Many local fans have been following the debut of K-pop girl group KIIRAS (키라스) and the group’s leader, Lingling (링링). Since the idol is Malaysia’s first female K-pop idol, it’s no surprise that fans wanted to learn more about the 20-year-old.
Recently, Lingling shared a new fact about herself, notably her time at YG Entertainment. For those unfamiliar with Lingling, the star first came onto the K-pop scene as a contestant in the survival show “I-LAND2”. During her time on the show, there were rumours that the singer was a trainee at YG Entertainment, one of K-pop’s most prominent labels. However, nothing much was known about her days at the label – until now.
The idol recently attended an online fan-sign event, where she answered a fan’s question about her time at YG Entertainment. Lingling confirmed that she was a trainee at the agency but was only there for about 4 months. She never disclosed why she left, but said it was because of her age. Following up on the video, a Twitter user who claimed to be a translator for YG Entertainment during their global audition in Malaysia shared another story about the star.
The translator said she worked with Lingling during the audition, revealing that the idol was the only one who passed the audition in Malaysia. She also noted that the idol was only 16 years old when she got accepted into YG Entertainment. Surprisingly, the translator also revealed that Lingling once asked if she could return to Malaysia if she moved to South Korea to sit for her SPM examination.
While it’s unconfirmed whether Lingling did return to sit for the SPM exams, the revelation sparked praise for the star. Many commended Lingling for prioritising her education despite being accepted into a notable K-pop label, lamenting how even some local influencers look down upon the SPM certification. Others also highlighted how Lingling was the only one who passed the auditions, saying it’s a testament to her skills as an idol.
If what was shared was indeed true, then kudos to Lingling for putting her education before her idol career. Hopefully, we’ll get to hear more anecdotes from the star soon.
