED!!!
So I just wanted to talk about how I've been feeling lately. I am getting old lol well....at least too old to become a K-pop idol/star. I am looking at the new groups that keep popping up and all of them are younger than me! I just get SSSSOOOOOOOOO frustrated because in the back of my mind I am thinking, "that should be me". You know?!?! and they keep getting younger and it's like WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE!!! I always compare myself to them (even though I know I shouldn't compare myself to others) I always DO! How can you not?!?! I am not hating I am just a little jealous because they started when they were soooo young and look how far they have come compared to me...I am no where closer to my dream than last year. I am still NOT a trainee so definitely not close to even being considered an idol! I've been at this since 2012 and I have gotten NOWHERE! A part of me just wants to give up and call it quits.....go find a regular job and live a regular life...get married and that's it. I always think about what I am going to do if I don't make it. What will I do? There is nothing that I REALLY want to do besides this...
I think like this ALL the time and it is hard. Wanting something to happen and working towards it and getting nowhere. It's okay to think like sometimes everyone does but we shouldn't think like that ALL the time. If think is our out look of life than nothing will happen, if we continue think negatively than that's all that we're going to produce BUT if we think positively than we will produce positive things. There are going to be 2 auditions coming up, one for JYP and the for FNC and I won't able to go to any of them...I was kinda bet down about it but it's okay! Next year I will definitely attend more! This gives more time to work on my auditions so that next year I can blow the judges away! and I even am starting a video so I can get my name out there. I also will loss weight so that I can show the judges a new me!
I think this is a good message to always look forward and stay positive! I know there are those times when you want to give up and you want to quit but always remember to look on the brighter side of things and stay positive! Positive energy ONLY produces MORE positive energy!
ALSO REMEMBER....TO NEVER GIVE UP!!!
There countless numbers of K-pop idols that have also had these thoughts but NEVER gave up!
Choa of AOA failed 15 SM auditions and some JYP auditions too before she got into FNC
HyunA of 4minute failed 50 acting audition before she was signed to JYP and placed in the Wondergirls and then because of health reasons she had to leave
Wondergirls and for 2 years was in a deep depression until she audition for Cube and got accept as a member of 4minute. She is also my UB in K-pop ^_^!!!
Sehun of EXO was casted on the street by an SM staff but still went through 4 auditions in the time frame of 2 years before he got into SM.
Rain(비) auditioned 18 times for JYP entertainment before he was accepted. He is the reason why I got into K-pop in the first place.
and there are much more than this!
They didn't give up so why we? Keep chasing after your dreams! and NEVER GIVE UP!!!
Hii Guyz! So I am back with another audition for you guys! JYP entertainment is back again this year with another global audition! They will be hitting places in the USA and Canda!
If you always had of dream of becoming a famous K-pop star for you of the top companies in South Korea than GO FOR IT!!! SHOW UP TO SHOW OUT!!!!!!
JYP entertainment is looking for their next big stars is it you? There looking for young talented hopefuls in these categories, Singer, Dancer, Model, Actor/Actress, VJ.
REQUIREMENTS:
Anyone born in 1991 - 2004 is able to audition
No discrimination against nationality, gender, ethnicity ANYONE CAN AUDITION!!!
Auditions will be held in Washington DC (Saturday, Sept. 26), Los Angeles (Sunday, Oct. 4), Vancouver (Saturday, Oct. 10) and Toronto (Saturday, Oct. 17).
BUT surely if you wanna audition GO FOR IT! This is JYP we are talking about here! I would go...but I don't know if I can since it's soooooooooooooooooo last minute they decided to tell people they were going to do this. I'll see what I can do! If I do go than I will definitely inform you guys! Okie Dokie I'll catch you guys later BYEZ!!! FIGHTING!!!!!!
Hi Guyz I'm back and I know it's been a looooooooooooooooong time BUT I'm back with some GREAT news.....well at least for the boyz. Okay gentlemen! I got some questions for ya...Are you a BIGBANG fanboy? Do you like YG entertainment? Ever dreamed about becoming a K-pop idol? Well you are in luck today because YG has announced their next global audition looking for future male trainees.
