On this week's installment of 'MMTG - Civilization Express', Jaejae entered YG Entertainment as a trainee, meeting her sunbae artists TREASURE.
In particular, the members of TREASURE advised Jaejae on how a trainee should act in front of staff and sunbae artists, and shared details on how a YG trainee would typically spend their day.
First, Jaejae visited the office of YGE's 'Rookie Training Team', where she was required to turn in her phone, per rules applied to all trainees.
After arriving in the practice room, Jaejae asked TREASURE about their experiences as trainees. "Before beginning practice, you go to the gym to work out at 9 AM. After that, there's foreign language lessons, vocal practice, dance practice, and team practice. Practice ends around 10~11 PM, and most trainees will remain for private practice until later," Jaehyuk explained.
One of the rules that trainees must follow was "No dating". Upon hearing this, Jaejae remarked, "I can't live without love in my life."
For the members of TREASURE, one of the greatest perks of becoming a trainee at YG was "No trainee debt." The members all chimed in with, "YG trainees do not incur debt just from training. All lessons and meals are free. The company considers the costs of its trainees as an investment."
Later on, Jaejae also visited YG Entertainment's famous Vietnamese pho restaurant with TREASURE members Hyunsuk and Junghwan. Here, the two idols recalled the strict diet they had to follow as trainees, commenting, "For trainees, they deliver boxed meals. You had to report each meal you ate to the staff. You take a photo of the boxed lunch and send it, saying, 'I will have lunch now'. But then we snuck out and ate at the convenience store. After we came back, about 30 minutes later, we sent another photo of the empty boxed lunch container and wrote, 'I am finished'."
YG got better through the years, from the success of bigbang and blackpink. Bigbang had it worst, from their dirty and small apartment to having to style their own clothes and commuting to gigs. These stars never had it easy either climbing up but “Out of difficulties grow miracles”. And with that, they built the system that’s now kpop.