I'm an African-American and French boy and i want to be in an SM Entertainment band?

[Spencer]

So, I'm an African American and French boy, I live and was raised in France, and since I have 10/11 years old, I dreamed of being in a SM Entertainment boy band. It all started when I discovered SHINee and f(x). I became addicted to these two idols that I began to learn their songs and choreography and then since I’m 11 years old, I started to learn Korean on the Internet, which was difficult for me because I need a teacher to learn more easily and faster. And since, I knew that's what I wanted to do later, be in Korean Entertainment (KPOP). I started doing research to find SM Entertainment Auditions (in L.A or in South Korea). My parents were ready to buy me the ticket but I was starting to get scared because I saw in the forums that they do not accept non-Asians and even less: blacks. Anyway:
1) How is the audition process?
2) How should I dress? I plan to wear my black white Aztec sweatshirt, a black harem pants and sneakers. Is this correct?
3) I wear glasses? Should I remove them?
4 ) Judges will staring at me strangely because I 'm black ?
5) How will they contact me to tell me if I am accepted to be a trainee, because in France, the phone numbers are not the same in America or in Korea?
6) When I arrived in Korea, how will I get to the dorm (airport to the building)?
7) Other trainees will look at me strangely; insult me, or bullying me just because I 'm different?
8) How are the schedules of the whole week?
9) If my roommates insult me or hit me, I have the right to complain to the Director or his clerks?
10) Is it possible that there fights?
11) If I cry during a dance class or a vocal lesson ( because I'm a big cry-baby ) , educators can they hit me or anything ?
12) Will I meet idols? (And no, meet SHINee and f(x) is not my goal)
13) How will they declare that I will make my debut?
14) If I get sick, can I take a day congee and will they take care of me?
15) Can I celebrate Christmas and New Year's Eve?
16) Could I celebrate my birthday?
17) Apparently, they look at the level of all trainees, and the most competent trainees are in a waiting list and in the list, they are all trainees who could debut. Is this true?
18) Apparently, this is a risk that an African-American makes his debuts in a KPOP band because this person could endanger the group, such as: having a lot of anti- fans, and also it can be a marketing problem. But why my presence would attract anti- fans? Is it just because I 'm black? I do not know, they could not give me a chance to ride that I can have my place in a Korean group and within the Korean community? (Even if it's weird to see a black surrounded by Asians)
19) What are the schedules of a band who will debut?
20) If I debut, the other members could hate me and put me away because of my difference?
21) Will they call my parents when I’ll debut? How the director could talk to my parents because they speak French and a little English, I should be the translator?
22) If I can speak Korean fluently ... for 2014 or 2015 (although I would need advanced vocabulary), should I still take courses in Korean language?
23) Apparently, in 2016, they are going to start a new boy band, if I become a trainee in 2014 or in 2015, could I have a chance to debut in this group? (Basically do a year of training)?
24) Am I allowed to bring my tab?
25) I must say that Taemin (SHINee) was not so beautiful when he auditioned but it was a very good dancer, so I guess they will also feel compared to your talent?
26) If I debut, I have the right to use words like: “Hyung”, “sunbae”, or is it weird to hear a black saying these words when he is not Korean?
27) If I give up during training, am I forced to pay (what they paid me for training)?
28) How do I introduce myself at the audition (name, age, saying the title of the song)?
29) If I debut, who will choose my scene name, me or the director?
30) What shall we eat there?
31) I have afro hair, will they straighten my hair, give me a KPOP haircut and then will they dye my hair (I wish they would do)?
32) When we're trainee, is that there are rules on how to dress?
33) Will I have the opportunity to do some showcases if I am a trainee?
34) What do we do during the dance classes, and during the singing lessons?
35) If I succeed my audition in 2014, is it possible that I become a SM Rookie?
36) Is this all rookies or some of them who will debut?
37) In France, we pass the bachelor when we are in the twelfth grade (I'm in the ninth grade). Will I be able to pass this exam at Korea Kent Foreign School, but in English? (I'm african french and American)

Thank you for answering my questions, i really want to be sure to audition in 2014, be a SM Rookie/Band Member is the only thing that i want to do in my life, if i'm a rookie, i hope that the other rookies (Jeno, Mark, Jisung, and the rest) will not be bad at me because i'm black...

[Evelyn]

In fact, as long as you follow your usual attitude towards, the effect will be even better, of course, the appearance is to be packaged, neat appearance is important.
You will do your best, not too much pressure, that would be counterproductive.
I believe you can.so you also believe in yourself.

[Xiaolei]

I can't exactly answer everything you've asked, but I'll try to provide the information I know or at least the most trustworthy/prevalent stuff that is revealed.

1) How is the audition process?
This should answer most of your questions: http://seoulbeats.com/2012/01/the-road-t...ditioning/

2) How should I dress? I plan to wear my black white Aztec sweatshirt, a black harem pants and sneakers. Is this correct?
You should look presentable and still be able to perform comfortably. Your described outfit sounds like a solid choice given the audition tapes from already debuted artist. Flashy clothes don't matter that much.

