[theqoo] The cost of training a single trainee for a year at Bighit

[satoori]

Netizens talk about the cost of training a single trainee for a year at Big Hit

In an interview, Bang Shi Hyuk shared just how much it takes to fully train a trainee at BigHit Entertainment just for a year.

It costs about a hundred and twenty million KRW ($110,000 USD) to train a trainee for a year. This value, although provided by Bang Shi Hyuk himself, is not specific to BigHit Entertainment. The CEO claims it to be the average cost for any company to invest in a trainee, given all the proper lessons and training. This value can rise if the company decides to send the trainee for an expensive experience such as overseas training.

Not only this, but the trainees may be provided with dorms, depending on the company. Some trainees may continue to live with their family until their debut team is confirmed. Once their debut teams have been formed, the team will begin living together in dorms for a year and a half. During this time, the company will pay for lodging and food.

Thankfully, companies such as SM, JYP, YG and BigHit Entertainment do not request for trainees to pay this back after debut. This means their artists get to earn money from the moment they start promoting. Other companies may ask their trainees to pay this back after debut and they only start receiving income after the debt is paid back. cr.

Spoiler

These were Bang Sihyuk's answers in an interview with a foreign media. 

'The average cost for a trainee annually is 120M KRW and covered by the agency'
TMI) Companies like Big Hit, SM, JYP, and YG cover the cost of investment100%. The trainees don't have to repay the company, they can start earning money as soon as they debuted. 

When the debut team is formed, the trainees have to live in a dorm at least for 1.5 years before their debut. As they prepare for their debut, they're required to do peer review for 3 to 6 months. Such as deciding who makes the best leader, which aspects they want the group to improve in, and they also decide their role in their group.

TMI) They're doing the 'Leader Test' during this period of time. 
E.g: TXT

Beomgyu
Q: You said you did 'Leader Test' before the debut. What are you exactly doing for that test?
A: Each of us tried out being the leader of the group for 2 to 3 weeks. We would score each other and the one with the highest score becomes the leader...

The curriculum for Big Hit's trainees takes longer time and costs more than any other company. It's because Big Hit doesn't only train the trainees as singers, but also prepares for their social life, takes care of their mental health, physical, and also hold a mentoring program. We're not a formal educational institution, but we're trying to do our best as the member of society. -Bang PD

We also include 'Listening to the music' as a part of our training program because occasionally there are some trainees who aren't able to identify the kind of music they whole-heartedly like (Not just singing). -Trainee Development Team

TMI) Big Hit doesn't require acting class at all

The majority of companies now have changed their policy regarding their contracts, respecting their artists to decide. While Big Hit has already applied this policy since the very beginning

 

original post: theqoo

1. I love Big Hit because they always invest a lot of money in the trainees

2. I think acting practice will be necessary because idols need to show their acting on stage

3. It’s like the cost of R&D in other fields, is there anything special?

4. There’s nothing to argue with if you look at BTS and TXT

5. I thought it was 20 million won, but it was 120 million won;;

6. It costs more money than I thought

7. It’s good, I think I’ll apply for Big Hit if I want to be a trainee

8. Well, 120 million won…

9. The Big Hit system is so good

10. It’s good for the trainees cr.

(more comments)

11. How do they cost that much? That equals to the amount of money you need to attend university in South Korea

12. That's so much more money than I expected

13. But trainees from small companies still have to pay the money they were invested in back, right? Even though I'm sure it's not as much as stated on this post. I hope my biases would hit big as soon as possibleㅠㅠ

14. Big Hit seems to have a really great system. But I don't think they could release another group like BTS.

15. I just learned that they don't require any acting classes at all for their trainees. What if their idols suddenly develop an interest in acting?

16. They don't require acting classes but they still provide the acting class when needed. I heard they hold such classes before filming music videos. 

17. That 'Listening to music' program sounds really great. There are people who still haven't figured out what they like, just like me. 

18. I really want to know how it feels like to be a trainee, even though I know it's not easy at all. 

19. It's very nice of Big Hit to take care of the trainees' mental health prior to their debut. I think every celebrity needs that.

20. I wonder how they take care of the trainees' mental health and hold the mentoring for the social life... I want to experience such thing. cr.

[satoori]

1 hour ago, felidae said:

Overseas training? Anyone knows an example because my memory is empty

it seems they send some of their trainees overseas for dance lessons.

some known examples jungkook (bts), jay (enhypen), yeonjun (txt), hueningkai (txt)..

[satoori]

3 hours ago, yoohyeon the unicorn said:

Blogged? Where can I read them? 

https://btsblog.ibighit.com/m/54  (jungkook diary from bts old blog)

 

Other then this, there's not much else to read. The company have mostly kept this lowkey. With Jungkook, I'm assuming he might of been one of the first trainees they've sent overseas (I'm not sure about Glam). The other BTS members didn't go. In recent years, he and the members have slightly mentioned JK's trainee.

JK was sent due to lacking emotion while dancing. 
JK fell so much in love with his new dancing life he wanted to become a dancer instead of idol singer. He was convinced by Jimin to stay tho.                                    

Edited April 15, 2021 by satoori

[satoori]

15 hours ago, yoohyeon the unicorn said:

Thanks a lot! I knew about the lacking emotion part but not about JK wanted to quit the idol training to become a dancer. 

It was mentioned in a 2016 vlive and again in their docu series

 

[satoori]

14 minutes ago, ~daydream~ said:

All of txt went, btw

 

ah thanks for sharing!! i figure that was the case considering their predebut material. however i wasn't completely sure.

 

 

OT: i have a theory post-bts bighit is able to keep trainees lowkey due to sending them overseas when they finalize (or close to it) the line up. keeping trainees out of korea for a period of time, makes it harder for kfans and cfans to snoop.

[satoori]

4 hours ago, BAZISSINO said:

Tea i lost it at the listening to music program sure making sure they have a style they like is way more important to vocal training ofc .....they can brag all they want they still have some of the weakest vocal line in the industry for both groups 

And yet BH (HYBE) still winning LMAO~!!!! In fact, multiple times they make clear they do not just focus (care about) only vocals (singing). so...^^  There's little to no correlation between being a profitable idol and a perfect vocalist ~~ uwu  Once again Kpoppies irrelevant opinions are just irrelevant opinions hahahahahahah DDDJFLFSLS

[satoori]

I'm screaming! people showing their true colors in this thread is hilarious! triggered much ~

[satoori]

10 hours ago, Taecoholic said:

15. I just learned that they don't require any acting classes at all for their trainees. What if their idols suddenly develop an interest in acting?

 

Good question.

From my understanding, not being "required" means BH (HYBE) don't force their trainees to take acting classes. So it's not an additional required trainee fee.

However I assume trainees who interested can apply to acting classes OR once they debut are able to get lessons if interested in acting. There are quite a few acting schools in Korea popular with idols.