Do you want to become a Kpop trainee? Or do you just want to know which stages the trainees have to go through. Than this guide is for you! We will go in depth on how you can become a Kpop trainee in 2019! Before we start: This entire guide is based on the research we have done on Kpop trainees and agencies. We are not associated with any Kpop idols or agencies. We just share the love towards Kpop with you and we want to help you to become a Kpop trainee. 

Will you become a Kpop trainee after going through this guide and taking our advice to heart? There is obviously no guarantee for that, but you can be assured that you chances just skyrocketed. 

But don’t fool yourself! Just being a good singer or pretty, or both of it, is not enough to make your dream come true and become a Kpop trainee. It is difficult enough for Koreans to have a chance. Your chances are already lower, because you are a foreigner. But don’t be discouraged! Follow our guide and 10X your chances of becoming the next Kpop idol. 

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The 5 steps to becoming a Kpop trainee in 2018 

1. The Pre-audition training step

Dancing and singing skills don’t come from nothing! If you want to have any chance of succeeding in the auditions, you have to put i the work. You will have to spend years to become better at singing and dancing. Only when you have laid the ground work for your success, than you can start thinking about the next step: The auditioning.

2. The Auditioning step

You are confident in your skills? Now is the time to audition. But don’t think that you can just audition once or twice and they will discover you. Be aware that you have to go to as many auditions as possible! Two auditions won’t cut it! Rather think that you will have like 50 auditions, before anything good will happen to you. 

3. The contract stage 

Congratulations! You did a great job at the auditions and one of the Kpop agencies will give you a chance. You will have to sign a contract for up to four years that will make you a part of the company. Your life, now, will be all about becoming a Kpop idol. You can forget about everything else! And there is no no guarantee that you eventually debut as a Kpop idol. But if you really want it, get to the next step and train like crazy with your new friends/competition.

4. The training step

If you think school is hard and your curriculum and teachers are to intense on you, you will have to adjust. The Kpop trainee program that you will go through now is like nothing you have seen so far. This is the stage where you need more than a good voice, dancing skills and beauty. They might all help, but if you are not strong enough mentally and physically, this training will break you. This is training regime is no joke! You have to be determined and confident in yourself. A 16-hour day of training is not uncommon ! and if you think bout it, making your dream come true should be worth these 16 hours. So get yourself together and train harder than anybody else. 

5. Debut 

You made it! You debut with your group and it is the greatest thing ever in your life so far. But this is not the end. It is only the beginning. You will have so much pressure and competition from other Kpop idols and groups. There will not be time to relax or get lazy. But if you really want to become a Kpop idol, this is the way for you. Don’t get discouraged! Fighting! 

How to apply for Kpop auditions?

So you think you are good enough to apply for a Kpop trainee audition? But you don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we got you covered. Below, you will find a list of the biggest Korean entertainment agencies and links that will lead you to the application forms or further informations. 

• Audition for BigHit Entertainment here! 
• Audition for JYP Entertainment here!
• Audition for YG Entertainment here!

Do not stop here! There are many more places where you can audition for different jobs. Just do some research and apply for as many as possible.

5 Kpop ninja tricks, advices and ressources 

Now that you know the roadmap and where to apply, you should make sure that you use the following resources to 10X your chances for success.

1. Dancing is one of the crucial skills that you have to master, if you want to become a Kpop trainee. If you are already good, get better! And if you are just starting out, make sure to check this Kpop dancing course.
2. Singing might still be the number one skill that will help you succeed. But just being able to sing will not be enough. This course is amazing and will get you from good to great as a singer. 
3. Your diet will be another thing that you will have to monitor and work on more, from now on. The pressure on your diet and body will mount when you enter the competition. So make sure to start as strong as possible and with the best diet possible. But please don/t forget that health always come first. 
4. Learning Korean might not be the first thing, you think about when you are trying to become a Kpop trainee. But mastering the Korean language will give you an huge advantage over a lot of other applicants. Every advantage counts! 
5. Another thing that you should learn to do is acting. You will be asked to act for certain situations and it might sound easy, but if you want to get ahead of your competition than you should take this one seriously. You are not good at acting? Learn how to act here and maybe eventually you become an actress instead! 

All the aforementioned skills are kind of obvious but the last one shouldn’t be underestimated: Personality matters! This doesn’t mean you have to be super funny or extremely charming, or whatever. It just means that you should make sure that your unique personality shines through in the auditions. There is only one YOU and this will be your biggest advantage point! 

The last skill you have to master is the right motivation. Motivation is what will get you through the dark days, when you don’t want to train hard and when you want to give up. Find your motivation and make it happen.

A few last thoughts on becoming a Kpop trainee in 2018 and beyond:

The way to becoming a Kpop trainee and even a Kpop star is extremely hard and definitely not the easiest career path to choose. It might seem impossible and chances are that you will not make it. But if this is really your dream and desire. If you want to invest everything into become a Kpop idol, don’t let others discourage you and go for it. The chance is now and you will only regret it later, if you don’t give it a go. On the other hand, I think that you also have to be very self aware. Meaning, you have to know your short comings and you have to be able to listen to other peoples advice, while not getting discouraged. 

Having said that, all I can leave you with is me wishing you all the best of luck! Make it happen. Also, let us know why you want to become a Kpop trainee and what your strength and weaknesses are. Maybe we all can help each other here.