YG Entertainment To Hold Global Auditions In Hopes Of Finding The Next Big Bang
Instructions on how to apply for the auditions can be found through www.yg-audition.com.
The categories for auditioning include vocal, rap and dance and the applicant must be male and between the ages of 11 and 23 (1993-2005).
Applicants can apply through the homepage by downloading the application and sending it through email or bringing the application on the day of the audition.
Confirmed dates and locations so far include:
August 29- Busan (Dongju University)
September 5-Seoul (YG Global Training Center)
September 12-LA
September 19-New York
Other locations that have yet to confirm the date include Tokyo and Osaka.
(content from Soompi)
So if you are a male and you are want to participate than DO IT!!!!!
Thank you for viewing and I will see yall later BYEZ!!!
Hey watz up guys!!! So I don't know it you all have heard but FNC is going to be hosting auditions in the USA (mainly west coast)....I guess the east coast doesn't exist but NO MATTER! If you can participate than you should definitely go I might be able to go I am not sure just yet I gotta see how my money is going to be workin' but I will try my best.
All I can say is....I hope it's NOT a typo; because if they really mean what they are saying than that it another reason why more people of other enthnicites SHOULD audition. I want the amount of Non-Asians to exceed the amount of Asians at the audition to show them that we REALLY want and think we can do this...I am going to try my hardest to be there and everyone, Asian and Non-Asian, should participate.
If you want to participate in this audition CLICK HERE!!!! GOOD LUCK GUYS!!! FIGHTING!!!!
So a lot people are on debate about this topic. Some people think it can happen and some think it can't......
CAN YOU BE A K-POP IDOL/STAR WITHOUTBEING ASIAN?!?!
This question has been hovering in the K-pop world for sometime but was recently brought to attention by Misterpopo of PopoTV on YouTube. He asked this question and he said the comment section went wild with half the people saying "No" and half saying "Yes". He also tagged it for everyone to share their opinions about the topic and this blog post is my response to the question. But before I get into my answer I want discuss the matter at hand.
YES! NO! YES! NO! YESSSSS!!! NOOOO!!! A lot people have their own opinions about this topic. Some say you can do it and that it is possible; while others say there is no chance in hell, its impossible, so why bother? I have seen the reasons why people would think either way about this subject ( I have also written an essay about it for a project in my English class; if you want a better explanation go CLICK HERE!).
There a many reasons why some people say you can't be a K-pop idol if you aren't Asian but these are the main reasons many have stated.
K-pop is an "ASIAN" genre of music. If anyone other than Asians were singing it, it wouldn't "feel" right.
Koreans aren't as open minded to the idea as the western industry is.
If they REALLY wanted to be idols than they can be one in their own industry. They would probably have a better chance.
Simply because they aren't Asian is the main reason why they cannot be K-pop idols. It's called "K"-pop (as in Korean Pop) for a reason. Its only meant for Asians and if a Non-Asian were in a group than it wouldn't be K-pop anymore.
In this video both friends discuss their feelings on whether a Non-Asian can be a K-pop idol. Both had different feelings on the matter. One thought that it could be possible while the other thought it couldn't because it wouldn't "feel" like K-pop anymore. I can understand why they might feel this way. K-pop has been only done by Asians. It was a genre created by Asians and was originally for Asians.