3) I wear glasses? Should I remove them?
Maybe, if it will make your dancing easier. Kpop stars always get contacts if they need glasses so you could consider those. Mostly, it's just to make the dancing portion of your audition go better.

4 ) Judges will staring at me strangely because I 'm black ?
If you're auditioning in the states, I highly doubt it. Mostly, it's Asians who audition but other races are barricaded from the auditions or anything.

5) How will they contact me to tell me if I am accepted to be a trainee, because in France, the phone numbers are not the same in America or in Korea?
21) Will they call my parents when I’ll debut? How the director could talk to my parents because they speak French and a little English, I should be the translator?
International phone service. They have translators.


8) How are the schedules of the whole week?
19) What are the schedules of a band who will debut?
Busy. You train every day on top of school work and then you train and audition to stay on top and work some more.

10) Is it possible that there fights?
11) If I cry during a dance class or a vocal lesson ( because I'm a big cry-baby ) , educators can they hit me or anything ?
7) Other trainees will look at me strangely; insult me, or bullying me just because I 'm different?
Not to discourage you, but often people get picked on or isolated because they are different. There is racism in Kpop not that people really pick on it because it's not that prevalent in Korea. Because Kpop is really focused on looks, your skin color might draw some attention. Basically, the entertainment industry is a lot of work and it will be brutal. There will be competition and people will expect you to suck it up.

13) How will they declare that I will make my debut?
They will post it on their website or Facebook page like they do with all new trainees.

14) If I get sick, can I take a day congee and will they take care of me?
15) Can I celebrate Christmas and New Year's Eve?
16) Could I celebrate my birthday?
Depends on which company, but if you can work around your schedule than yes. If you are really sick, like dying sick, you could get a day off. In the past, SM would make their idols work anyways but that might have changed by now. Likely though, you will have some work on those days.

17) Apparently, they look at the level of all trainees, and the most competent trainees are in a waiting list and in the list, they are all trainees who could debut. Is this true?
I believe so. I heard that trainees get tested each week to see where their training is taking them. sometimes it depends on what they need for a new group for who they will debut.


18) Apparently, this is a risk that an African-American makes his debuts in a KPOP band because this person could endanger the group, such as: having a lot of anti- fans, and also it can be a marketing problem. But why my presence would attract anti- fans? Is it just because I 'm black? I do not know, they could not give me a chance to ride that I can have my place in a Korean group and within the Korean community? (Even if it's weird to see a black surrounded by Asians)

Kpop is a solid Asian market catering to Asian people. Asians from all over the world want to become a Kpop star because they couldn't become a Western music star if they tried. Some people take offense to having other races mixed in with Kpop because it is marketed to an Asian market. It's the same reason most Western music stars are Caucasian: they reflect the majority of their audience. That is why as a non-Asian, you would have more trouble being accepted. There's one French girl in Kpop (white) and she received a ton of hate even before debut. International fans might actually like that someone with darker skin made it into Kpop. I can't say the same for the Asian market.

20) If I debut, the other members could hate me and put me away because of my difference?
Like I said, it's not horribly prevalent to discourage by skin color in the society, even though pale skin is of course preferred. The challenge might be getting them to like you just because you are a foreigner and you don't know them and probably haven't trained with them.

23) Apparently, in 2016, they are going to start a new boy band, if I become a trainee in 2014 or in 2015, could I have a chance to debut in this group? (Basically do a year of training)?
Yes. Some idols went through a couple months of training and debuted. If they find you fit the group, they won't really care how long you've been training. Just look at Kyuhyun of Super Junior.

25) I must say that Taemin (SHINee) was not so beautiful when he auditioned but it was a very good dancer, so I guess they will also feel compared to your talent?
Of course you have to have some talent. Unless you're drop dead gorgeous or an actor or something.

26) If I debut, I have the right to use words like: “Hyung”, “sunbae”, or is it weird to hear a black saying these words when he is not Korean?
There are people of other nationalities in Kpop who have never used those terms in their life and they still have to use them. It's a society thing and is required on television, radio, and in everyday life. Plus, it would make you look nice and respectful of their culture.

27) If I give up during training, am I forced to pay (what they paid me for training)?
No.

29) If I debut, who will choose my scene name, me or the director?
31) I have afro hair, will they straighten my hair, give me a KPOP haircut and then will they dye my hair (I wish they would do)?
32) When we're trainee, is that there are rules on how to dress?
The company gets to decide your stage name, your image, how you dress when going to public events, and they could change you hair however they want. I believe they can pierce your ears too.

That's all I know. Try visiting other pages on that website for more information about Kpop and Korean culture (though I'm sure you know plenty) Sorry I couldn't answer everything but hopefully this will give you some ideas.