The world of K-dramas is brimming with talented actors, but some may surprise you with their hidden pasts. Before captivating audiences on screen, these stars trained to become K-pop singers. Today, we delve into the journeys of eight celebrities who made the successful transition from idol trainees to acclaimed actors.
Ahn Hyo Seop
Ahn Hyo Seop appeared on KBS2’s Happy Together 3 in May 2017 and revealed that he was a former JYP trainee. He said, “I was an ordinary student living in Canada when I was contacted by JYP’s rookie development team. I still don’t know how they found me.” He continued, “I lived in the dorm with the GOT7 members. I trained with them when the group was being formed, but I didn’t make the cut.”
>> Ahn Hyo Seop Reveals His ‘What If’ Career Path and First Steps in Korea
Kim Min Jae
Kim Min Jae went through the trainee life and even appeared on Mnet’s Show Me the Money Season 4 under the stage name Real.be. With his captivating street dance performances, he gained recognition as a skilled artist. It is reported that he had a difficult time during his trainee days, living in a semi-basement flat with seven other male trainees. In a past interview, he explained the reason for his transition to acting: “I wanted to become a singer because I loved music, and I spent 4 years as a trainee. Trainee life is something where you can’t express your anger or frustration. It’s like you can’t do anything you want. But when I took acting classes, I could express my anger freely and experience different things by becoming someone else. That was so much fun.”
Lee Ha Nee
Lee Ha Nee revealed her surprising past as a YG Entertainment trainee during her appearance on MBC’s Radio Star on December 24, 2015. Lee Ha Nee said, “If I hadn’t become Miss Korea, I would have become a member of 2NE1.” She explained that she trained with Park Bom and Gong Minzy for about a year. She said she juggled her busy schedule as a grad student in the mornings with trainee life in the afternoons. Although she was a trainee for over a year, she ended her trainee life to participate in the Miss Korea pageant.
Yoo In Na
Yoo In Na recalled her lengthy trainee days on the May 2, 2013, episode of KBS2’s Happy Together Season 3, which featured a special on the drama You Are the Best! Joining fellow actors Jo Jung Suk, IU, and Son Tae Young, she revealed, “I trained for 11 years, starting at the age of 17.” She explained, “Trainees also go through internal auditions, and those days were extremely tense. After nervously performing, we would find out the results a few days later. If we failed, we had to go home crying.” She also shared, “It was so tough that I felt frustrated many times, but I was miraculously given opportunities, and that allowed me to endure the long trainee period. I even remained as the last person standing in some auditions.” It is known that Yoo In Na spent her trainee years at YG Entertainment.
Min Hyo Rin
Seol In Ah
Seol In Ah, a beloved actress known for her appearances in many dramas, also has a background as an idol trainee. She revealed that she started her trainee life in her second year of middle school at the same agency as KARA’s Heo Young Ji. The actress shared, “I originally wanted to become an actress, but the company suggested that becoming a singer first and then transitioning to acting could be a quicker path, so I believed and followed their advice.” However, her fellow trainees gradually left due to various incidents, and she felt that she needed to go to college. She learned the basics of dance from her friends in the dance department and created her own choreography based on the hip-hop she learned during her trainee days, eventually gaining admission to an acting department in a college. Despite her long trainee period without debuting as a singer, she expressed no regrets, stating that the singing, dancing, and acting skills she learned helped her in the entertainment business.
Lee Sun Bin
Lee Sun Bin‘s past as an idol trainee was revealed through an interview with actress Jo Yun Seo. On November 16, 2022, Ryu Jun Yeol, Kim Sung Chul, and Jo Yun Seo from the movie The Night Owl appeared on an SBS radio show. During the interview, Jo Yun Seo shared, “I was an idol trainee for about five years. Some of my friends from that time eventually debuted as idol singers.” She then surprised everyone by adding, “One of the friends who was on the same team back then is Brave Girls’ Eunji and actress Lee Sun Bin.” Lee Sun Bin was recently spotted enjoying a cute lunch date with her boyfriend Lee Kwang Soo in Japan.
Gong Seung Yeon
Gong Seung Yeon is a former trainee of SM Entertainment. Since her younger sister, TWICE’s Jeongyeon, debuted under JYP Entertainment, they might have ended up as rivals if Gong Seung Yeon had also debuted as an idol. In an interview with Newsen, she shared, “When I was in elementary school, I participated in a gayageum competition. During a break, an SM Entertainment casting director approached me and suggested a camera test. I became interested and ended up joining SM Entertainment as a trainee after the camera test and observing the classes that trainees take.” However, she appeared on a tvN drama during that time and became more interested in learning acting professionally, which led her to leave SM Entertainment.