[MY RESPONSE]: They say it should only be an "Asian thing" when really it should only be a "Korean" thing, right? I mean, K-pop was created by KOREAN people and only had Korean idols initially. But, overtime started accepting other Asians to participate because it wasn't just Koreans that liked K-pop; Chinese people started liking K-pop and so did Japanese and Thai, etc... K-pop started getting attention not just in Korea but in other parts of Asian as well. To move and venture out to these different markets they started adding people from these countries to become K-pop idols so that they could appeal to a different audience. Where would idols like Nickhun of 2pm, Lay, Kris, Luhan & Tao of EXO, Jia & Fei of MissA, Jackson Mark & Bambam of GOT7, Henry & Zhoumi of SUJU, Amber & Victoria of F(x) come from? None of them are Korean (ethnicity or nationally wise) BUT, they are currently some of the most famous K-pop idols out right now. Korean music is called Korean music NOT because of the people that sing it BUT because of the LANGUAGE they sing it in. J-pop is called J-pop because it is sung in Japanese, C-pop is called C-pop because it's sung in Chinese. It's not the person that makes it K-pop it is the language it's sung in. No matter who sings it, if it's still sung in Korean it is STILL considered K-pop.
Some people watch and listen to K-pop just to simply look at Asians, its like a like "fetish". So when someone of Non-Asian descent comes along trying to break through the K-pop music industry that's where all the hate comes from. They don't want someone coming in and ruining their fantasy. That one Non-Asian would destroy the very reason they got into K-pop in the first place. But, if that were the case, then people would just listen to country music when they want to see White people. Hip-pop/R&B when they want to see Black people. Rock when they want to see Emo and Goth kids, and Classical when they want to see old people. But, they also forget the fact that there are Black country singers, there are White rappers and R&B singers. Preppy kids like to bang their heads to Linkin Park and Nirvana just as much as the Emo and Goth kids do; and there are young people EVERY DAY being recognized for their talents in the art of classical music. You can't just hold certain people to a certain genre because in the end people are people the only thing that differentiates us is our appearance (race, genes, etc...)
2. Korea is a homogeneous place and a lot of them tend to be racist. They won't accept someone of Non-Asians descent. They just aren't ready for something like that.
In Korea, 96% of the population is Korean and the rest of the 4 % are foreigners. Half of that is made up of Chinese people that live in South Korea. So that leaves the other 2% to Non-Asian foreigners and HALF of that percent goes to the US soldiers stationed there. That leaves 1% to Non-Asians that are there to teach or just live. So yes, Korea in a whole is not a very diverse place and it is rare (especially in the more rural areas of South Korea) for Korean people to come across an experience to meet a Non-Asian foreigner.
BUT...just because they don't know much about other cultures doesn't mean they don't want to or that they aren't curious. Check out this video! This man's name is Uncle JJ or at least that's what he goes by on his YouTube channel. He is a modern Korean man and in this video he discusses the topic of Non-Koreans (Asians) becoming K-pop stars.
MY RESPONSE: In this video he states that he thinks it would be GREAT if Non-Asians became K-pop idols. To him it would give Korea more diversity. Some people say that Korea isn’t ready for a
Non-Asian to be in the K-pop scene right now. But when the first Non-Korean was
added into the picture people would have probably said the same thing. In fact
when Hangeng, the first Chinese K-pop idol, debuted with Super Junior in Korea
he wore a mask in all the live performances so Koreans wouldn’t know that he
was Chinese descent. Once Korea found out they had to do some warming up to the
idea but after a while it wasn’t much of an issue anymore and now they have
Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Malaysian members and Korea has accepted the idea
of them so why wouldn’t they be ready for the idea of a Non-Asian? Some people
would say the reason why is because Korea is a very homogeneous society. Most
of time (especially with the older generation in the countryside) they would
live their entire lives and would have never seen anyone outside their
ethnicity. With the younger generation that is not the case because more
students are exposed to different ethnicities in their schools because their
English teachers are, most of the time, Non-Asians all together. Most of the
hate would come from the older generation who don’t know a lot about other
cultures and have never had the chance to experience them because of Korea’s lack
of diversity in their society. I have a Korean friend and she is from Korea but
she came to America with her husband because of his occupation, they will be
going back in the summer. She is an older (probably middle-aged) lady with
children of her own and I use to help her with her English. One day I was
singing and dancing for her and she asked me if I knew what K-pop was and I
told her I did. She said I should audition for one of companies in Korea
because I could become an idol if I was talented enough. When I heard this it
surprised me because I didn't expect to hear that especially from someone of
her generation. When I went to Beijing last year I came across many Koreans and they also thought the same way as my friend. They told me I should audition and became a K-pop idol, they didn't see why I shouldn't.
