Why Jessica Jung Had An “Easier” Trainee Life Than Most K-Pop Idols

K-Pop idols have often discussed the hardships they’ve faced during their trainee years, with many describing them as some of the most challenging years of their lives. From watching friends get cut before their debut to sleeping only 2-3 hours between training and school, to restrictive diets and harsh sets of rules to follow, all experienced at a young age and away from their families.

It is rare that a K-Pop idol has viewed their training experience as “easy,” but that is exactly how Jessica Jung, former Girls’ Generation member, described her experience training at the “Big 3” company, SM Entertainment.

Jessica recently participated in a rare interview about her experience at SM Entertainment, discussing everything from training to her thoughts on K-Pop idols dating, being removed from her former group, and more.

While chatting with the team at The Daily Ketchup Podcast, Jessica explained why she had an easier time than the trainees who joined the company after her.

Jessica began the discussion by confessing she felt “very blessed” about her experience as a K-Pop idol trainee and admitted she joined the company at the “perfect time.”

Jessica became a trainee when she was only 11 years old, which made her the “baby of the company.”

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As the youngest trainee, Jessica revealed that the older trainees took her under their wing and were “very kind” to her, teaching her “everything” she needed to know.

Jessica noticed a change in trainees’ experiences when more idol hopefuls began joining the company, stating that the atmosphere became more competitive.

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The current soloist shared that many of the K-Pop trainee “horror stories” likely stemmed from the increasingly competitive environment, which led to many feeling self-conscious and less confident as they were compared to other trainees.

Jessica was “very confident” and happy with where she was, so she didn’t feel the same pressure as trainees who joined later.

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Thanks to her seniority in the company and, later, her status as a member of one of the top girl groups, she ensured that her younger sister, f(x)‘s Krystal, had a similarly “easy life.”

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Check out more from Jessica’s recent interview in the article below!

Jessica Jung Admits Her Current Feelings About Her Departure From Girls’ Generation