Vocal trainer Sol Lee has been teaching aspiring stars at companies including YG Entertainment for over a decade. At the same time, Gina Maeng has been trained in the K-pop industry for 12 years, including JYP Entertainment as well.
Recently, the former JYP trainee uploaded her latest vlog on her YouTube channel, “Gina Everywhere”, where she and Sol Lee discussed on how the trainees from the two big entertainment agencies have completely different attitudes.
Both ladies say that there are clear differences between aspiring stars under these two agencies. The difference has nothing to do with their skills, but according to Gina, “They have different attitudes towards music and training.”
Relating to her own experience, Gina says that the former JYP Entertainment CEO, Park Jin Young “really likes things ‘standard’.” Sol Lee agreed, saying that the trainees under the aforesaid company have a typical “textbook” trainee vibe.
Gina went on to explain that JYP also likes trainees to “put their life on the line and give their everything”. “(At JYP Entertainment) You have to be hungry. You have to want it so bad,” the famous former trainee-turned-YouTuber was quoted as saying.
She then pointed out that “no one had it as rough as Rain did when he was a trainee.” For those in the dark, the global superstar trained under JYP back in 2000. Since he went through a tough time during his trainee days, Gina admitted that trainees after him were at a disadvantage because they were in no position to complain in comparison to Rain.
Her lengthy explanation made a lot of sense to Sol Lee, who said she received similar diligence impression from a former JYP Entertainment trainee whom she taught once. Even when Sol Lee told the trainee she didn’t have to work so hard, the trainee would cry because she wasn’t doing “her best”.
Gina also shared a similar memory during her trainee days at JYP Entertainment. She revealed that a JYP staff once found her crying in the dance practice studio because she was mad at herself for making a mistake. The founder smiled at her, she recalled, and told her, “You remind me of myself; it’s like you’re my little sister.”
The younger sister to Korean actor Kim Bum said in the clip, “That desperation and passion I carried with me, even after I had left JYP Entertainment, it was always who I was. It was something JYP Entertainment taught me.”
While the duo didn’t talk much about YG Entertainment, it’s safe to assume that the trainees there take a far less intense approach and aren’t so hard on themselves. Sol Lee shared that as a vocal trainer for the company, she has a less strict approach to teaching. She stated, “I know they’re criticised by everyone in the company. So I wanted to be that encouraging person.”
Gina also recalled Sol Lee taking the same approach when she trained her at CJ E&M. Additionally, Gina had another vocal trainer who taught at YG Entertainment too. According to her, he took a similar approach with trainees and focused on giving them compliments for their effort rather than putting pressure on them to be perfect.
All in all, both Gina and Sol Lee shared the same opinion that all agencies have their own vibe, especially the Big 3 companies. Gina also clarified that this is what makes the agencies fit different stars, with each trainee blending in well at the company that suits their personal working style.
Source: Koreaboo.