This is a video that I posted on my blog a while ago. It is of an African American woman who lives in South Korea. In this video she was telling her story about how she was scouted by a trainer at a famous K-pop academy. At these K-pop academies they train aspiring hopefuls who want to become idols one day. They train them in singing, dancing, acting, instrumentals, modeling, etc... and they also host auditions with scouts from Korean entertainment companies like JYP, YG, SM, FNC, TS, Starship, CUBE, Jellyfish, etc... looking for new trainees to become the next big K-pop idols. And this women is telling her story about how a trainer from this company wanted to train her because she thought she could make it big in Korea and become a singer in South Korea.
I think most of the hate comes from people that AREN'T Korean or even Asian AT ALL and probably have NEVER been to a Asian country because if I were Asian I would feel pretty offended that people are calling me racist and close minded and MY OWN COUNTRY close minded and racist. How would you know if you've NEVER been there or have NEVER interacted with the locals?!?!?! There are racist close minded people EVERYWHERE!!!! BUT because someone doesn't like you because of your skin color/race etc... That alone shouldn't stop ANYONE from doing what they want to do! Just because I few people don't like you doesn't mean the others won't.
This is a comment I saw that I thought suited this topic well. Its pretty much self-explanatory. 3. If they really wanted to be idols, than they would try to make it in their own country. If you really wanted to do something than you do it anywhere. They would have a better chance.
The Korean music industry is really hard for even Koreans to get into. A Non-Asian would have a slim to none chance of ever getting in.
MY RESPONSE: Well all I can say is, if you think like this than tell all these K-pop idols stop to trying to break into other markets because they won't succeed they should just stay where they are and try to make it and
should just stay an “Asian thing”. Korean entertainment companies are
constantly producing idol groups with goals, specifically, to enter the
American market. For every K-pop idol group that debuts in every interview when
they are asked “What are their main future long-term goals as K-pop idols?”
Every one of them says to become GLOBAL international stars; they can’t do that
if they only promote in Asia. The three main companies in Korea such as, JYP
entertainment, SM entertainment and YG entertainment are constantly trying to
promote their groups in America. CL getting ready for her solo debut in the States. ALL YG artist come over here and promote. SM tried to send Boa and SNSD. JYP has been trying to for YEARS to bring in the States. To them breaking in the other outside markets gives them opportunities to make more money and what company would ever turn down an offer to make more money???
Okay now, that I have knocked out some of the biggest excuses (reasons) people make for not auditioning this is my answer....
MY ANWSER:
Q: Can you be a K-pop idol/star WITHOUT being ASIAN?
A: YES! I believe you can be a K-pop idol/star WITHOUT being Asian.
But at the end of the day all of these opinions don't matter. Whether someone says "Yes you can do it" or "No you can't" shouldn't influence your thoughts or actions of the matter. If YOU think you can do it then DO IT! Don't let the opinions of others make or break whether you decide to do something or not; because at the end of the day YOU are the one in control of your life, YOU make your own decisions and NO ONE can stop you from doing so. Do you want to live life with regret and constant wonder of "what could've been or what should've been"? It is the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015, stop worrying about your race and JUST DO IT! GO FOR IT! "The first mistake you make is if you don't try" (my mother).
"Life may not always be want you want it to be BUT, it's up to YOU to take what you deserve"
-(David So).
I hope this post helped A LOT of people and I hope that 2015 is the year of more change and more progress. With all this being said I'll see you guys later! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! ^_^
Hi Guys! I'm back again with part 2 of the last video I posted. This video explains more in-depth about which skills you should REALLY improve on if you want to have a good chance at becoming a K-pop idol one day. I hope this video helps you out!
