I’m a huge SM fan and survival show enjoyer, so recently I’ve been keeping up with both SMTR25 and Boys II Planet (including the ex-Trainee A participants). It’s always upsetting when someone talented doesn’t debut but there’s one person in particular who kind of haunts me: Ji Hansol.
Hansol was in all of the SMROOKIES content and showcases before NCT’s debut, including BASSBOT and the famous dance practice video and Switch. He was the trainee that stood out the most to me for his dance style (like in Hide & Freak). For whatever reason (some speculate it’s the China hallyu ban), they never put him a unit. And then he left SM. And then he was in NewKidd, which did not do well. And then I saw him in The Unit, and he made the debut group, but the group didn’t do well. Now I think he’s teaching dance classes here and there in Australia.
I don’t want to be dramatic but it was kind of traumatizing for me because I was so heavily invested in his debut and literally everyone else became NCT, a gigantic multi-unit group. It’s not like they didn’t have room. I haven’t forgotten about him in the last 10 years. As I’ve gotten older, I realized that being an idol is a job like any other job, i.e. something people need to make a living. I really like watching survival shows because there’s so much talent, but recently I’m just like… feeling upset in general.
Clearly the ex-Trainee A members, for example, are doing well, and debut groups get switched around or cancelled all the time. But I just found out Minjae from LASTART (the one who hit the crazy high note at 4:01) joined an off-the-wall project called UNNAME, and the company likely is not going to be able to debut him… I understand why he didn’t make lineup for WISH (he was a little stiff), but he is obviously a great vocalist and I’m scared for him. And then of all the SMROOKIES girls, only Ningning made it into a group. Not to mention other examples like Day6’s Junhyeok, who I’ve seen in two survival shows since his departure, neither of which he did particularly well at.
I know it’s reality that not everyone makes it in the entertainment industry, but seeing someone almost make it and then not (or make it and then fall off), is really hard. Sometimes they never recover. And even when they join a successful project, the lifespan of most idol groups is so short, and most entertainment companies absolutely suck at extending the longevity of the group’s careers. Idk help yall I’m depressed. At least Sangwon and probably Leo will make it… I really anticipate the group from SMTR25 but there are 14 of them and not sure all of them are gonna make it 😭
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