Sit back, (maybe get a pen/pencil and paper [for notes of course] ) and ENJOY
Hi guys long time no see. ^_^ I have a good reason for not seeing you guys which I will talk about in my next blog post but today I wanted to share this video I ran up upon a while ago and it has given me more motivation and encouragement to really REALLY try to break into the Korean music industry.
The man that is talking in this video is named, Jun. He has been living in South Korea for 4 going on 5 years now and is currently a CEO of his own Korean entertainment company, Areia Creations Global Entertainment.
I feel that this video would shine some light on this topic and I hope that you guys take something from it and apply it to yourself to improve your chances of becoming a K-pop idol/star.
Sit back, maybe grab a pen/pencil and paper (for notes of course), relax and ENJOY!!! ^_^
Hi Guyz! I'm back and it looks like 2015 is coming with a blaze but 2014 isn't even finished yet? We still go Christmas ^_^ But anyway that's neither here nor there today I come with another audition. JYP audition 2014 is wrapping up I hope everyone did their best and if you weren't able to do your best (like me -.-) at least you tried and the 1st mistake you can make is if you don't try. I hope everyone met LOTS of people, made lots of friends and had an overall WONDERFUL experience!!! ^_^
Now moving on to the topic at hand SM entertainment have released information about their 2015 audition. Now they say it's a "Global" audition but it's more like an Asian audition because they are only going to places/countries IN Asia! So "Global" I think NOT! But it is okay, if you happen to be in one of these countries during the time of the audition to go and apply! If not, then don't sweat it there are many more companies that will be hosting auditions so keep your head up! ^_^
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***READ THIS!!!***
Now we all know that 2014 was not SM's year and the majority of it (if not ALL of it) was SM's fault. But when you sign with companies make sure to read these contracts and have a lawyer and/or your parents present when you are signing these contracts because....yall ain't nobody go time to NOT be gettin' paid! I DON'T VOLUNTEER!!! >.< They will make sure that you get the best commendations and conditions so in future you won't wind up having to sue your company like a LOT of idols have to now because this industry AIN'T NO JOKE! it's all about money...BUT if you know the rules to play the game you can still win (if that makes sense). Again, this not meant to discourage, this is meant to provide wisdom. I still want to be K-pop star/idol, I STILL WANT TO DO THIS but at the same time I know what I'm up against and I see the reality of it. When you audition for SM just know that, you are auditioning FOR SM! same goes with EVERY company. Watch out for yourself and stay safe.
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Since JYP entertainment are hosting global auditions right now I bet A LOT of people are panicking because they can't find a song to match their voice that will blow the judges away or they are looking for the right hip-hop song to dance to that will show off their amazing Taemin/Taeyang/Jay Park-like dance moves right?! ^_^ Well I thought it would be a good idea to introduce people to JYP ent. so they can understand JYP's style and what he is looking for in trainee/future JYP artist.
So with all that said LET'S GET STARTED!!!
JYPentertainment is a South Korean record label founded by Park Jin-Young on April 25, 1997. It is a recording and talent agency based in Seoul. It produces and markets music recording/publishing, record manufacturing/sales, artist management, concert production, and new artist discovering/training. It is known as one of the companies in the BIG 3, mean it is in the top 3 entertainment companies along with YG and SM.
Group Name: GOT7
Debut: January 16, 2014
Member(s): [left to right/bottom to top] Bam-Bam, Jr./Junior, Mark, JB, Jackson, Youngjae & Yugyeom
Label: JYP entertainment
Origin: South Korea
Gerne: Hip-Hop/R&B & Pop
Debut song: "Girls,Girls,Girls"
Fanclub Name: IGOT7
Facts:
Jr and JB are a sub-unit called, JJ Project that debuted before GOT7. And they also debuted as actors in Dream High 2.
"The members of Got7 were recruited as trainees of JYP Entertainment after going through various auditions. JB and Jr., both from South Korea, signed with JYP after they were tied for first place at the 5th JYP Trainee Open Recruitment in 2009. Mark, who is from Los Angeles, California, was scouted by an agent outside of his high school and was successfully recruited after passing a global audition in 2010. Jackson, a former member of the Hong Kong National Fencing Team, became a trainee after passing global auditions held in Hong Kong in 2011. Youngjae was a contestant in an online audition for JYP and won the contest and was successfully recruited. He only trained for 7 months and was the last one to join the group. Bambam from Thailand failed his JYP global audition in 2007, but was recruited after winning first runner-up at the 2010 LG Entertainer Contest. Yugyeom, who had competed in house dance competitions, was recruited in 2011" (Wikipedia).
This is their 1st comeback video titled, "A"
This is their debut song "Girls,Girls,Girls"
Sunmi
Real Name: Lee Sun Mi (이선미) Stage Name: Sunmi or Mimi Birthdate: May 2, 1992 Solo Debut: August 20, 2013 Debut Song: "24 hours" Label: JYP entertainment Genre: Pop Origin: South Korea
Facts:
Originally debuted as a member of WonderGirls in 2007 but left in 2010 to focus on her studies.
This is her latest title track, "Full Moon". It was a composed by Brave Brothers and JYP. It was 1st collaboration project with Brave Brothers.
This is Sunmi's debut song, "24 hours" composed by Park Jin-Young (aka JYP).
HA:TFELT
Real Name: Park Ye-eun
Stage Name: Ha:tfelt
Birthdate: May 26, 1989
Solo Debut: July 30, 2014
Debut Song: "Ain't Nobody"
Label: JYP entertainment
Origin: South Korea
Facts:
Known as Yenny of the WonderGirls
Wrote all of her songs for her solo debut album
This is her debut song "Ain't Nobody"
The is (to me) the best live performance of the song.
MISS A
Group Name: Miss A
Members: (left to right) Fei, Min, Jia, Suzy
Debut: July 1, 2010
Debut Song: "Bad Girl Good Girl"
Label: JYP entertianment
Gerne: Pop, Dance,electropop & Mandopop
Origin: South Korea
Fanclub Name: Say A
Facts:
This is a Chinese-Korean girl group, Fei & Jia are from China and Min & Suzy are from Korea.
Miss A stands for "Miss Asia"
The group was originally a five membered group but two were taken out; one of those two being Lim, she is currently a member of The WonderGirls.
Suzy is a well-known actress
Suzy was a model for an online mall prior to being signed with JYP
"Lee Min Young, a solo artist and a long-time trainee in America, also made a cameo appearance in the music video. She had auditioned when she was in the 6th grade, and she traveled to the U.S., where she trained for 6 years. She came back in 2008 to continue activities in Korea. During her time in New York, she studied at the Repertory Company High School in Manhattan. It was later announced that she would be joining the group under her stage name, Min, for their South Korean debut on April" (Wikipedia)
This is their latest single titled "Hush"
This is their title track "Bad Girl Good Girl"
This is their first comeback after their debut titled "Breathe"
This is another one of their comebacks titled "Touch".
2PM
Group Name: 2PM
Members: [left to right] Jay Park (former leader & member), Junho, Junsu (now known as Jun.K/Minjun), Nickhun, Chansung, Wooyoung & Taecyong
Debut: September 4, 2008
Debut Song: "10 out of 10"
Label: JYP entertainment
Genre: Hip-pop/R&B, Pop, Dance
Origin: South Korea
Fanlub Name: HOTTEST
Facts:
Known as the "Beastly Idols" "While most Korean boy bands at the time adopted a "pretty boy"image, 2PM constructed a tough and macho beast-like image when they made their debut" (wikipedia).
"The members of 2PM all auditioned (except Nichkhun, who was scouted)to become part of JYP Entertainment. Some members already had experience in the entertainment industry, includingJun. K, who had won several singing competitions.Ok Taecyeon,Lee JunhoandHwang Chansunghad participated in the showSuperStar Survival.Part of the members had previously lived in the U.S., ex-leaderJaebeomin theSeattlearea,NichkhuninSouthern California, while Taecyeon spent seven years inMassachusettsbefore returning to Korea" (wikipedia).
"Originally, the members of 2PM were part of a larger group known as One Day. A documentary called Hot Blood Men captured the group's training days. In this documentary, former member Jaebeom finished at the top spot and received the most fan votes. It also featured the elimination of three trainees from the group: Lee Swichi, Im Daehun, and Yoon Doo-joon were all cut...By the end of the training process, One Day had been reduced to an eleven-member group. However, the band was then split into 2AM and 2PM" (wikipedia).
"Jaebeom was chosen to serve as the group's leader, as he was the oldest member and also the one where all the members acknowledged as the most talented one. He played key roles in several of the band's early singles and associated music videos" (wikipedia).
This is their latest single "Go Crazy" composed by member Jun.K himself.
This is their debut single " 10 out of 10"
This is one of their pervious comebacks it was release right before their "Go Crazy" promotions. The song is titled "A.D.T.O.Y (All Day I Think Of You).
This is another one of their many comebacks titled "HANDS UP".
This is their 1st after their debut titled "Again and Again". Jaebeom was still with the group at this point.
other aritst that are currently under JYP are Beak A Yeon, 15&, 2AM, JJ Project and Bernard Park. JYP use to also be home to Bi(Rain) [he's was under CUBE], G.O.D, JOO, and San E...pretty cool right?! ^_^
Now I bet you are thinking about auditioning for JYP entertainment but you want to know things like trainee life in JYP, how to audition and all that stuff. Well....here you go
Auditioning for JYP entertainment
JYP is looking for talents in the following four categorizes ONLY, singer (dancer/vocalist), Actress/Actor, Model, VC/VJ. Anyone can audition regardless of age, race/ethnicity, nationality and gender. JYP entertainment offers several ways for talented hopefuls to audition.
Q: What does JYP entertainment look for in potential trainees?
A: JYP specifically said he goes for manners over talent. "You can be talented but what is the use if you have no manners?" quoted by CEO Park Jin-Young (JYP) himself. He likes people who are natural and who can't hide from being themselves. I say manners are important! Having manners and being respectful can take you places that you can't get to with just talent alone...but having some talented never hurt either. ^_~ He also looks for passion. "Sincerity and passion are the most important" quoted by JYP. You must have the passion to sing, you must have the passion to dance and you MUST have the passion to be the best!
Mail/Post AuditionsUPDATE JYP no longer has mail/post auditions!
Live/Global Auditions
ONLINE AUDITIONS
The online audition is the simplest and cheapest way to audition for JYP. Just go to http://audition.jype.com/ and create an account, complete an application form and upload a video/audio/photo of yourself. After submition if, the judges see potential you will be notified through email telling you the next steps of your audition process. Even though this method of audition is free and more convenient I have never heard of anyone being noticed or passing through this type of audition. I'm not saying it doesn't work it's just that I haven't heard of anyone passing or getting through the first stage of auditions with this method.
Online Auditions = More convenient BUT Less effective
MAIL/POST AUDITIONS
The mail/post auditions will cost some money because you have to pay for shipping and handling and all that and it's a little more complicated because you have to go through a little more trouble but it's not that bad. With mailing auditions you have to physically send your stuff (such as application form, video, photos, etc...) to JYP headquarters in Seoul, Korea. I have done this method twice I think and I do prefer more than the online auditions because I know that they will get it in their hands and they will see it. Their people that have passed from this audition you can view their videos here ----> JYP Audition Youtube channel and if you want to know things like the address and what to include inside the package CLICK HERE!!! Once you submit you have to wait for the company to contact you through email to tell you what the next steps are in your audition.
Mail Auditions = Less convenient BUT little more effective
LIVE/OPEN AUDITIONS
There are two type of live auditions, Open auditions or Global auditions. Open auditions are held at the JYP center located in Seoul, Korea and are open every 1st and 3rd Sunday at 2pm. Global auditions are held annually/yearly but definitely not as often as Open auditions. Global auditions are auditions that the company holds in other countries outside of South Korea (such as, USA/Canada, Europe, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, etc...) Global auditions are very effective because if you get chosen from these auditions you are automatically given a position as a trainee in the company, which makes the competition much more fierce because EVERYONE that auditions wants that chance so you aren't just competing locally but GLOBALLY! But unless you live in South Korea or in a captial/ well-known city like New York, LA, Beijing, Bangkok, Tokyo, etc... it won't be as convenient for you because you will have to travel to one of the closets places that the audition is going to be held and let me tell you IT AIN'T CHEAP! You will have to pay for transportation (like airfare/plane ticket/ train ticket/ gas money/ etc...) and you have to reserve a hotel room because if you live far away you are going to have to sleep somewhere. Plus you have to have spending money for food, shopping and whatever else other extra curriculum activities you want to do! But even though it's expense it is also very fun! I have gone to the YG 2012 Global auditions in New York and the SM 2013 Global auditions in Washington D.C. and I had a BLAST!!! I had great experiences, learned a lot and made many friends that I am still friends with to this day. Many many MANY K-pop idols have used this method multiple time so it WORKS!!!!
Open/Live Auditions = Not convenient BUT Most effective
Here are some of the many audition experience videos on YouTube. These two are the most popular they tell you EVERYTHING from what to bring to the audition, how to prepare for the audition, and what to expect.
Here are audition videos of JYP artist.
Trainee life in JYP entertainment
Trainee life for anyone in the K-pop is tiring and hard but with perseverance, faith, hard work and determination hopefuls will have the opportunity to graduate from their training and debut. That is the dream of EVERY trainee in ANY company. But we know that trainees have to go to singing classes and dancing classes, but what other skills or what other classes do trainees have to take? Trainees have to undergo A LOT more than what we think they do.
The information from the article above states, "Training at JYPE is not limited to only singing and dancing lessons. Byeon shared that they also undergo studies in foreign language(s), community service (focusing on handicapped and orphans), reading, and other special lectures that include proper dieting methods, vocal training, anti-smoking, and proper sex education. For the reading portion, they have a book club in which they read and discuss books they believe are good.
The training ends when all the teachers agree that a student is ready to debut, at which point the student is presented to JYPE President, Park Jin Young. On average, this process takes 3-5 years, but various with individuals.
JYPE expects that students who “graduate” from their training program to become stars. Not only stars who are good at singing and dancing, but also ones who have proper manners/etiquette, can speak confidently, and have humility".
I also know that JYP entertainment also give lessons on acrobatics and playing instruments. Also at the end of every month they have monthly evaluations where the trainees have to show how much they have improved and everything they have learned for that month. If the trainee does well in the evaluations they have more opportunities to be in showcases where they get to show more of their talents, they get offers to be back-up dancers for official JYP artist (on live stage and in music videos), they get more opportunities to be scheduled for events/MV&CF appearances, and most important they get a better chance at debuting.
Cool right?! JYP sounds like a great company to be under. I want to be in JYP entertainment (or any company) because the overall feel I get from the company it self is that they really can make you a STAR! They really do prepare you well for ANYTHING!!! A LOT of talent has come from JYP, such as G.NA, Dongwook & Hoya (of Infinite), Choa (of AOA), B-Bomb (of Block-B), CL (of 2ne1), Peniel Minhyuk & Sungjae (of BTOB), Hyuna (of 4minute/also former member of WomderGirls), Daehyun (BAP), Xiumin (of EXO), Chorong (of Apink), Hyolyn (of Sistar) etc.... the list goes on; and not just idol wise some of the staff have come from JYP and made their own companies which are quite successful, such as CUBE entertainment & BigHit entertainment. So I think it's safe to say that if you are in JYP entertainment you are in good hands! ^_~
